Midnight Muse

“You’re not my dad,” I scoff, fishing around in my makeup bag for my mascara.

“But I’d let you call me daddy anytime, Quinnie,” he jokes and I shake my head fondly at the brand of humor I’ve come to expect from Slate.

“I’m sure Knox is going to love to hear that you’ve been flirting with me again.”

Slate hugs one of my pillows to his chest, flipping through a book that I left on the table beside my bed. I wonder if he’ll find the page Knox bookmarked for me when he’d been flitting through it, telling me he slipped in a cheeky note for me to find along with the naughty passage.

“He knows what I’m about. If he feels threatened, that’s on him. I can just remind him of all the times we used to—” The ringing of his phone thankfully cuts off his sentence and he slides it from his pocket, checking the caller before accepting, his entire demeanor changing as he answers with a quiet hello down the line.

Slate frowns at whatever is being said and I cock my head, watching intently. I share a look with Rory, who is as equally confused and concerned for our friend. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Slate so serious, and with the way his body tenses, I wonder who it is.

“Yeah, I’m on my way,” he says finally, hanging up and springing from my bed. He tosses the pillow at the headboard, striding towards the door with a concerning pull to his eyebrows that has Rory calling his name while he makes his way out.

“Everything okay, Slate?”

He startles, like he’s completely forgotten that the both of us are here with him. Slate turns, scratching his nape. “I, uh—yeah, everything’s fine. I have to go. I’ll see you both later.”

“So much for seeing me off,” I comment when the door slams behind him.

Rory grins, sliding off my bed to join me at the mirror. “Don’t worry, I’ll be here to do that.”

“Thanks,” I laugh, capping the mascara and putting it away. Leaning back, I admire my makeup in the mirror. My heart picks up pace the longer I think about my upcoming date, so I try my best to distract myself by asking Rory about her love life. “How are things with Ace going?”

Rory sighs happily. “He’s so great. I’m really glad we decided to move here this year, Quinn.”

“Me too,” I admit, grinning stupidly as we both break out in giggles. If someone would’ve asked me if I’d be going on a date with the neighbor I swore I’d never even be friends with, I would’ve laughed for ages. “Ro, will you help me pick out some jewelry?”

Knox told me to dress casually, something with jeans because he somehow convinced me to get back on his motorcycle with him. Okay, so he didn’t have to do much convincing when he was eating me out like a starving man, but I digress.

It’s a sunny afternoon, no clouds in sight, and it eases me slightly that I won’t have to ride it in the rain again, no matter how much I enjoyed being pressed up against him that night.

Now that we’re somewhat of a thing, I’m free to press up against him whenever I want.

Naked, too.

“Here,” she says, hooking a pendent around my neck. She clasps it for me and I can’t help but stare at the green gem that sits at the base of my throat, glittering in the light. It looks good, like Knox’s eyes captured in the stone.

“Is it weird to be nervous?” I ask her, fiddling with the pendant. “We’ve already had sex but I still feel all jittery.”

“Being nervous is completely normal,” Rory answers, squeezing my shoulders. They ease slightly under her comfort, pulling away from my ears as I take a deep breath. “You have to promise to tell me all about it when you get home.”

“I will,” I shoo her, playfully. “I promise.”

Rory and I chat about light topics to keep my mind off of my nerves. She tells me about how excited she is for winter break and asks me my plans, as if we don’t live four blocks away from each other back in Seattle. In return, I ask her if she knows any other information about Peep and Sam, but apparently, our older siblings are much sneakier than we thought, and we decide to do some major digging over the holidays.

A knock at the door sounds and my nerves skyrocket again. I smooth down my shirt as Rory rounds the corner to open the door, crossing her arms over her chest like a stern mother meeting her daughter’s boyfriend for the first time.

I’m thankful that it’s Rory and not actually my mom here right now.

I am so not ready for that interrogation yet.

Rory squeals when the door swings open to reveal Ace on the other side. I can’t help but to deflate a little, hoping it was Knox. Ace is all smiles, sweeping Rory into his arms and guiding her back into the apartment with his hug.

My breath leaves my body at the sight of Knox standing behind him. I swear, he looks better and better every time I see him. He’s effortlessly handsome, his black hair fingered through with gel even though he must know it’s going to get mussed from his motorcycle helmet. His jade eyes gleam, crinkling at the corners with his smile when he catches my gaze.

He’s dressed in a simple black t-shirt, his leather jacket tight over his broad shoulders. It’s the same one he wrapped me up in that night we spent in the rain.

Of course, he also has black jeans on, because Knox doesn’t know the definition of the word color.