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Because the truth is, we live in two completely different worlds. He has the mountains, the snow, the quiet. I have school, city noise, deadlines, people pulling me in a million directions. How does something like this work when it’s separated by hundreds of miles? Long-distance is brutal and I don’t know if either of us is cut out for that kind of heartache. I like touch and Aspen does too. I can feel it in the way he holds me, the way he lingers. It’s our love language. A phone screen can't replicate that.

The bathroom door swings open and every thought in my head turns to static.

Aspen walks out completely naked, like—not-a-towel-in-sight naked, just one arm resting casually on the doorframe, like he didn’t just casually rock my entire world.

“Uhhh, hello there, sexy,” I say, my voice a little breathier than I intended.

“Hey,” he replies all cool confidence.

I swear it should be illegal to look like that and not give a girl a warning first. I’ve seen him naked, sure, but never like this. Never under the full glow of the apartment lights, every inch of him is on display like a damn statue carved by the Gods. I want to lick every single one of those abs. I want to…

“So, what movie did you pick?” He asks cutting through my X-rated train of thought like a splash of cold water.

I clear my throat. “Umm,The Fast and the Furious. Is that okay with you?”

His eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “YoulikeThe Fast and the Furious?”

“They’re only like my favorite movies,” I say with a grin.

He gives me a look of half impressed, half like he’s trying to figure me out. “Alright, Gen. I may have underestimated you.”

I smirk, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You just continue to surprise me, that’s all.” He steps forward with a smirk of his own, the kind of expression that makes your heart do gymnastics. “Oh, and uh… lose the clothes, this couch is for naked viewing only.”

I laugh escapes me, trying not to let the way my pulse just kicked into overdrive show on my face. He’s doing this on purpose. Heknowswhat he’s doing; testing me, teasing me, seeing how long I can keep my cool with all ofthatsitting next to me.

He’s good.

I’m not gonna make it.

And the worst part? I don’t even want to.

Fuck. Him.

***

It’s been about thirty minutes into the movie and I haven’t looked in Aspen’s direction once, not even a glance.

I won’t let myself.

I won’t let him win.

I’m cold, duh, I’m naked but I refuse to cave. My eyes stay locked on the wall where the movie’s being projected, and even though I can feel Aspen’s gaze on me like a damn spotlight, I stay committed. Five more minutes of stubborn silence tick by before he finally breaks it.

“Did I do something?” He asks genuinely confused.

Without looking at him, I reply, “No, I’m just really into the movie,” a total lie.

“Oh, I get it,” he says, sounding completely serious. “So if Paul Walker were sitting next to you naked right now, you’d be more interested?”

My eyes widen. I feel like I just got caught sneaking out of my house in high school, but I try to play it cool. “He’s not my type.”

“Seriously? He’s everyone’s type.”

“Not mine,” I reply still facing the screen.

“Ohhh,” he says and I can already hear the smirk in his voice, “You’re a Vin Diesel girl.”