Page 219 of Power Play

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“So you can unlock the door.”

“I understand how keys function.”

His mouth twitched. “Take it.”

I couldn’t.

The key suddenly seemed much heavier than something that small had any right to be.

“Ryan.”

“What?”

“We became boyfriend and girlfriend last night, and now you’re giving me a key.”

“Yeah. My girlfriend has a key.”

“That is wildly intense.”

“I’m not asking you to move in.”

“Your face kind of is.”

“My face is telling you to take the damn key.”

I looked at it again. Yesterday, I might have seen only access. After last night, I saw a kid holding a trash bag, temporary houses, locked doors, and stairwells. I saw a man who had built one place nobody could tell him he no longer belonged in.

He was handing part of that security to me.

Ryan stepped closer and closed my fingers around the key. “Come here when you need quiet.”

My throat tightened.

“Study here and use all the books. Sleep here if Aura and Easton are being unbearable to each other, because I’m sure they will be. Whatever the hell is happening between them won’t fix itself during the next six days, and you and Bliss can’t fix it for them.”

“They’re always unbearable.”

“Then you’ll get plenty of use out of the key.”

I smiled.

“If Klein pisses you off, come here. If Wednesday gets inside your head before dinner, come here.” His hand remained around mine. “If you miss me, come here.”

I looked down at our joined hands.

“Drink your wine out of the Great Lakes mug, steal my hoodies, and take whatever book you need back to the ABC apartment.”

“You’re giving me everything in your apartment.”

“I’m giving you access to everything in my apartment.”

“While you’re gone.”

“Especially while I’m gone.”