Cozy • An Embry Story

.10

Embry's POV

I want to kiss her.
I want to kiss her so badly.

They say men think about sex at least nineteen times a day, while I think about finally kissing Winnie double that. When she first gets in the car, I want to kiss her good morning. Then kiss her goodbye and hello at work. Kiss her to interrupt her when she says I'm too nice. Kiss her on the cheek when I finally make her laugh. Most especially I want to kiss her goodnight.

The last few days I've been struggling to keep calm whenever we're around each other. I was so busy trying to speak to Winnie again after freshman year, I hadn't noticed when I suddenly couldn't settle for only being friends. At least not for much longer.

"I think I'm gonna ask out Winnie." I think out loud to Quil and Jacob at the table. It was so out of pocket, even Jacob's dad Billy Black came into the room to look for himself. They're all so taken off guard they all go unusually quiet, making me look at each of their faces to gauge in their reaction.

"This that Winifred girl, right?" Billy asks, maneuvering to the table between Quil and Jacob to be right across from me.

"She likes to be called Winnie." I confirm with a small grin. He nods at me, taking his time to mull over my situation.

"I wanted to ask how that was going, but I didn't want to pressure you, man." Quil admits, taking the last slice of pizza from our fifth box.

"From what I've seen, decent. She looks Embry in the face when she speaks to him now." Jacob jokes, before amending. "I actually think it's safe to call the two of you friends."

I try to give Jacob an enthusiastic grin, but barely manage lifting the corners of my lips with a tight shrug. It's nice hearing, I guess. Yet at the same time it hurts thinking I'll be friend zoned at best.

I can't wait to tell Winnie she's my imprint.

While Quil questions Jacob about when he had seen Winnie and I together, I think some things over. Just months ago I was worrying over how to talk to Winnie. Back then I thought she hated me so much that I could only speak to her by making her take my coffee order.

Maybe I'm rushing. Maybe I should wait a bit longer...

"Now, how would you ask her out, son?" Billy asks me.

"That's the thing, I don't know how to ask her." I explain. "She wouldn't want anything too causal, but she doesn't want corny or gooeshy either. She's not really the flowers and chocolate type." I can't just ask her randomly in my van while driving her home, and I know she'll definitely refuse if I show up with flowers.

"No big gestures," Billy understands giving me a sympathetic look.

"Definitely no big gestures." I sigh.

"And nothing too simple either." Billy adds.

"She'll probably think I'm trying to prank her or something." I groan, feeling my whole body sag. How am I tired when I haven't even asked her yet.

"So she doesn't like gifts, she doesn't like grand gestures, she doesn't like sweet talk, right?" Billy nods, his wise eyes crinkling in the corners. The trace of a smile on his face clashes with the contemplative look in his brown eyes, as if he's finding this fun. Like a riddle.