𝘉𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘚𝘪𝘥𝘦 #1

10. Cuddly Bear

34+35 – Ariana Grande

Jonathan had spent the last hour trying to persuade me to stay over at his place that night, and during that same time, I'd been refusing, although he had convinced me to have sex again sometime within those sixty minutes.

"What's wrong with staying, Savanah?" he asked, tracing his fingers along my bare back as I sat on the bed, stretching to retrieve my underwear. I put on my bra and then my panties, shaking my head and moving away from his touch while finishing dressing. I looked at him, letting out a laugh.

"I don't sleep outside my house, Jonny." It wasn't entirely false. I hated staying anywhere that wasn't my home or somewhere I felt tranquil and at peace, and this place was far from it. Especially if it was just about sex.

"But you could leave tomorrow after breakfast," he insisted, and I shook my head mid-sentence without saying a word. I sat back on the edge to put on my shoes and noticed the mattress shift as he sat down too. The warmth of his body collided with mine in the uncovered areas of my dress, and his hands touched my shoulders, pressing gently. I let my head fall back and enjoyed the massage for a few seconds. "I can drive you home if you want.

I opened my mouth to refute him again when my phone started ringing from my jacket pocket. I quickly stood up and reached for it, seeing who was calling at 10 PM on this last Thursday of August. I smiled when I saw Wade's name on the screen, grateful for this earthly angel who always called or messaged at crucial moments in my life. I showed Jonny the phone and slid my thumb to answer.

"Wade." I'd swear his name escaped with a sigh, as if relieving me of a weight.

"What was that?" Wade asked, laughing on the other end of the line. I shook my head, mirroring his gesture, feeling more relaxed now.

"Give me a moment," I said, moving the phone away from my ear and putting on my jacket. "I need to take this call and leave. We'll talk, Jonny." I hastily bid him farewell, blowing a kiss, and exited his room, descending the stairs to the main door. I didn't waste time as I approached my car, unlocking it and getting in. I put the call on speaker, set my phone on the passenger seat, and started the engine. "You have no idea how you just saved me."

"As always," he joked, "what was that? Who were you with?"

"Jonathan." I made a face, shaking my head. I put on my seatbelt and pulled out of the parking spot, driving back home.

"The wrestler?"

"The same one."

"Uh-oh, you didn't tell me you'd see him again." Wade teased, amused, and I smiled.

"We talked a bit and got together again, but he wanted me to stay at his place tonight. Your call literally saved me; I spent an hour telling him no."

"No way." He burst out laughing just as I stopped at a red light, connecting my phone to the car's Bluetooth and setting it in the holder before accelerating again. "I don't think it was an hour of tug-of-war over staying, Sabanas."

"Well, no," I laughed, focusing on the road and tapping my free hand on my thigh. "We had sex again, but I wasn't staying."

"You heartbreaker."

"Always," I joked back. "What's up?" I had to ask, since Wade usually preferred texting over calling. It felt unusual, though I remained eternally grateful for the excuse to leave quickly.

"Nothing, nothing's happened," he denied, pausing briefly before taking a deep breath. "Well, actually, something did happen, but it's not bad." His response furrowed my brow.