frostbite

Chapter 32: Late-Night Dilemmas

The silence between them had grown comfortable, yet Eden could feel the undercurrent of tension still humming between them. The game of 21 Questions had peeled back layers, but there was still a sense of unfinished business hanging in the air. Evelyn leaned back on the couch, one arm draped over the backrest, while Eden stretched her legs out, her eyes flicking to the clock.

It was late. The rain had slowed to a drizzle, and the quiet hum of the night had settled in.

Eden let out a soft sigh, glancing at Evelyn. "So, uh... it's getting late."

Evelyn arched an eyebrow, a hint of a smirk tugging at her lips. "It is."

"Yeah, it is," Eden repeated, her voice playful but laced with uncertainty. "And, well... not to be that person, but, where exactly am I supposed to sleep?"

Evelyn's smirk widened just slightly. "Ah, the big question of the night."

Eden rolled her eyes, pushing herself up on her elbows. "It's a valid question. You dragged me here, after all."

"I thought I saved you from the rain," Evelyn countered smoothly, her tone dripping with amusement.

Eden laughed, shaking her head. "Sure, let's go with that. But seriously, where am I crashing tonight? Couch? Floor? Luxury suite?"

Evelyn stood up, walking toward the hallway with a nonchalant air. "There's always the guest room, if you'd prefer. Or..." She paused, glancing back at Eden, her eyes gleaming with a teasing glint, "there's my room."

Eden blinked, caught off guard by how casually Evelyn had said it. "Wait, are you offering to let me sleep in your bed, or...?"

Evelyn's smirk deepened, and she shrugged, her tone casual but with a hint of challenge. "Depends on what you're comfortable with."

Eden felt her stomach do a somersault. Evelyn was teasing, yes, but there was something beneath the words, something unspoken that sent a jolt of electricity through her. Eden wasn't sure if she was ready to take that leap. But the teasing, the tension—it was like a game they'd been playing all night, and Eden couldn't help but push a little more.

"Well, I wouldn't want to put you out," Eden said, standing up and following Evelyn down the hallway, her tone light but her heart racing. "But sharing a bed with the infamous Professor Winters? That's a pretty big step."

Evelyn stopped at the door to her bedroom, turning to face Eden with that maddeningly calm expression. "Are you saying you're afraid?"

Eden narrowed her eyes, stepping closer. "Me? Afraid? Please. But I am saying... this feels like a trap."

Evelyn let out a soft laugh, stepping inside her room and leaving the door open for Eden to follow. "I don't trap people, Eden. I just give them choices."

Eden hesitated at the threshold, glancing into the room. It was just like the rest of Evelyn's house—neat, minimalistic, but not cold. A large bed sat against the far wall, the covers perfectly arranged, and the soft glow of a lamp illuminated the room in a warm light.

Eden swallowed, her pulse quickening. "So... guest room or here, huh?"

Evelyn crossed her arms, leaning casually against the dresser. "Your call. If you want the guest room, I'll show you. If you want to stay here, well..." Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "That's fine too."

Eden took a deep breath, her mind spinning with the implications. Sleeping in the same bed as Evelyn was... not something she'd planned for tonight. But then again, nothing about tonight had gone according to plan. And the idea of lying inches away from Evelyn, with all this tension between them—it was tempting. Very tempting.

But there was still that teasing edge in Evelyn's voice, the way she always kept things just a little out of reach, and Eden wasn't sure if Evelyn was serious, or just playing another round of their never-ending game.

"Alright," Eden said, her voice steady despite the fluttering in her chest. "I'll stay here. But if you snore, I'm out."

Evelyn chuckled softly, shaking her head. "I don't snore."

Eden smirked, stepping into the room. "We'll see."

Evelyn disappeared into the bathroom for a moment, leaving Eden alone to take in the space. She wandered over to the bed, running her hand over the soft comforter, her heart pounding as the reality of the situation settled in. This was happening. She was staying here, with Evelyn.

The bathroom door opened, and Evelyn stepped out, now in a loose-fitting shirt and sweatpants, her usual composed demeanor still intact. But there was something softer about her now, something more vulnerable in the way she moved.

Eden's breath caught as she took in the sight of Evelyn out of her usual rigid attire. It was... disarming, seeing her like this. Relaxed, in her own space, not the stern professor that commanded a lecture hall.

"You alright?" Evelyn asked, catching Eden's stare.

Eden blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "Yeah. Just... not used to seeing you like this."

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

Eden shrugged, her grin returning. "Human. You know, not terrifying."

Evelyn smirked, turning down the covers of the bed. "I can still be terrifying if that's what you prefer."

Eden laughed, rolling her eyes. "Please don't. I've had enough of that in class."

Evelyn's smirk softened, and she climbed into bed, leaning back against the headboard with a contented sigh. "Get some rest, Eden. You've had a long day of... challenging me."

Eden slid into the other side of the bed, pulling the covers up to her chest. The bed was warm, and despite the tension that still lingered between them, Eden felt a strange sense of comfort being this close to Evelyn. But, of course, she couldn't let the teasing go.

"So, is this what it's like to sleep over at a professor's house? Because I feel like I'm breaking all kinds of rules."

Evelyn turned her head to face Eden, a sly smile tugging at her lips. "You're not in class right now. There are no rules here."

Eden's heart skipped a beat at the way Evelyn said it, her voice low and full of meaning. She wasn't sure if Evelyn was teasing again or if she meant something more. But before she could think too much about it, she decided to push back.

"Good to know," Eden whispered, her voice soft but playful. "Because I'm not exactly great at following rules."

Evelyn chuckled softly, turning off the lamp beside her. "I've noticed."

They lay there in the darkness, the only sound the soft patter of rain against the window. The tension between them hadn't faded, but it had shifted, become something quieter, more intimate.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke, the weight of everything they hadn't said hanging in the air between them. But eventually, the exhaustion of the day began to settle in, and Eden's eyes grew heavy, her mind slowing.

Just as she was about to drift off, she heard Evelyn's voice, soft in the darkness. "Goodnight, Eden."

Eden smiled, her heart fluttering at the sound of Evelyn saying her name like that—soft, unguarded, real. "Goodnight, Evelyn."

And with that, the tension between them eased, just a little, as they both surrendered to the quiet comfort of the night.