You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Easton

What do you do when your girlfriend is full of doubt and in a bad mood for the entire day? You take her back to your place, make popcorn and grab a couple of sodas, and then drag her into your bed along with your laptop with the promise of, “watching a movie".

That's code for getting naked with each other.

Harper didn't get the memo though.

When I enter my bedroom with the promised drinks and snacks, I find her sitting on top of my bed with every stitch of clothing still on, her back against the headboard as she stares so hard at her phone, her forehead is wrinkled.

Frustration fills me but I bat it away and paste on a smile.

"Everything okay?” "What?"

She glances up at me, smiling when she sees what I'm carrying.

“Oh my God, I'm starving."

I settle in beside her on the bed, disappointed she's not naked under the covers but I guess I can't be too upset, considering I didn't tell her what I wanted in the first place.

"Here."

I hand her the can of Coke and she takes it from me, cracking it open and immediately guzzling from it.

"I've been on an anti—caffeine kick lately.

Worst possible time to try to give it up,"

she says.

I set the bowl in between us on the bed and we both stick our hands in the popcorn at the same time, our fingers brushing.

She snatches her hand away, brushing her fingers against her lips as she studies me.

"I want to help you forget all of your troubles,” I murmur, leaning over to deliver a kiss to her salty lips.

She smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

"I appreciate you wanting to distract me with snacks and a movie, but I don’t know if it's going to work...” I pull away from her, banging the back of my head against the headboard, closing my eyes briefly as I blow out an exasperated breath.

“Harper, I already reassured you that nothing is going to happen.

I wish you could trust me.

Leigh is gone.

They'll probably fire her.

will just..go

will go back to

really going to get that lucky, Easton? Or is that bitch going to be back at school and trying to bribe you again with sex?” I glance over at Harper to witness her with her head tilted back and her chest thrust forward as she keeps chugging the soda like she's a frat boy

“Harp.

Slow down."

her hand across her mouth and

"I'm sorry.

really stressed out right

handful of popcorn and

girl is feeling...a

need to help her

least for

your phone.” I hold my hand out

She eyes it warily.

"Why?"

a

"Hand it over."

my palm and I lean over to drop it in the

I grab my laptop and crack it

you want to watch?

"A rom com, please,"

says primly, reaching for

Whatever my girl wants.

watching a boring ass movie about true love

so I grab

playing on my laptop screen,

How close she is.

smell her intoxicating

badly I want

running them through her long locks as she lies there, her hazy gaze

sigh leaves her and she slowly closes her eyes, forgetting all about the

Good.

wasn't paying attention to

my lips

name against

knee knocking into my

leaning it against the bed

talk as we reach for each

She's too worried and I'm too frustrated and we can't change

Blake, which I know gave her a

don't trust

Something's up with him.