“I won't keep slipping into your bed at night," she stated evenly.

“The first night I just felt lonely in a strange house, and this morning I was just feeling sad and needed you to hold me. I mean, if we're having a weekend threesome with Belle, I'll be fine staying overnight with you. But I don't want to make a habit of cuddling in your arms when that's not what our relationship is supposed to be."

“Fair enough.”

“I'm not your live-in girlfriend. We're friends, Matty. Friends with benefits, yes, but just friends. I have my own room and my own space and I'm going to do my own thing. I hope you understand that me living under your roof doesn't make me beholden to obeying you or anything like that, the roleplaying Master and Tight-Arse Slut stuff aside. I need to live my own life, even if I happen to be living rent free in your house."

“Don't worry about rent."

"I know. Beverly stopped me cold when I suggested otherwise."

"I might move back home tomorrow, or I may actually stay with you until we leave for Berkeley. I have no idea right now, and that... uncertainty..." She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I AM a bit of a control freak, I admit it. And the fact that I can't control the current situation drives me bonkers."

“I think you're doing a great job of controlling the situation as best you can," I suggested.

“Obviously, your dad is putting a lot of pressure on you to live the life he's chosen for you (and quite frankly, is probably where you get your own desire to control everything). First, you chose a different career. Then, you chose a completely different school to make a name for yourself away from the shadow of his connections. You're even taking away his financial leverage over you. Finally, you removed yourself entirely from his house. I'm not so sure I could've been so strong, and I really admire that about you."

“But I can't control how he's going to react and I have no idea when or if this estrangement is gonna change."

“You control what you can control. You can't control your dad, or when he may or may not extend an olive branch to you. So if you've decided you won't be the one to make the first move, then it's decided: You're staying in my house for the foreseeable future. With me. And... with my mother. And with that as a done and confirmed baseline, you can focus your attention on everything else."

She smiled and squeezed my hand.

“Thanks, Matty.”

“Of course."

Sam stopped walking, and she turned to press herself up against my chest. I automatically enfolded her in my arms and gave her a reassuring hug. One moment turned into two, and I wound up scooping her off her feet while she squealed, gently swaying her left and right several times before setting her back down on the sidewalk.

Cooing softly, Sam turned her face up to mine and I swiftly met her lips for a soft kiss. We made out like that for a minute, and when we finally parted for air, she repeated, “Thanks, Matty."

“Of course," I repeated as well.

“Take me home?" she asked, perfectly aware that she was using the word

‘home’ to imply MY house, not her parents" house.

I grinned and replied, “As you wish."

Her eyes glittered as we started walking again.

The evening ultimately became a repeat of the week's previous evenings.

Sam went into her room to study, save for carving out time to chat with

Mother, and we fell asleep in our own beds. She must've joined me at some point during the night once again, because on Thursday morning I woke up in a familiar position: spooned around her Lush body with a bare breast in my palm. And this time, she wasn't crying.

“Thought you said you weren't going to keep slipping into my bed anymore," I mumbled, only half-conscious.