That he didn’t put up a fight was a small mercy. Kat needed some space. His response to her irritation wasn’t unwelcome, but made her a little wary when he crossed the kitchen in her direction. Kat was most frustrated by her lack of bearing in the last few hours; she didn’t really know how to be right now. None of that mattered much when Reed gathered her up in a hug. Kat could have fallen asleep there if he’d held still long enough, her comfort was so complete. She dropped her head against his shoulder and chuckled, nostalgic. “You can’t call it a slumber party without a sheet tent and video games.”
“You don’t stink,” she added as an afterthought. Even if he did, her head was so fuzzy she might not have noticed. Kat slowly let go of him when he brought up the kiss, though it had been so brief she’d hardly have called it that now. She smiled, tight-lipped, and nodded once. Twisting one of the hoodie ties on his sweatshirt between her fingertips, she paused, then managed; “Well that’s …” Good? A one time thing? “a relief.” Regardless, she wouldn’t do so again. Affection was supposed to be a good thing, a happy thing, not tarnished with layers upon layers of complication and doubt. Kat brushed her hands up his collarbone and back around to the nape of his neck, tunneling her fingers through his hair for a moment to give his sore neck a little relief. “Let me know when there’s furniture here then, and we can make plans?” She dropped her hands, grabbed her coffee and headed for the door.