All Rhodes Lead Here

by Mariana Zapata

“Didn’t think so. My bed’s big enough for both of us.” He let out a soft breath. “Or I can take the floor.” My feet moved, but the rest of me didn’t. Did he just say his bed was big enough for both of us? And there was a bat in here? Or that he could take the floor in his room? “Whoa, whoa, whoa, pal,” I whispered. “I don’t even know your middle name.” His hand tensed in mine, and he glanced over his shoulder. “John.” He wasn’t trying to . . . get me to go up there to have sex with him, was he? I didn’t think so—as in really didn’t think so but . . . “Not that I wouldn’t mind having sex with you eventually—” Rhodes made this terrible choking sound in his throat. “—but I barely learned your middle name, and I don’t know what you wanted to be when you were growing up, and this is going really fast if you want to do more than just sleep in the same bed together,” I rambled out in a rush, so I had no clue what the hell I was even saying. Apparently, he barely understood it too because he made another choking sound—not as aggressive—and just looked at me for a long second. “Sometimes I think I know exactly what you’re going to say . . . and then the exact opposite comes out of your mouth,” he whispered back. Was he laughing? “No sex, Buddy, just sleep. I’m too tired, and I do know your middle name, but I’m not real big on rushing things, Valeria,”