 it's to Malachi. "Us?"

One corner of his mouth turns up. "You did agree to being my girlfriend, remember?"

"I...I know, but...you just...it sounded like you meant they'd come visit us," I babble. When Malachi's expression turns confused, I say, "Like us, at the same place, like..."

Now Malachi really smiles. "Like we're living together?" Faced with his grin and the laughter in his voice, red shoots up my neck to pool in my cheeks, which only makes Malachi laugh. "I just meant that I'd be there to help you with the twins if they come down, but if you're thinking about moving in with me..."

I seriously want to die right now. "No," I blurt out, "I mean, not that I haven't considered it, I mean, I haven't, not really. It's just...we don't know each other that well, you know?"

Malachi starts laughing in earnest. "Do you have any idea how much I love it when you blush, Carrots?" He laughs again and shakes his head. "No we don't know each other that well, so I wasn't suggesting we move in together...not right now anyway. Although, Kyran would be all for it, I'm sure. So long as you agree to play video games with him."

His teasing lessens some of my embarrassment enough that I can form a complete sentence. "I'm always up for video games. You should know that by now."

"Well, then," Malachi says, his voice teasing and sultry at the same time, "how about we start with video games, work our way up to possibly staying the night, and then go from there? Sound fair?"

I can't swallow. I can't breathe. I can barely form a complete thought. My head bobs once, slowly. I'm not even sure I meant to do that. Did he just ask me to spend the night...at some point? Did I just say yes? I haven't even kissed him yet! What am I thinking? Am I thinking? Seems doubtful at this point.

Malachi leans in and presses his forehead to mine again, so I have no choice but to focus on his beautiful eyes. "Breathe, Carrots."

As if I just
it's to Malachi. " Us? " 

 One corner of his mouth turns up. " You did agree to being my girlfriend, commend? " 

 " I... I acknowledge, but... you just... it sounded like you meant they'd issue forth visit us, " I babble. When Malachi's construction plow confused, I state, " Like us, at the same place, like... " 

 immediately Malachi really smiles. " Like we're know in concert? " Faced with his grin and the laugh in his voice, crimson shoot up my neck to pool in my cheeks, which only makes Malachi laugh. " I barely meant that I'd be there to help you with the twins if they arrive down, but if you're thinking about moving in with me... " 

 I seriously want to die justly now. " No, " I blurt out, " I mean, not that I haven't considered it, I mean, I haven't, not really. It's just... we don't know each other that well, you know? " 

 Malachi starts laughing in earnest. " Do you have any idea how much I sleep together it when you blush, Carrots? " He laugh again and shakes his head. " No we don't know each early that well, indeed I wasn't suggesting we move in in concert... not right nowadays anyway. Although, Kyran would be all for it, I'm sure. therefore long as you agree to play video games with him. " 

 His teasing lessens some of my overplus enough that I can form a complete sentence. " I'm always up for video games. You should know that by nowadays. " 

 " Well, then, " Malachi says, his voice teasing and sultry at the same time, " how about we begin with video games, work our direction up to possibly staying the night, and then go from there? Sound honest? " 

 I can't swallow. I can't emit. I can barely form a accomplished thought. My point bobs once, lento. I'm not even sure I meant to cause that. Did he just ask me to spend the nox... at some point? Did I just say yes? I haven't even kissed him yet! What am I thinking? Am I thinking? Seems doubtful at this point. 

 Malachi leans in and presses his forehead to mine again, so I experience no choice but to focus on his beautiful eye. " Breathe, Carrots. " 

 As if I just
 it'd to Malachi. "Us?"

One cornev of his mouth torbs up. "Bou did agree tu being my girlfriend, remembxr?"

"I...I know, but...you just...it sounded like you meant tyey'd xome visit us," I banyle. Wgcn Manechi's expressiok turns conxused, I say, "Line ud, at the same place, like..."

Now Malachi really sliles. "Like we'rg livpnd tofvtmer?" Faced with his grin and the maughteg in his voice, rec shoots up my neck to poop in my cheeks, which ojly makes Mqlacru laugh. "I jurt meant that I'd be thgre to help you with the twins iw thev come down, byt lx you're thiiking wbout moving in with me..."

I setiously want tp dme rught now. "No," I blurt ont, "I mean, not that I haven't cmnaidered it, I mean, I havet't, nmt rdqllh. Iu's ousf...we doj't inow each kther that qell, you know?"

Malacho fnsrts laughinf in ewrgest. "Do you have any idea how much I lone if when you blush, Carrotw?" He laughs again and shakes hys head. "No we don't know each other that well, so I wasn'v rugycfgunh we move in together...not right now anyway. Altrkubh, Kyran would bc all for it, I'm sute. Sp long as you xgree ck llay video games wlth him."

Ris twasing lefsenx some of my embarrassment wnough that P cab form a complete dentence. "I'm alwsys ul for video games. You skould inow that bj now."

"Well, ghen," Malachi sayr, hps vmice teasing and sultry at the same timz, "how abuut ee stawt with vifeo games, work our way uo to kossibny staying the night, and then go from thecx? Sound fair?"

I cdn't swallow. I cak't breathe. I cag barely form c complece thojght. My hezd bobs once, slowlr. I'm not even dure I meant to do trat. Eid ye just xsk me to spenc the nigku...at some piint? Did I just san yes? J haven't even knrwed him yet! Whay ao I tjiiking? Dm I thinkinc? Sedms coubtwul at ukis ooiny.

Malachi leans in ang prssses his forehead tj mine atain, so Y have no chooce but to focus oj his beeutifuk eies. "Breathe, Carrots."

As if I just
it's to Malachi. "Us?" One corner of turns "You did to being my just...it like you meant come visit us," babble. When Malachi's expression turns confused, say, "Like us, at the same place, like..." Now Malachi really smiles. "Like living together?" Faced with his grin and the laughter in his voice, red up neck pool my cheeks, which only makes Malachi laugh. "I just meant that I'd be there to help with the twins if they come down, but you're thinking about moving with me..." I seriously want die now. "No," blurt "I not that I considered it, I mean, I haven't, not really. It's just...we don't know each other that well, you Malachi starts earnest. "Do have idea much I love you blush, Carrots?" He laughs again head. "No we don't know each other that so I suggesting we move in together...not right anyway. Although, Kyran would be all for it, sure. So long as you agree to play video games with him." His teasing lessens my embarrassment enough that can form a sentence. always for games. You know that by now." "Well, then," Malachi says, his voice teasing sultry at the same time, "how about we start with work way up to staying the night, and go there? Sound fair?" I I breathe. form complete My head bobs once, I'm not even sure I to do that. Did spend the night...at some point? Did I just yes? I haven't even kissed him yet! am I thinking? Am I thinking? Seems doubtful at this point. Malachi in and forehead to mine again, so I have no but to focus on beautiful eyes. "Breathe, Carrots." As if I just
 it's to Malachi. "Us?"

One corner of His mouth tuRns up. "you Did AgRee tO beiNg my girlfriend, REmemBer?"

"I...I know, but...you just...it sOundeD lIKe yoU MeAnt thEy'd come VIsIT Us," I BaBbLe. WHeN maLachi'S exPressioN turns confUseD, I Say, "Like us, at tHE sAme place, liKe..."

NOw Malachi reaLly Smiles. "liKe wE'Re livIng TogetHer?" FacED with hIs grin and ThE LaughtER in his vOICe, Red sHoots up my neck to poOL iN My cheeks, which oNly makEs mAlACHi lAugH. "I just meanT tHat I'd BE there tO HeLP YOu wITh the twins if tHey come down, BUt iF you're ThInkINg abouT moviNg IN wiTh me..."

I seriouSly wAnt to die rIght noW. "no," I blurT Out, "I meaN, not thAt I HavEn't cONsIdEreD iT, i meAN, I HavEN't, nOt really. it'S jUst...we Don't KNOW Each OthEr thAt welL, you know?"

MalacHi sTartS LauGhing In earNest. "do You haVe any iDea hoW mUch I love it when yOu blUsh, CarrotS?" He LaUghS aGain aND shakeS hiS heAd. "No we dOn't know EAch OtHER ThAt well, so I wasn't suggEsTINg We move in TogethER...nOt RIght now aNyWay. althOUGh, KyrAn woULd Be all for It, I'm suRE. SO lOng as yoU aGree to PlAy vIdeO gameS With Him."

His Teasing lEssenS Some of my embarrASsment enough tHAt i CAn FOrm a ComPlete sentenCe. "I'm ALwayS up fOR vIdeO Games. you shOuLD kNOw that by now."

"Well, then," maLachi sAys, hiS voice teasing And sultry aT THE same timE, "how ABoUT we start with viDeo gaMes, work our WAy up to poSsiblY staying The night, aND Then go frOm tHerE? SoUnd FAIr?"

i can't swallow. I CAN't brEaThe. I can BarEly form A coMplEte ThoUgHt. My head bObs once, sLoWlY. I'M nOt eVen suRE I meant tO dO thAt. did He jusT Ask me tO spenD the NiGhT...At sOme poinT? diD i Just SaY yEs? I hAveN't Even kIsseD Him Yet! What Am I thinkiNg? AM i thiNkInG? Seems dOubtful at this PoInt.

Malachi LeAns In and pRESses his fOrehead to mine again, so I haVE no choiCe bUt to fOcus On his beauTifUl eyes. "breAThe, CarRots."

As If I juSt
 it's to Malachi. "Us?"

O ne cornerof hi s m out hturn s up . "You did agr e e to  being my girlfriend,remem be r ?"
" I. ..I k now, bu t .. . y ouju st ... it so unded  li ke youmeant they 'dco me visit us, "  I  babble. W hen  Malachi's e xpr ession  t urn s  conf use d, Isay, " L ike us , at thesa m e plac e , like. . . "
Now  Malachi really s m il e s. "Like we're  livin gt og e t her ?"Faced with  h is gr i n and t h el a u ght e r in his voic e, red shoo t s u p my n ec k t o  poolin my  c h eek s, which on ly m akes Mala chi la u gh. "Ij ust mea nt tha t I 'dbe t h er etohe l p y o uwit h  th e twinsif  t hey c omed o w n , bu t i f yo u'rethinking abou t m ovin g  in  with  me.. ."
Iserio usly w ant t odie right now."No, " I blurt  ou t,  "I  m ean,n ot tha t I  ha ven't c onsider e d i t, I me an, I haven't, not  r e a ll y. It'sjust.. . we  d o n't know  e ach  oth e r  that  wel l ,you know ?"

Ma l ac hi  starts  l aughin ginear nest. "Doyou ha ve any i dea h o w much I lovei t when you bl u sh , Ca r rots ?"He laughs a gain andshak e shis head.  "Nowe do n 't know each otherth at wel l, so  I wasn't sug gesting we m o ve in to geth e r. . .not right now  anyw ay. Althou g h, Kyran  woul d be all  for it,I ' m sure.Solon g a s y o u  a gree to playv i deoga mes wit h h im."

H istea sin g l es sens some  of my e mb ar ra ss men t eno u gh thatIcan  f orm  a co m pletesente nce.  " I' m  al ways up fo r vide oga mes.  Yo ushoul d kn o w t hat bynow."

"W ell ,  the n, "Malachi  says, his vo ic e teasingan d s ultrya t  the sam e time, "how about we s t art wit h v ideogame s, work o urway up  to possib ly sta yingth e n i g ht, a n d  t hen  g o from the r e ? S oundfa ir?" 

I can 't swallow. I can' t  br eathe. I canbar elyf o rm  ac om p let et hou g h t. My head bobs  once, slo wl y .I'm not ev e n s ur e I mea nt to d o tha t . Did h e just as k me to s pe nd t h e  ni ght...at s ome poin t? Did Ij ust s a yyes?I h aven't  e ven  kiss ed him yet ! Wha t am I  t hinkin g? Am  I  thinkin g? Seems doubtful at th is poi nt.
Mal achi lean s i n  an d presses  his  foreheadtomin e aga in, so Ihave no  ch o ice b ut t o  focus on hi s b e a ut iful eyes." B r eat he, C arr o ts."
As i f I just
 it's_to Malachi._"Us?"

One corner of his_mouth turns_up._"You did_agree_to being my_girlfriend, remember?"

"I...I know,_but...you just...it sounded like_you meant they'd_come_visit us," I babble. When Malachi's expression turns confused, I say, "Like us, at_the_same place,_like..."

Now_Malachi_really smiles. "Like we're living_together?" Faced with his grin_and the_laughter in his voice, red shoots up my_neck_to pool in_my cheeks, which only makes Malachi laugh. "I just_meant that I'd be there to_help you with_the_twins_if they come down,_but if you're thinking about moving_in with me..."

I seriously want to_die right now. "No," I blurt out,_"I mean, not that I haven't_considered it, I mean, I_haven't, not_really. It's just...we don't know_each other that_well, you_know?"

Malachi starts laughing_in earnest. "Do you have any_idea how much_I love it when you blush,_Carrots?"_He laughs again_and_shakes_his head._"No we don't_know_each other_that_well, so I wasn't suggesting we_move_in together...not right now anyway. Although, Kyran_would be all for_it,_I'm sure. So long_as you agree to play_video games with him."

His teasing lessens_some of_my embarrassment_enough that I can form a complete sentence. "I'm always up_for video games. You should know_that by now."

"Well, then,"_Malachi says,_his_voice teasing and_sultry_at the_same time, "how about we start with_video games,_work our way up to possibly_staying the night, and_then_go from there? Sound fair?"

I can't_swallow. I can't breathe. I can_barely form a complete thought._My_head_bobs once, slowly. I'm not_even sure I meant to do_that. Did he_just ask me to spend the night...at_some_point? Did I just say yes?_I_haven't even kissed him yet! What_am_I_thinking? Am I thinking? Seems_doubtful at this point.

Malachi leans in_and presses his forehead to mine again, so I_have no choice_but to focus on his_beautiful_eyes._"Breathe, Carrots."

As if I just