Allyson’s breath caught in her throat as she walked into the taupe-colored room that featured minimal wall decorations, except for a few black-and-white abstract paintings, and a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that led to the balcony.

“Bathroom is right in there, and I’ll get you some clothes to change into,” he said, not realizing how quickly Allyson’s mind was racing.

Allyson grabbed her glasses out of her bag and walked into the bathroom, leaving the door open, to wash her face. “You don’t happen to have a spare toothbrush, do you?”

“Look in the far-right cabinet,” JC answered from the bedroom.

“Got it.”

“Here’s some clothes if you want,” he said as he approached the door with an oversized black Deus Ex Machina shirt and another pair of basketball shorts.

“Perfect,” she said, taking the offering. “I’ll be right out.”

“Take your time.”

With the privacy of a closed door, Allyson couldn’t contain herself and began jumping up and down – quietly so JC couldn’t hear on the other side – and silently screaming about the situation she found herself.

A little less than 10 minutes later, she traded places with JC.

As JC did his bedtime routine in the bathroom, Allyson looked at the bed, unsure of which side to choose. As she heard the door open, she tried to make it look like she was searching for something in her purse, so it wasn’t obvious she didn’t know what to do next.

“Good, there,” she said quietly to herself – but loud enough for JC to hear – as she closed her purse.

“Which side do you want?” JC asked.

A wave of relief washed over Allyson. “Whichever one you don’t take.”

He laughed. She played it off, but he knew what she was doing. She was the most considerate overnight guest he’d had.

The king-size bed was centered on the opposite wall from the door. “I usually take the right side, but I really don’t have a preference.”

“OK, then I’ll take the left,” she smiled as she walked toward the balcony side of the bed.

There was an awkwardness between them as they both crawled into bed, not sure how exactly to act. Typically, when JC had someone in his bed, the expectation was easily understood: sex and maybe coffee the next morning, but not always.

Oh, man, this was a mistake, he thought to himself as he sighed, laying on his back staring at the ceiling fan spinning above their heads to circulate the air.

What am I doing? Allyson thought as she stared out the windows. If I was anyone else, he’d probably just bang me, and we’d go about our business.

“Are you comfortable?” JC finally asked.

Allyson sat up. “I think I might move over to Liz’s room.”

“Does this feel weird to you too?”

“Very,” she said with a relieved laugh.

“Oh good!” JC exhaled, placing his arms on his chest. Typically, he slept in his boxer-briefs only, but with Allyson there, he left his white short-sleeve undershirt on and put on one of his few pairs of gray boxers instead of his boxer-briefs. “Not that I’m glad it feels weird, but I’m glad it’s not just me feeling weird about it.”

“No, not just you at all. I was fine earlier, but this is just, I don’t know, just different.”

“It is,” he said, sitting up with her. “So how do we fix that?”

“I don’t want to mess things up, so still just sleep,” she said, setting that line. “But maybe a cuddle?”

“I could do a cuddle,” he smiled, laying back down onto the pillows.

“But remember just sleep,” she said, pointing at him with a smile.

He threw his hands up in surrender. “I’m not gonna do anything. You say cuddle, I cuddle. You say back off, I back off.”

“OK, just so we’re on the same page.”

“Same page.”

She nodded as she laid back down facing JC as he turned to face her too.

“I had my suspicions you slept on the right side of the bed.”

He shook his head with a confused look on his face. “What?”

“In D.C., when I had to stay the night and you let me have the bed, I guessed you were a right-side-of-the-bed sleeper.”

“The start of our friendship,” he smiled.

“It was,” she smiled, putting both her arms under her head.

They stared at each other for a few moments, just smiling. The awkwardness was fading quickly.

“So how do you want this cuddle to go?” he asked, “I’ll do whatever you want. We’re still celebrating your birthday, remember.”

Her face got more serious. “Can you just hold me?”

“Of course,” he said with a kind, gentle smile as he extended his arms.

Allyson slid into his arms like a sideways hug, her head burrowing into his chest as she curled up a little. He opened his legs a little and let her knees slide between his knees as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Like this?”

“This is perfect.”

JC smiled, kissing the top of Allyson’s head as her head rested on his chest and her hands played with the fabric of his shirt.

With his arms wrapped around her, she felt safe, secure and loved.

“Let me know if your arm falls asleep,” she said with a laugh.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m glad you came out to LA,” he said.

“I am too. Even though I hate what led to us being here, I’m glad we’re here,” she looked up at him.

“Me too,” he smiled as they shared a quick kiss. “These arms will only ever take care of you.”

She smiled and gave him another quick kiss before readjusting so her back was now against JC.

“Oh sorry, I just assumed you were used to big spoon,” she said as she settled into her new position.

“This is what I’m used to,” he said, the smile apparent in his voice.

JC kept his hands wrapped around her waist, but was very deliberate in their placement. Not too high, but not too low either. He found the perfect sweet spot around her natural waist. Without thinking, Allyson instinctively took her left arm and interlaced her fingers with JC’s, her thumb caressing his.

“This is perfect,” he whispered.

She squeezed his hand as she agreed. He rubbed his thumb against her stomach briefly. Then, he heard her breathing deepen, indicating she was on her way to dreamland. He was not far behind.