Infinite Cashback System

Jordan’s brain flatlined.

Fuck.

Fuck fuck fuck.

He made it up. Obviously he made it up. The whole thing was a lie constructed in thirty seconds to explain why the System locked him into two permanent slots and he couldn’t just register every hot girl on campus.

But he couldn’t tell her that.

If he admitted he lied, she’d ask why. And then he’d have to explain the System. And then she’d think he was insane. And then she’d kick him out and never talk to him again.

So he had to double down.

"It’s real," Jordan said.

The words tasted like battery acid coming out of his mouth.

Chloe nodded slowly. "Okay."

"You believe me?"

"I don’t know yet." She rested her chin on her knees. "But I want to."

Jordan’s phone buzzed again. Louder this time. Multiple notifications in a row.

He pulled it out.

Four messages from Leo.

Leo: dude Kumiko just asked if you’re bringing a date tonight

Leo: should I tell her yes???

Leo: JORDAN

Leo: ANSWER ME COWARD

Jordan locked his phone. "Leo’s losing his mind about karaoke."

"He does that a lot?"

"Yeah."

Chloe smiled. Small but real. "Are you bringing me? As your date?"

Jordan’s heart kicked against his ribs. "Do you want me to?"

"I asked first."

"I want to. If you want to."

"That’s not an answer."

"Yes," Jordan said. "I want to bring you as my date."

Chloe’s smile grew wider. She unwrapped her arms from around her knees and shifted closer on the couch. Close enough that their shoulders touched.

"Okay," she said. "Then I’ll go. As your date."

"Cool."

"Cool."

Silence settled over them again. But this time it didn’t feel heavy or awkward. It felt warm. Comfortable. Like something that belonged there.

Chloe leaned her head against Jordan’s shoulder.

Jordan froze.

"Is this okay?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

"Very sure."

She relaxed against him. Her ponytail tickled his neck. Her body heat seeped through his shirt.

Jordan’s phone buzzed one more time. He didn’t check it.

"We should probably nap before tonight," Chloe said, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "Karaoke goes late and I’m already exhausted."

"Yeah, probably."

"Do you want to nap here? On the couch?"

Jordan’s brain short-circuited. "Here?"

"Or you can go back to your place. I don’t care."

Liar. She definitely cared.

"I’ll stay," Jordan said.

"Okay."

Chloe pulled away long enough to grab the blanket from the end of the couch. She spread it over both of them and settled back against Jordan’s side, her head on his chest this time.

Jordan wrapped one arm around her shoulders.

Chloe’s breathing slowed. Deepened. Her body went soft and heavy against his.

Jordan stared at the ceiling. At the exposed ductwork running across the concrete. At the industrial light fixtures hanging from chains.

His phone buzzed again in his pocket.

He left it there.

Chloe shifted slightly. Her hand found his chest. Spread flat over his sternum.

"Jordan?" she murmured.

"Yeah?"

"Don’t fuck this up."

"I won’t."

"Promise?"

Jordan looked down at her. At the blue streak in her dark hair. At her closed eyes and soft breathing.

"I promise," he lied.

Because he’d already fucked it up. The moment he told her about the fake inheritance instead of the truth. The moment he chose self-preservation over honesty.

But he’d fix it.

Somehow.

Eventually.

Jordan shifted on the couch, his back protesting against the armrest digging into his shoulder blade. The position worked fine for sitting upright and eating Korean food, but trying to nap like this was a special kind of torture.

"Hang on," Jordan said.

Chloe lifted her head. "What?"

"I’m gonna lie down properly. This is killing my spine."

"Oh. Yeah, okay."

Jordan slid down the couch until his head hit the opposite armrest. His legs stretched out long, socked feet hanging off the edge slightly. Way better.

Chloe watched him rearrange himself, her ponytail falling over one shoulder. "You good now?"

"Yeah, come here."

She climbed on top of him without hesitation. Just positioned herself between his legs and lowered her body onto his chest like they’d done this a thousand times before. Her thighs bracketed his hips. Her breasts pressed against his stomach through her hoodie and his shirt.

Jordan’s brain went offline for a second.

Chloe settled her cheek against his sternum and pulled the blanket up over both of them. "This better?"

"Much better."

Her weight felt perfect. Warm and solid and real. Her ponytail spilled across his chest, the blue streak bright against his grey shirt. Jordan’s hands hovered awkwardly at his sides.

"You can touch me," Chloe said. "I’m not gonna break."

"I know."

"Then why are your arms doing that weird floating thing?"

Jordan lowered his hands to her back. One between her shoulder blades. One at the curve of her waist where her hoodie had ridden up.

Skin.

Bare skin.

His palm spread flat against her lower back. Soft and warm and way too much.

Chloe made a quiet sound. Not quite a sigh. Not quite a hum. Something in between that made Jordan’s pulse spike.

"Your hands are warm," she murmured.

"Yeah?"

"Mm."

She shifted higher on his chest. Her face moved from his sternum to the space just below his collarbone. Her breath ghosted across his throat.

Jordan’s grip on her waist tightened involuntarily.

Chloe wiggled again. Just a little. Just enough to press more of her body against his. Her hips settled against his stomach. Her chest flattened against his ribs.

Jordan’s thoughts derailed completely. Every neuron in his brain pointed toward the girl lying on top of him and the fact that her body fit against his like puzzle pieces clicking into place.

This was supposed to be a nap. A normal, platonic nap between two people who were figuring things out.

Nothing about this felt platonic.

Chloe turned her head. Her lips brushed his collarbone through his shirt.

Fuck.

Jordan tilted his head down. Her face was right there. Close enough to see the individual lashes framing her closed eyes. Close enough to count the light freckles across her nose that didn’t show up in photos.

His brain threw up a warning sign. Don’t do it. She said she’s processing. She needs space to think.

His mouth ignored the warning completely and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.

Chloe’s eyes flew open.

Oh shit.

"Did you just—"