Last Christmas (Private 0.60)

propping himself up on one elbow to see her.

" Don't be mad," Ariana said.

"I'm not mad. Just curious," he replied. "Split personalities interest me."

95

"I'm not crazy," Ariana snapped.

Thomas stared at her for a long moment. So long that Ariana almost started to squirm.

"Fine. Whatever you want." Thomas shrugged.

He got up and stripped down to his boxers right in front of her. Then he got right into bed, tunneling under the

covers.

"But you should know that my roommate's kind of a man whore. I've seen some pretty skanky girls coming

in and out of this room. And I gotta tell you, in the four months I've known the guy, I've never seen him wash

his sheets. No telling what kind of-"

"I'll sleep on top of the sheets," Ariana said. She glanced around her for a comforter. There wasn't one. She

could already feel the sharp cold settling into her bones. She shivered, pressing her face into the sheets to

warm her nose. They smelled like mildew. She glanced over at Thomas. If he was a gentleman, he would

offer her a blanket. Or at least some sweats or something. Anything dry and warm.

"Nice and warm over here," Thomas said with an exaggerated yawn. "Biohazard-free, too."

Her fists clenched in indignation. "How nice for you."

She was not going to ask him for clothes. She refused. Instead, she pulled off her sweater to get the wet

sleeves away from her skin, exposing the white T-shirt underneath. Then she yanked her coat over her body,

trying to keep the wet outside layer away from her. She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms

around them, curling into a tight ball. She was colder than ever.

96

"Yup. Nice and warm," Thomas sang, cuddling further under his blankets. "Toasty, really. Toasty, toasty,

toasty ..."

"For God's sake," she snapped, sitting up. "If I come over there, will you shut

up and go to sleep?"

He lifted up the covers and slid back toward the wall, giving her room. "Neither one of us is going to get any

sleep."

Ariana was glad Thomas couldn't see the flush that crept from neck into her face.