She had her opinion on the matter and he had his. He had been taught many base values, but his relationship with Stephanie had always been something he enjoyed. There was never a second thought to hanging out with her or pitching in to drag her from a fight, keep her caught up in school or warm at night in the winter when things got bad for her, soothing her when her heart would do things it shouldn't. "I guess that's why we're best friends, then right? We have each other's backs until the end of time."

He had to admit that he was endeared by her confusion on the matter, and it seemed like the best opportunity to push his charm on her again. He smoothed his hand up her back, foreign to him now that it was so broad and filled out with muscles. "That would depend if you are going to accept my proposal to date," he said, his smile indicating that he had been waiting and planning this from the start of her getting into bed with him. "No, not entirely sure, but it's all I've got right now."