"Psst."

"What."

"You awake?"

"No."

Jo huffs as she looks at Riley in the dark. "How is it that durin' school you's up at three in the fuckin mornin' but when you're home, you sleep past five?"

A smile tugs on his lips. "It's five?"

"In the mornin'."

He groans as he lifts his head, looking over at her. "What's up, Joey?"

"I'm bored."

"You're bored? It's five- you woke me up at five 'cause you're bored?"

"Yeah."

He chuckles, dropping his head down on the Roll Tide pillow under his head, his eyes closed. "Y'ain't goin' anywhere 'til I get up, are you?"

"Nope."

He groans again as he sits up.

The morning sun highlights his exposed toned abs and chest and Jo subconsciously licks her lips, sitting back on her haunches. "Good mornin', Starshine." She says in a sickly sweet voice, a shit-eating grin forming on her face when she sees the look he gives her.

"Don't."

"The Earth says hello- Riley!" He suddenly tackles her to the carpeted floor, pinning her with his strong arm across her chest. She giggles, her hand covering her mouth.

The weight on her chest makes her cackle, Riley drops his hand on top of hers to keep her quiet.

She turns to breathless giggles. "Are we bouta kiss right now?" She teases, her words muffled by his hand. Riley blushes bright in the soft yellow sunrise. "I'm kiddin'."

He sits back, letting her sit up. "C'mon, let's go do somethin'."

+++

Jo is bored.

Riley took her to his favorite fishing spot.

She's laying out on the dock, a book in front of her while Riley is casting his line a few yards down from her. He wipes his sweaty face off with the bottom of his shirt then takes a drink from the cooler he brought.

"You wanna try?" He asks.

"Sure." She dog ears her page then closes her book.

Jo gets to her feet and meets him at the lakeshore, fixing her sunglasses. "Y'ever fish before?"

"Once." She responds, taking the pole from him. "With my daddy 'fore he hurt his shoulder. And I was real little."

"Okay." He says, handing her the pole. "Put one hand here and the other here." He says softly into her ear, standing behind her as he guides her hands.

"Like- like this?" She asks, her blue eyes fluttering to his then down to his lips.

"Mmm." He adjusts her hands on the rod, his thumb brushing across the back of one before lingering for a couple seconds.

She inhales deeply, biting her lip. He guides her cast, his hands sliding down her forearms.

She's never felt this attracted to someone before. It's taking everything in her to not jump his bones right now, right here at the lake.

He moves her hand to the handle and starts reeling in the line.

The bait is gone and the hook is empty.

Jo shrugs and looks up at Riley, her sunkissed, freckled cheeks making his body warm up even more.

He leans in and kisses her, his hand grasping her jaw. She drops the pole in the grass to grab onto his shirt, kissing him back. Jo lowers herself to the ground, pulling Riley on top of her as they continue kissing.

He flips them so she's on top, her hand sliding under his sweat stained shirt, gliding across his slick skin. Riley's strong hands go to her hips and he starts rocking them against his. Jo pulls back to tug on his shorts, pulling her thin tank top off.

"Right here?" He breathes.

"Right here."

+++

"So you're movin' in with a girl?"

"Mama, I'm nineteen."

"So!? You're still my baby!"

"Mama-"

"I mean, I love her an' all but she's gon' be your-"

"Wait." Riley stands from the recliner he's lounged in. "You like her?"

"Better than that Jess you's datin' in high school. That Jo is a godsend."

"Mama..."

"You better treat her right, Riley."

"I will, Mama." Riley promises. "I gotta get goin', I told her I'd be there first."

Karen has tears in her eyes. Her baby is moving out of the house, possibly for good. "You take care of yourself, baby."

"I will, Mama. I love you."

"I love you too." She responds, wrapping him in a tight hug. "Give my love to Jo, okay?"

"I will, Mama." He repeats.

They head out to his truck, tossing the rest of his stuff into the bed of the truck.

Karen's waves goodbye, tears streaming down her face as she watches her boy drive away, a dust cloud following.

+++

"I can't believe you and Riley got a house together." Lucy says, watching her baby girl pack her belongings. "We haven't met her yet and you's movin' in together."

"You will soon, Mama." Jo responds.

"Does Sean know you's leavin'?"

"Uh, I think so. I- We broke up." She shrugs, zipping her bag shut.

"Oh."

"Yep." She slings her back over her shoulder. "I gotta get goin'."

"Already?"

"I told him I'd be-"

"Him?"

"Uh-"

"Riley's a him!? You're livin' with a boy!?"

"Mama-"

"No. No, you ain't doin' that."

"Mama-"

"There's no way in hell I'm lettin' you-"

"I'm nineteen! Let me live on my own!"

Lucy bites her lip. "You're right. I trust you."

"Huh?"

"I trust you, Jo."

She smiles and nods. "I really gotta get goin', Mama. I'll see if I can get him to come home to meet all y'all."

"You better." Lucy says, hugging Jo. "Get outta here. Call when you get there, okay?"

"I will." She nods. "I love you."

"I love you too." Lucy kisses her forehead then sends her on her way.

+++

Jo parks her car in an empty spot next to an empty spot. She hops out of her car and rushes to the front door. She goes to open the door and huffs when it doesn't open. She knocks and groans when there's no answer.

She sits on the front step, trying to keep dry as it's raining. She shoots Riley a text then leans against the door, waiting for a response.

She has no idea how long she's been waiting but her teeth are chattering. The rain has soaked her to the bone.

"Joey? The hell are you doin'?"

Her head shoots up and she sends Riley a dirty look. "Damn door is locked." She shivers, taking his outstretched hand to get to her feet. "Where were you?"

Riley gets the door unlocked and guides her inside. "Bathroom is-"

"Upstairs, I know." She shutters, heading to the door at the top of the stairs.

Riley feels so guilty.

She said she was leaving Indiana later than she did. He was out getting some groceries like the adult he is now. He wasn't expecting her to be at the house.

He wanted to surprise her with a home cooked meal.

Riley pulls some clothes from a box in his bedroom and knocks on the bathroom door.

"What?"

"I- I got some dry clothes."

"Door's open."

Riley pokes his head into the bathroom and is met with a thick, hot fog. He gathers her soaked clothes from the floor after dropping the dry ones on the bathroom counter.

He can see her silhouette in the sheer shower curtain and bites his lip when he feels a tug in his shorts.

He quickly shuts the door and takes her soaked clothes to the washer.

Jo joins him in the kitchen a few minutes later, dressed in his too long sweatpants and his too baggy sweatshirt.

"You feelin' better?" He asks, stirring a pot on the stove.

"Mhm."

"Listen, Joey, I'm so sorry-"

"Hey." She puts her hand on his shoulder. "It's fine."

"I- I feel awful, Joey. Our first day livin' together and you get sick."

"I'm fine, Ri." She says softly.

Riley sighs heavily, guilt still heavy on his shoulders while Jo reaches over and connects her phone to the Bluetooth speaker.She hops up on the counter, her feet swinging as Riley cooks.

Something is happening in both of their bodies.

Are they starting to get attracted to each other?

Are they just friends?

Is she actually single?

Jo shoves her thoughts out of her head when she hears Riley singing. She loves his voice, that soft southern tenor drawl. She blushes and plays with the ends of her hair, her lip tucked between her teeth.

Something is going on between them now. They both can feel it but neither wants to talk about it- they don't need to.

They're roommates.

They should set some rules now that they're living together off campus in a real house as real adults.