Page 43 of Obsessions of the Heart

Slumping against the table, her lips pinched. “I’m not drunk. Just got a nice buzz. Makes all the funny thoughts go away.” What did that mean? I’d opened my mouth to ask her when she folded her hands together, resting her chin on them as she confessed, “And Cin said she wasn’t going to be in tonight. She was going to do something with her family and would sleep at their house, soooo…” Her eyes brightened, and a rosy color filled her cheeks.

“Maybe tonight I could sleep… here?”

A rapid thump hit the center of my chest. Rin… here… tonight!? My mind short circuited for a second. Ravi’s body practically vibrated with excitement, the word yes on the tip of his tongue, but Roux gave me a pinched look of warning before he looked down at his plate and shrugged. That was the best I was going to get out of him.

“I promise that I won't be a bother. I can sleep anywhere, and I won’t make a peep.”

It was nice of her to try to reassure us, but I wasn't worried about any of those things. I was worried about how any of the rest of us were going to be able to sleep with her in the house.

She continued, her voice getting low and soft before she looked away from us. “I just…” She glanced at the wine and winced. “I just don’t want to be alone tonight.”

My protective instincts kicked in, remembering that she had been through a lot within the past month, and I felt honored that she felt safe with us. Roux’s eyes darkened, and Ravi hid his clenched fists under the table.

“Of course! You can sleep in my room.” Ravi’s wide smile and flippant voice had Rin’s face brightening, all the worry draining away.

“Oh, I can just sleep on the couch.”

Ravi and Rin argued the rest of the night. He ended up putting his foot in his mouth when he boasted that any of us would gladly give up their bed for her. While he wasn't wrong, Roux did glare at him.

Rin settled it by saying that if none of us minded, it should be like the old days. She popped up, running over to open up a couple of cabinets before she whispered, “Gotcha.” She pulled out three uncooked spaghetti noodles and turned her back to us for a minute before circling back around.

“Shortest straw means I sleep in their room.” Her fist held out three seemingly equal noodles, and my lips curved up at the reminder of our time together when we used to do this with twigs.

Ravi snatched a noodle that looked like she’d cut only a quarter off the bottom. He crumbled onto the table, head in his arms, whining that life wasn't fair. Rin shrugged at my weeping brother before turning left and right, wiggling her fist to see who would go next.

Flicking my hand to Roux, he huffed but raised his hand and picked one of the remaining noodles. It was cut at the halfway point, but past experience told me that didn't indicate a win or a loss yet.

Raising my hand, I let my fingers gently slide against her fist. Her eyes had shined with humor a second ago, but now those molten silver pools called to me. Plucking out the last noodle, the three of us laid them down to measure. Either by pure luck or a demon's pact, I got the shortest one.

Rin’s voice wavered for a second. “T-that’s it.” I smirked, lying back in my seat as I crossed my arms. Now, I might get to finish what I’d started.

Ravi complained so incessantly that Rin compromised, telling him we could watch a movie while he laid his head on her lap. He jumped up out of his chair and went to the TV, turning on some streaming service as he called out the available options.

Rin shook her head and grabbed her plate before reaching across the table for Ravi’s. “I’m fine with whatever as long as it's funny.”

I stood up, collecting the other plates before she could. “Rin, go. He’s just going to get worse.”

Her head swung toward the living room then back to me. “But… the movie?”

Unable to deny her, I nodded. “I’m just collecting them, so go. I’ll bring some popcorn.”

Her face shined as she turned away, calling out to Ravi to pick something witty, not a dumb movie.

Roux was the only one left, and I could feel his eyes burrowing into my back. “What?”

He sighed, then grumbled, “Hope you know what you're doing.” Pivoting around to confront him, I was met with an empty space.

I wanted to negate his words, telling him I was in complete control, but when I saw the wooden spoon at the bottom of the sink, I knew the situation was dangerous. Faced with what the beast inside of me wanted, I just hoped I kept a tight leash on him tonight.

About three-fourths of the way through the movie, I could hear Rin’s steady inhale and exhale. Her hand rested on Ravi’s head as his chest rose and fell in rhythm with hers. I still had to wash the dishes, so I turned to Roux.

“Can you get them upstairs? I have to finish the kitchen before I go to bed.” He nodded, and I made my way over the kitchen, but not before I heard a yelp, followed by Ravi whining.

“Ow! The fuck, Roux? I was having a good dream on the best pillow in the world!”

Turning on the faucet, I glanced through the window behind me. At a slow and steady pace, careful not to wake her, Roux carried Rin in his arms. Yawning, Ravi followed closely behind, glaring at Roux’s back.

I took the opportunity to prepare myself as I washed the dishes. Rin would be in my room, in my bed, something I had fantasized about for as long as I could remember. Shaking my head, I mentally closed the box on my desires.

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