Page 43 of Screw Christmas
“To answer your question. I got it baby. And it’s a big part. We shoot the pilot next week. There’s always a chance that it won’t be picked up, but the cast is amazing. People behind the project top notch. I can’t see why it wouldn’t be. We did it.”
“No, you did it.” I was genuinely happy for him. He was finally going to get what he’d secretly wanted since we were teenagers. If I did have a role to play in his success, then I was glad I could help.
Grabbing my fork and knife, I cut into the chicken and anxiously took the first bite. Moaning softly, I nodded pointing to the dish. “This is delicious.”
“You did that exact thing last time we were here.”
Blushing despite myself, I rolled my eyes at him. “Yes, well, I kinda forgot that part.”
“You’ll remember. I’ll help you.”
Forgetting my meal for a moment, I stared across the table at him. “Let me ask you something. Have we had sex?”
A cocky grin spread across his lip. “We did, a number of times. You’re incredible.”
My eyes narrowed at him. If he’d seen me naked then he wouldn’t have a problem answering the next question. “In that case, what did you think of my tattoo?”
His gaze locked on mine then he slowly wagged a finger at me. “I know every part of your body. You, my dear, do not have a single tattoo tarnishing that stunning body that you’ve spent years turning to perfection.”
My blush deepened as I tore my gaze from his and looked back down at my food. Had he always been this charming? When we were younger, we’d been the best of friends, but it had been platonic. But this new Dylan, the Dylan that wanted me… Wow. He certainly knew how to make me feel special. So was he telling the truth? Had we fallen for each other in the span of a week? That explanation felt righter than anything else I’d felt since waking up in the hospital.
“I think I know a way to jog your memory.” When I looked up there was a devilish gleam in his eyes. I knew that gleam. Not from our past, but more recently.
“How’s that?” I waited on bated breath, not sure what to expect from him.
There was a hesitation in him as he slowly leaned over the table, as though he were approaching a timid, wild animal and didn’t want to scare it off. Maybe on some level I was just that. But I didn’t flinch. Didn’t move away. In fact, when his lips caressed mine, I welcomed it. If a kiss would unlock what was tightly hidden away from me, then I’d gladly accept it.
A sigh escaped past my lips as his teased mine. There was a deliciously spicy taste of pasta sauce on his lips that drew me in. My body seemed to act on its own as I leaned into the kiss, deepening it, craving more from him. His hand slipped to the back of my head, his fingers losing themselves into my hair as he deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping past my lips to duel with mine.
Shivers ran down my spine as my pussy clenched. This felt right. It felt normal. When he withdrew, he pressed his forehead to mine, his heavy breathing mixing with mine. “Do you remember anything now?”
“No…”
He pulled back, the expression on his face breaking my heart. “Nothing?”
“Not nothing.” Reaching across the table, it was my turn to take his hand. “I did feel it. It was familiar. I just can’t pull those memories. I’m sorry. But I know it’s the truth. We were together, weren’t we?”
“We were. I didn’t tell you this before, but I’ll tell you now. I’m in love with you Maya.”
His confession shook me. Without my memories I couldn’t return the sentiment. The feelings swirling within me were jumbled and confusing.
As if reading my thoughts, he added, “You don’t have to say it back. I can wait until you’re ready, you already were not too long ago, so I know you will be again—in time.”
Dylan wasn’t the boy he used to be. He wasn’t the boy who’d hurt me so long ago. My heart wanted me to simply let go of my hesitation and believe him wholeheartedly. But my mind, my mind wasn’t quite there. I was still missing most of the memories that pulled us together. But glimpses were beginning to break through the wall my mind had built.
We spent the remainder of the meal chatting about everything and nothing. I found myself knowing things about him that I didn’t realize I knew. It just kept coming. We lost track of time until the waiter—who I had learned was also the owner of the restaurant—came to us and apologetically asked us to finish up because he was closing.
Once paid up, we exited back out into the cold night. The snow had come to a halt and the bitter wind had finally let up leaving the night sky clear with the stars shining brightly overhead. When Dylan placed his arm around my shoulder, I didn’t shrug it off. Instead, I leaned into him comforted by his closeness. My heart sank when we reached my building.
Walking into the building, I stopped between the set of doors that separated the lobby from the outside. Chewing at my lower lip, I looked up at him as confusion reared its head. A part of me wanted him to come up, but the other part knew he needed to go back to the hotel.
“Dylan…”
Chuckling, he pulled me into his arms and rested his chin on the top of my head. “I know what you’re going to say and it’s fine. I don’t expect to come up. I know you have a lot to process, and I don’t want to get in your way of finding the answers you need.”
“Thank you.” Placing my head against his shoulder and my body flush against his, I sighed, exhaustion beginning to overtake me as I clung to him. “I need to go to bed. Then I need to talk to Aaron. I’ve got to straighten this out in my head. When I do, I’ll let you know.”
Pulling back from me, he hooked his index finger under my chin and tilted my head up so I was looking directly into his smoldering gray eyes. Just looking into his eyes, seeing the affection he carried for me made me weak in the knees. God, I just wished I could remember…even just a little bit.
