Page 137 of Don't Go Faking My Heart
“And then we walk into the pet shop, but for some reason, it’s in Duke and Millie’s basement, and each of the rooms are like different pet rooms, but they still look like the rooms in their house, you know?” I say.
“I totally know,” Rusty says, holding my hand across his kitchen table while he listens raptly. Pookie is patrolling the floor for scraps. It’s late Monday night—only a few hours since he told me he loves me—but after celebrating with our friends, Rusty insisted on taking me to his place so he could make me breakfast for dinner.
“So we’re looking at pets, and all the while, Pookie is sitting on your shoulder like a mythical sphinx, and suddenly we walk into Lottie’s room, which is actually some kind of turtle sanctuary.”
“Of course,” he says.
“But we can’t find the turtle we need. So we have to look through each of the aquariums, and then Lottie’s there with my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Hogenson, and they’re looking at turtles, and we finally find the right turtle, but Mrs. Hogenson tries to take it.” I take a bite of my biscuits and gravy, and I catch Rusty smiling at me.
“Wha-?” I ask with my mouth full.
“Nothing.”
I chew and swallow. “You can’t give me that look while I have gravy breath.”
“What look?”
“The make out look. You know, the one where your eyes are pools of seduction and it makes me throw myself at you across the table.”
“Pools of seduction?” he laughs.
“Yes. You know very well I’m helpless to stop myself when you give me that look.”
“This is my normal look.”
I throw my hands in the air. “I know. That’s literally what I’m saying.”
Rusty’s head stays up as he grins. Man, he has a great smile. “What look can I give you?”
I go hot from head to toe. “No looks. In fact, you should probably wear a paper bag over your head when we’re in public to keep me from attacking you.”
“We’re not in public now.”
“Pookie’s watching.”
“Pookie needs to get used to us kissing.”
“That’s a good point.”
“And besides, your gravy breath is tastier than your Ring Pop breath.”
I gasp and look at the spot where he put the Ring Pop only a few hours ago. “Rude. My Ring Pop breath was delicious.”
“I kissed you under protest.”
“Oh yeah? Well, then, maybe I’ll only kiss you if I have Ring Pop breath.”
He narrows his eyes playfully. “Tell me more about that paper bag.”
“You know I’ll still be able to see your abs,” I say.
“I’m not sure what’s going on anymore. Are you talking me out of the paper bag or into it?”
I laugh, and Pookie tries to hop up on my lap but hits her head on the table. I rub her head. “Which one leads to more kissing?”
He takes my hand across the table and kisses it. “All of them.” I beam. “Now tell me more about that turtle. Did you have to fight Mrs. Hogenson for it?”
“Pookie did!”
