Page 60 of She is the Darke

His grin consisted of pure, undiluted wickedness. He leaned in close and murmured against her ear, “I don’t need a costume. I am the big bad wolf.”

Chills rippled up her forearms, and she leaned into him.

The last band ended the night with a slow farewell song, and Callum slow danced with her right in the middle of the crowd. She liked how proud he was to be with her, and how he didn’t hide her at all.

He was fun and charismatic and at the end of the night, they told Wendell goodbye and he gave her a ride the four blocks back to the hotel. And sure enough, there was a bouquet of flowers waiting just beside her room door.

Heart full, she stooped and plucked the card from the beautiful bouquet of orchids.

She read it out loud. “I like you. From Callum.”

Stacia clutched the note to her chest and grinned up at him. “I’m sentimental. I’ll keep this in a shoe box with all of the cute little notes you send me in the future.”

“Ha, I’m surprised you want more notes from me. I’m not very poetic.”

“Poetry never spoke to me.”

“What does?”

“Honesty.”

His expression twitched into a frown, and then he took a seat against the wall across the hallway from her.

“I wish I could tell you every single thing about me all at once, but I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because you would run.”

“See, that’s the thing about me…I’m very bad at cardio.”

His chuckle echoed down the empty hall, and she took a seat against her room door. The hardwood floors hurt her butt, but it was worth it if she got to see Callum’s smile from this angle.

“Let’s swap stories. I’ll go first,” she said. “I work at the front desk at a YMCA and coordinate all the kids’ events, including summer camps.”

“Oh, God, you really are a good person.”

“Whatever. I’m just me. Now you go. What is that second job you were talking about earlier?”

He pursed his lips. “I’m the leader of a local club and we have meetings once a week.”

“Whoooo, what kind of club?”

“A top-secret club.”

She pouted. “Fine. Hold onto your mysteries, sexy man, it will only make me like you more.”

“You aren’t afraid of the red flags?”

“Red is my favorite color and besides, we only just met. I think. I dunno, you still seem very familiar. I’ll wear you down with my adorableness until you tell me your life story.”

“Mmm. It would be a very long story.”

“I’ve got all night,” she teased.

“Would you move here?” he asked suddenly.

“W-what?”

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