Page 24 of Fall

"It's a surprise. I can’t tell you, but I know you will like it," he says, flirting with me a little, and some part of me wants to tell him to stop messing with me. To tell me if he wants to be with me or not. But another part of me knows he is messed-up from his past, and maybe he just needs time. That same part of me knows what I’m feeling for him is moving beyond a simple crush, and it's hurting my heart.

"Come on, then." I laugh and, trusting him not to lead me anywhere strange, walk down the stairs.

Luke is at the bottom. Clearly, he has been working out or something, as he is dripping with sweat as he passes us on the stairs in just some shorts. Damn, he has an eight pack, and I find myself having to pull my eyes away. These Kings are way too hot for their own good. Harley glares at Luke, and I’m not sure why.

"Date?" he asks us both and then smirks when Harley wraps an arm around my waist. "Doesn’t matter, you won’t tell me anyway," he says, walking slowly up the stairs.

"Yes, it is a date," Harley answers, and I give him a strange look.

“About time.” Luke laughs and walks up the stairs.

"Thought you couldn’t date me?" I ask Harley as he keeps his arm around me while we walk over to where the coats and shoes are hanging.

"No . . . I can’t be with you and not hurt you. This is just my way of dealing with things, but it doesn’t change how I want you. I’m not going to avoid that," he tells me.

"It’s a crappy way not to be with me. Especially when you look at me the way you do and then want to take me on a date. You’re a confusing man, and most people would just think you’re stringing me along,” I say, and he groans, rubbing his face. I just shake my head at him. “I didn’t say no to the date, maybe I’m just a fool for you." I laugh as I pull my coat on and my boots.

“You’re no fool, Tilly,” Harley says gently as he grabs his coat and keys before leading us outside. When we make it to his car, he opens the passenger door for me. When we get inside, he drives us out of town and down some country roads before we get to the place he pulls into. It’s an aquarium, and it’s closed as its eight p.m., but the lights are still on inside.

"I hope you like fish and turtles. My friends run this place and left me with the keys for the night. I thought you might like to have a look around when no one is here," he says, and I smile at him.

"It’s perfect, thank you," I say, letting myself out of the car before he replies.

It’s an unusual date, but it is cute of him. He gets out and goes to the backseat, pulling out a backpack as I wait for him before he takes my hand and leads us inside after opening the door.

"What’s in the bag?" I ask him.

"Dinner, seeing as you didn’t come down for it today, I packed up some food for us both instead," he says, and I kind of love that he noticed I didn’t eat. That he thought of me.

"Good idea," I mutter, my cheeks a shade of red that probably matches my hair as we walk silently down an aisle of fish.

There are so many different types, but my favourite are the seahorses, and maybe the colourful mixed fish I can’t remember the name of. The place is beautiful, and I love how quiet it is. Usually, when you go to places like this, it’s so busy that you can’t enjoy the animals around you.

"Here, this tunnel is really cool. I used to bring my brothers here sometimes to get them out of the house and distracted. They would spend hours in here," Harley says, opening a door to an underwater tunnel.

There are sharks and turtles and all sorts of fish swimming over the lit-up tunnel, and I stop in the middle of it as Harley opens his bag. He pulls out a blanket, placing all of the food and drinks he brought on the blanket.

"Picnic in an underwater tube. I have to give it to you, Harley, this is amazing and unique," I say, and he holds a hand out, helping me to sit before he sits himself.

"I don’t want you to forget our first date," he says with a smirk, and I shake my head at him.

Harley King is confusing. We eat the food he has made before he puts it all away and lies down on the blanket. I lie down on his shoulder and look up at the sharks, who seem to look at us as they swim by.

"Did your brothers like coming here?" I ask him.

"Yes. They loved whenever I would take them out of the house and away from my father. I tried my best to do that, but it was impossible to do it all the time," he says, and all I can think of is the responsibility he must have had as a teenager. He must have had a complicated and stressful youth.

"I bet it was. Izzy told me about your father, about everything," I tell him gently, noticing how he tenses a little, but I slide my hand into his and rest our joined hands on his stomach.

"And you still haven't run from me?" he asks, his words seeming to echo around the tube.

"Why would I?" I reply.

"I’m messed-up, too messed-up for someone like you." He sighs.

"What’s that meant to mean?" I ask him, and he lets go of my hand and turns to face me. He lifts some of my long hair and lets it fall through his fingers.

"I can’t give you anything, not really. I spent my life protecting my brothers and then Izzy. Even when all the fights with The Cage are over, I will always be looking over my shoulder, expecting Arthur to try something. I will always have to be careful. What kind of life is that for you? For your child?" he asks me, and it starts to make sense to me now.

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