Page 68 of If Only In Our Dreams

When the twins and I arrived at the park—after we spent our morning watching theCask of Amontilladoepisode of LilPoe fifty times in a row again—Robin was already there.

Part of me worried he wouldn’t be, and I was glad to be wrong.

Once again, he was wearing all black. His feet were adorned in the same combat boots he always favored—maybe because they gave him a few extra inches of height on top of a haunting aesthetic?Beneath his long, thin jacket he did, however, have my hoodie on.

Sothatwas at least an improvement.

And proved that he was as obedient as I’d hoped he’d be, considering the fact that I was the one who had told him to wear it.

Seeing Robin dressed in my clothing while out and about made something buzz warm and bright in my chest. And a grin spread across my lips before I could stop it. Jane and Rosie gave me a funny look, their little hands clutched in mine as we approached.

“So,” Robin said by way of greeting. And then he paused, eyes widening. “I mean,” he corrected himself, “Good morning, Ben-hilda and spawn.”

I snorted, and the girls giggled along even though there was no way they got the joke. They simply liked to be included. And Robin was good at that. He made sure to give them both plenty of eye contact, and though he often addressed them, he never spoke to them like they were incapable of understanding.

Perhaps that was why they seemed to like him, even though they rarely took a liking to other people outside of their immediate family.

“Good morning, Robin,” I replied, once again surprised by how low and warm my voice was. I couldn’t help it when I was around him. He brought something out in me. Something protective and tender.

When he looked at me my insides lit up.

“I’m ready to be trained, O Captain, my Captain.” Robin saluted, his heels knocking together. “Your loyal cadet.”

I was pretty sure he had no idea what he was saying, but I was charmed anyway.

“Then let’s get started,” I replied, releasing the girls and pulling my satchel off my shoulder. Inside I had all the supplies we’d need. Props for the relay race, the most notable being a rope to tie our legs together, and the spoon and egg—a fake one this time—for the first portion of the race.

Robin, to his credit, was silent as I explained everything to him. Though that didn’t mean he wasn’t vibrating with energy as he stared between me and the girls, green eyes alight. He simply seemed excited to be invited. And it was that naive, almost childlike joy that made me realize, end date or not, there was no way I’d be holding back with him anymore.

The distance this week had hurt more than it should.

And I wanted every part of him I could get, for as long as I could have it.

If he noticed a change in me he didn’t say anything.

Not when I brushed my fingers along the back of his neck when pulling the hat I’d brought him down over his ears. Not when I’d laced our legs together to practice the three-legged race, and spent extra time skimming my fingers across his calf. Not even when we fell to the ground in a giant, sunny patch when we tripped, his warm body atop mine, and the icy fallen leaves crunching at my back.

I was lucky I’d survived that fall, if I’m being honest.

Like God was watching out for me.

After going out for cocoa I invited Robin back to our home for dinner where we spent half an hour trading barbs and jokes in between the babbles of the girls whispering to each other, then us. He kept me company while I chopped, and after we’d eaten our fill of the pot pie we’d painstakingly prepared together—special thanks to Baxter and the dough he’d left me earlier—I’dleft him alone on the couch for the second time since we’d met to get the girls ready for bed.

Robin didn’t fall asleep this time.

He was wide awake when I returned, staring up at me with those green, green eyes, his hands clenched into fists over the jagged holes in his jeans. He’d ditched his jacket and shoes, his socked feet tucked up beneath him, my hoodie drowning him nearly to his knees.

“Spend the night,” I said because it felt only natural.

Nervous, butterflies erupted in my belly.

Robin’s eyes widened. His mouth dropped open for only a moment, betraying his surprise, before it shut with a gentle click. “I can take the couch.” He didn’t argue with me, which I appreciated.

“You’ll take the bed,” I told him immediately.

The stink face he gave me was truly legendary. “If you think I didn’t notice you favoring your back after last time, you’re dead wrong, methanpheta-ben.”

JesusChrist. I snorted out a laugh that quickly died when the rest of his words processed. “We’ll share then,” I offered, hoping my eagerness wasn’t as obvious as it felt.

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