Page 400 of Dark Love

“What do you want to know, Dahl?”

Should I ask him? Is this a trap? Will he think I’m even nuttier? “Do you like my room?”

“It’s exactly who you are.” He starts moving towards the bed again.

That isn’t an answer. I mean, if I infer things, it might sort of be an answer.

But it really isn’t an answer answer. “You’d hate being in here.”

He stops and leans his head down until we’re eye to eye. “I will never hate being where you are.”

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

“Any other questions?”

Dozens. But not one of them will ever come out of my mouth. “Would you mind taking your shoes off? The rugs are practically impossible to clean.”

The smirk is back on his face.

“What? I know it isn’t practical to have a white shag carpet, but you have to step out of bed and feel it on your toes. The soft, slippery sensation… it’s—” And now I’m going to set on fire I’m blushing so hard.

“Offer accepted.”

That smirk is back only this time… “I… um… I didn’t…”

“Don’t worry, Dahl. I know what you meant.”

“Good cause. I… um… I’d better shut my mouth now.”

“There’s no need to on my behalf. Your skin is a lovely shade of pink.”

My hand goes to my cheeks. “Red isn’t a good color on me.”

“I doubt that.” Vex sets me on the open space of my unmade bed like I’m a porcelain doll… those are creepy… not a doll, maybe a porcelain bear. Those aren’t scary.

“Do you want me to get you a drink?” He takes the packages from me, sets them on the table, and keeps the flowers in his hand.

Um. “Milk please.” Only a heathen doesn’t drink milk with chocolate.

As he turns to walk away, the hormones… yeah, I’m going with the hormones take over and I blurt out, “Um… If you want… You know if you don’t have anything else going…. You could um…” Just say it already! “You could get yourself a drink too.”

Slowly, Vex turns back around. “Are you inviting me to stay?”

Um. That’s what it sounded like, but he’s giving me an out. I should take it. Why would I even think about asking him to join me when I look and feel like this?

Because every second with him feels better than a second without him. “Yeah.”

“I’ll grab a drink then.”

“And a bowl for the popcorn.”

“Salty it is.”

---