Page 73 of Them Bones

They were both covered in a light sheen of sweat, Laney’s dark eye liner smudged and running, Shane’s shirt damp and sticking to his chest and back, two knuckles on his right hand split open, angry and red.

“You’re bleeding,” she muttered.

“So is yourboyfriend,” he muttered back.

“Which is why I need to get back inside now,” she said, exasperation creeping into her tone.

His hand shot out and gripped her wrist. “No.”

She put her hand on his, softly, and pulled. His fingers slipped away and his arm dropped to his side.

“You walked away, Shane,” she said. “You walked out on me. You don’t get a say, anymore. Not about where I go, or what I do, or who Ifuck –”she watched him wince like he’d been backhanded at that “oranything elsefor that matter.”

She reached for the door to go back inside, find Nick, make sure he was okay.

“Wait,” Shane called. “Just… please. Wait. For just… one minute.”

Laney paused and looked at him. He was shaking, from adrenaline or drugs or emotion she didn’t know.

“Please…” he begged. “It’s… my birthday. And… you’re what I wished for. Even like this. Even mad at me. You’re all I wanted tonight.”

“Judging by the face of the girl you were suctioned to, I call bullshit.”

“She’s nothing to me, Laney. She’s just a distraction. Someone to pass the time. Please. Can I just have one more minute with you? Before you walk away?”

“Why should I?” she hissed. “You walked away from me without so much as a glance.”

“I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve you. But… I’m asking anyway. I’m selfish enough to ask anyway.Please.”

Laney wanted to say no. She wanted to give him the finger and walk inside. No, she wanted to kick him in the balls and walk inside. But she found herself walking towards him instead and sinking down onto the curb. Shane collapsed beside her and before she knew what was happening he dropped his head into her lap.

She froze, unsure what to do and acutely aware of the two dozen fascinated onlookers, but she stiffly reached up and ran her fingers through his hair. He sighed, a long, deeply contented sigh, and went so still she thought he might have passed out.

“Your hair is too long,” she murmured, stroking the soft dark locks.

“Don’t want anyone else to cut it,” he mumbled back.

They sat like that for what felt like an hour before he finally lifted his head and sat up.

“I need to find Nick,” she said softly.

He nodded sadly and stood, holding out his hand to help her up. “I’ll help you look,” he said.

“Um, no. I don’t think that’s a great idea.”

“I won’t stick around, okay Laney? I promise. I won’t… bother you. I just want to make sure you find him, and that you have a ride home. I’m not leaving you here alone.”

“You didn’t seem this concerned about your girlfriend,” she sniped.

“I wasn’t,” he said sincerely. He probably should have looked embarrassed or ashamed, but he didn’t.

I don’t worry about anybody but you, Laney.

She suppressed a shudder. She’d forgotten how it felt around him, that strange, non-verbal connection they had, so much like her and Dusty but also so muchmore…

He led her back inside, the air between them crackling like always, the party still in full swing. She headed for the bar, figuring staff would know if anyone was injured.

“Yeah, there was a fight or something earlier, Nick I think his name was? Got clocked in the face?”

---