Page 61 of Last Fall

We stayed just like that while Erik got the check and paid. Then, without letting go, we slid out of the booth and walked side by side to the valet stand. It was entirely possible my body was about to burst intoflames.

Erik held up his ticket. “My brother will be by in an hour to get my car.” Then he handed the valet some cash. “And we’ll be needing hercarnow.”

I held out my ticket. “We’re ridingtogether?”

“Ybor at this time of night? Yes.” Then he tossed me a sweet smile. “Please?”

“Your brotherdoesn’tmind?”

“Not at all.” Then he tucked my hair behindmyear.

My knees went weak. Holy motherofall.

My car arrived and for a moment I wondered if Erik would be able to let go of my hand. I swear he considered climbing through so our hold wouldn’t break, but instead he walked me around to the driver’s side. “I want that hand backlater.”

Then he carefully shut my door. I almost opened the door again and told him to drive because holy moly I couldn’t think straight. Driving was probably a bad idea but I somehow managed to keep it together. I even remembered to use my turnsignal.

“So Say We All and House Stark, huh?” He sat angled in the seat so that his back was tothedoor.

“What?”

“Your bumper stickers. You’re afangirl.”

“I am.”Battlestar, Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Star Trek,andmore.

“What is it you like about theshows?”

Everything? How did I explain without babbling? “I like the storytelling, Iguess.”

“That makes sense. Which one is yourfavorite?”

That was like asking which kid I liked better. “Depends on the day. I don’t have one thing I’m completely obsessed with. Whataboutyou?”

“What about me?” The city lights rushed over him, changing his features from moment tomoment.

Not that I was paying that much attention. Nope. I wasdriving.I had my eyes on the road at alltimes.

Except when Ididn’t.

“Do you have anything you fanboyover?”

“I’ve never felt the urge to cosplay but I’ve definitely binge-watched a few shows. All the ones on the back of your car, forinstance.”

Well that made this conversation way more interesting if he knew what he was talking about. “Which is yourfavorite?”

“Depends ontheday.”

I rolled my eyes. “Funny.”

“I think everyone likesGame of Thrones. That was fun to watch all at once but I don’t think I’d have stuck with it if I watched it one season atatime.”

“I agree.” I turned us down the main drag and started looking for easy parking. “It sagged a bit for a couple ofseasons.”

“Definitely. But it’s so easy to get caught up in it all. The different players, the fact that pretty much everyone’s gonna die...thedragons.”

“The nakedchicks.”

“Not gonna lie,” he chuckled. “I enjoyed that part oftheshow.”

---