Page 49 of Duke's Daring Bookworm
We stopped in front of my house.
“Wait, why are we here?” I licked the salt from my fingers and wiped them on my jeans.
“I figured one of two things. Either you would want your own familiar space or if you want—if you are willing—I, uh… thought you could spend the night with me. In which case, you will need your things.”
He scratched his head and refused to look directly at me, which I preferred most of the time, but it wasn’t like Duke. Was he nervous to have me spend the night?
“I would like to stay with you. Especially if you have food.” I threw a whole chicken nugget into my mouth for emphasis and regretted it immediately. Duke laughed at me as I tried to blow on the hot nugget while it sat like lava in my mouth.
“I have food. Let’s get your stuff and maybe those nuggets will be eating temp by the time we are done.” Duke got out of the car and came around to my side to open my door while I tried to figure out what to do with the nugget burning a hole in the roof of my mouth.
I liked the way he looked at me as I got out, like I was a light that drew him in, unable to look away, like I was the best thing he had ever seen. It sent something fluttering in my stomach. I wasn’t sure what I did to earn that look, but I never wanted him to stop.
I slipped my hand into Duke’s and twined my fingers with his. Like before, his hand felt like an anchor and guide all at once, grounding me and showing me the way tocalmer waters. He seemed surprised by this, but squeezed my hand as we walked to the door, refusing to let go until he absolutely had to.
I gathered my things in my bedroom while he raided my bathroom. I reached for my unicorn pillow, the soft one that felt like safety. I liked to hold it while I fell asleep, especially after a day like today, but this was different. Spending the night at a lover’s house was new, and I wasn’t sure if it would be weird to bring a comfort pillow. I was an adult, for god’s sake.
I set the pillow back down. Maybe in the future I would bring it, but then there wouldn’t be a future, would there?
One month—and half of it was already gone.
I felt a pang of pain when I set it down, and I didn’t know if it was because this might be the only time I did this or because I left this bit of comfort behind while I did.
Chapter Seventeen
Iwas going to kill Frankie when she got home. We had a deal. If she left town for any length of time, she was to tell me so Lily wouldn’t have to be here all by herself. Lily was many amazing things, and now—fuck. I could barely think it—those words she’d whispered to me in the car.
I don’t know how much longer I’m going to last.
I breathed deep.
I would fucking take care of her. Even when this was all done, even if she never wanted to see me again after this month, I had to make sure she felt like she could exist. A world without Lily—god, I didn’t even want to think about it. It would be torture. I would never tell her this, but I would follow her to whatever life came next.
I leaned against the counter, my head hung low, trying to control the raging storm inside me. My whole body shook with terror and anger and despair. Never again.Never again will Lily feel like that. Not if I had anything to say about it.
A door closed from the other side of the small house, bringing me back to the present. She was here. Everything would be ok as long as that was true.
I pushed off the counter. A large black bag sat beside her bedroom door. It seemed so lightly packed that I wondered if she put anything in it at all. On her bed, a pink and green pillow sat in a prominent position, like she lovingly placed it there instead of haphazardly like the rest of her bedding. I bought her that pillow, and I’d seen her cuddling with it so many times that the image was burned into my brain.
On impulse, I picked it up and shoved it into her bag, wanting to see her cuddled up, comfortable, and safe in my home. I grabbed a few of her books and threw them in there as well. If she was upset that I packed them, she could rage at me about it later.
I walked out of her room, bag in hand, just as she stepped out of the bathroom, another smaller bag thrown over her shoulder.
“Ready?” she asked, smiling up at me. That look was a balm to my soul right now. I could lose everything, but if I had that, then all would be well.
“Yep.” I held my hand out to her, and she grabbed it without hesitation. That small contact sent a thrill through me. I hadn’t held a woman’s hand before, not like this, not just so we are tied together for something simple like walking, not since I held Lily’s hand when we were young.
“So, what was this about your work?” I asked when we were tucked into the car and on our way.
“I don’t know when I started dreading it there. I used to be so excited about my work, and I still am, but my actual job at the museum, it’s… awful.” She spoke like she was afraid of the word. “Frankie says my boss is harmless and I shouldn’t worry so much, but Frankie—she’s not—they worship her there, she could show up naked, get arrested for indecent exposure, and still have a job to go back to in the morning.”
I snorted in surprise.
“I doubt even Frankie could show up naked and not be fired.” I knew how much money her family gave to the museum, but surely that didn’t give her quite so large of a carte blanche.
“No, she probably can. She promises that if I… well, she says I always have somewhere to live if something happens, but I can’t be a burden on her.”
“You aren’t a burden.”
