Page 94 of Full Tilt
I grimaced and sat back in my seat.
“I tried to warn you,” he laughed.
“Mmm, I taste grass and twigs, a hint of powdered milk, and smidge of ass.” I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand while Jonah laughed. “I’m going to learn to make you something that tastes better than…whatever the hell that is.”
“Figure that out and you’ll be greatly rewarded.”
“In bed?”
“In bed. On the counter. The floor, the couch…”
“That’s no reward, that’s our life now,” I said, slipping off my stool to come around and kiss him again. I didn’t give a damn about aftertaste. Whenever the urge to kiss him came over me, I would kiss him. No more living life halfway. We had to go full tilt, just like the card players did. I would hit instead of stay. Always.
We dressed, and Jonah drove me back to my place. I jumped out of his truck and came around the driver’s side. “Have a great day, call me later.”
“I will,” he said.
I kissed him deeply, my hand slipping to the back of his neck while his cupped my cheek.
“I miss you already,” I said.
He brushed his thumb along my jaw and said softly. “Talk to you soon, Kace.”
I watched him drive off, and it was as if some invisible clock began ticking in my head. Counting down the seconds while at the same time adding them up to form minutes, and eventually the hours until I could see him again.
“Moments,” I murmured to myself as the Nevada heat beat down on me. “We have thousands of moments.”
At eleven or so, I was watching a movie on TV while toweling my hair from a shower when someone pounded on the door, hard enough to make it rattle. I muted the TV and grabbed my phone, ready to hit the emergency button.
“Who is it?”
“Theo.”
Well, shit. I tossed my phone down and twisted open the locks. Theo filled the doorway, his tatted, muscled arms crossed over his broad chest.
I crossed my arms as well. “Next time bring a battering ram. It’s more effective.”
“Can I come in or not?”
“Be my guest.”
He strode past me with purpose but once he was inside, he seemed unsure. He jammed his hands in the front pocket of his jeans.
Just like Jonah does,I thought.
Theo stared at my muted TV where Jon Cryer was dancinglike a precious freak in a record store.
“It’sPretty in Pink,” I told Theo. “Have you seen it?”
He snorted in the negative.
“Classic movie! Everyone gets all pissy that Andie ends up with Blaine at the end instead of Duckie. But honestly, if the movie had played out for another year, Blaine would’ve broken her heart. And Duckie would be right there for her, just like he always was. I’m not saying Blaine isbadfor her. Not at all. They make each other happy, but Duckie? Duckie’s in it for the long haul.”
I watched a few more muted seconds before realizing Theo was staring at me as if I were an alien life form.
“Sorry,” I said. “I get carried away with eighties movies. They hold the philosophy of life for me.” I shut off the TV. “So. Can I get you something to drink?”
“No.”
