Page 138 of Hale Yes
“But you will, right?” he asks, his breaths stuttering as I pull down the collar of his dove-gray Henley and lick a line along his collar bone.
Our hands are all over each other, touching and caressing, relearning each other. Biting the side of his neck, I soothe the spot with my tongue before sitting up and bracing my hands on his chest, doing my best to ignore the growing bulge beneath me.
“Only if you’ll be my co-director.”
Helix’s eyebrows raise and then furrow together. “No, I want you to have it.”
“And I want us to be partners.”
His baby blues search my face. “In all the ways?”
I nod. “In all the ways.”
He sits up and cups my face with both hands. “It was the Barbie house that clinched it, wasn’t it?”
I burst into laughter and give him a quick kiss. “No, you nut, though I do love it.” My eyes fall to his chest, and I shrug before lifting my gaze back to his. “What clinched it was the effort you put in to get me back. No one has ever made me feel so important and loved.”
Helix twists one of my curls around his finger. “You are important and loved. Never forget that, Nicolette. And I’m so sorry for?—”
I shush him with a finger to his lips. “I don’t want you to apologize anymore. That will only serve to drive a wedge between us. Everyone makes mistakes, Helix. What matters is how you fix them.” I drag my finger down his lips and tap his chin. “And you went above and beyond. Every gift you sent was so meaningful.”
“Even the corn dogs?”
Giggling, I say, “Even the corn dogs.” I swing my leg over and off him, seating myself on the floor beside Helix. “Want to help me put together a magnificent Barbie Dreamhouse?”
He wiggles and stretches his fingers. “That’s what I’m here for, babe. After all, we’re partners now.”
“I have no idea who the fuck wrote these instructions, but they need to be shot,” Helix grumbles, staring at pink piece of plastic like it had personally insulted him.
“That’s the one I’ve been looking for,” I accuse, taking it from him and snapping it into place. “There, that part’s done. Only fourteen thousand more pieces to go.”
Helix snorts. “The funny part is, you’re not even exaggerating.” With a tilt of his head, he assesses what we’ve already spent two hours working on. “Is there a Barbie doll that’s a building inspector? If so, I think we’re fucked. No way she’ll grant us a permit for this.”
Picking up another piece, I hold it against the instruction booklet to compare. “I used to think we were smart, but this has proven me dead-ass wrong.”
“Aren’t there any other toys you wanted as a child? Preferably something that doesn’t require a mechanical engineering degree to assemble it?”
“Hmm,” I ponder. “I liked puzzle-based toys like Simon. Ooh, and Perfection. Remember that game where you were timed and the whole board would pop up and scare the shit out of you?”
“Oh, yeah. That one was fun.”
“I got one for my birthday one year, but Angelica stole all the pieces and buried them in the back yard. It took me three months to find and dig them all up.” I snap one of the railings into place. “I never did find that hexagon-shaped piece.”
“She was a fucking brat. Still is,” Helix says, picking up the instructions and holding them upside down like that might help. “Any news on the newlyweds?”
“Ah, yes. The Clutterbucks returned from their honeymoon, both of them still alive, though barely. They apparently got some kind of virus that tried to destroy their intestines.”
“Sucks for them.” Though he doesn’t really sound very sorry about it.
“Pop said they’ve been house hunting for months, but Angelica keeps rejecting all of Rory’s suggestions. Apparently houses that are within their budget aren’t big enough for her.” I gesture to the dollhouse. “I think she’s dreaming of something more like this.”
“A house that will fall over if the wind blows wrong?”
I stick my tongue out at his negative attitude. “Anyway, they’re now living in a small room at the back of Angelica’s beauty salon because Rory told his landlord he’d be moving out after the wedding. So now his lease is up, and they don’t have anywhere else to go. I’m sure he thought they would have secured a house by now. Guess he didn’t realize how snotty my sister was going to be about it.”
“Has he met her?” Helix scoffs. “I’m sure your parents would let them live at their house.”
Cutting my eyes at him, I ask, “Wouldyouwant to live with my mother?”
