Page 121 of Wandering in Darkness
And I’m left munching on the cookie and acting like I’m not floating away on my cloud of happiness.
“Do I look like I need to be pampered like this?”
“Yeah… you kind of do,” he says.
“Maybe…”
Grayson laughs as he wraps one arm around my waist and holds me close. “I really like this side of the couch. If you like it too, you can just share it with me every night.”
“I guess if I have to so you’re not left living in some sketchy motel every night, I will, out of the goodness of my heart.”
“You really are sweet,” he says, kissing my cheek.
I lean against him and munch my cookie in bliss. When he’s done with his cookie, he kisses my cheek a few times before pulling a blanket over us and starting a movie. I hug his arm to me because it’s really all I can hold on to at this point. And then I interlock our fingers together and stare at them for a bit.
“Don’t leave me,” I beg. “I… it’s funny because I lived most of my life alone. I never had parents to rely on. The house was always so quiet… but I’m afraid of the quiet now. Yet when I think of you in my life… it makes me so happy.”
“I won’t. I promise you. I will promise you every day if you need me to. I’m not leaving you.”
“Why would you uproot your whole life for me?” I ask.
“Were you not willing to uproot your whole life to follow me around if I stayed in the military?”
And I realize he’s right. He’d cut me off before because he didn’t want me to change my life. He wanted me to live my life and not throw it all away for him.
“I don’t yet have my life in order, but I’m hoping you’ll help me figure it out,” Grayson says. “I need to figure out what I want to do for a job and all of that nonsense.”
I nod, prepared to do whatever he wants if he stays. “I mean… I’m not sure I have my life in order to help you, but I’ll be around to give you a thumbs-up if I think you’re doing something at least semi decently.”
“That’s kind of you.”
“I’m kind like that.”
“Kind and sexy.”
I squeeze his hand tighter and realize how happy I am. I used to despise this apartment. Even the mere thought of coming “home” filled me with dread, so I would find myself hovering around Felix as long as I could to avoid it. But now that I’m here with Grayson…
“We can stay at this apartment for a bit, but I eventually want to make enough money to buy a house,” I tell him. “I just… haven’t gotten there yet.”
“I heard you when you told Audrey that you’d given your money to the families of the deceased… you should have taken care of yourself, Cal. You know Eddie and Tate wouldn’t have wanted you to do that.”
“No, I don’t regret that I gave it away. I’m happy I could help them,” I say.
“I’ve set aside quite a bit of money to buy a house. So we could begin hunting for one. One with a fenced-in yard for Traveler would be best. Something near Felix and Lane.”
“You want to be near those two?” I ask, extremely suspicious.
“Oddly… they seem to offer you some comfort… I’m not quite sure why at this point. If anything, I think you’d be safest far, far away from them. But they did take good care of you?—”
I turn enough to look at him. “Did they? Did they when they nearly murdered me with a safe? When they leaped out and?—”
Grayson cuts in. “And led you right to me.”
“Oh, don’t act all mushy,” I say, trying not to feel it myself.
“Led you right into my arms.”
“You’re a bit full of yourself.”
