Page 13 of Green
I burst out laughing at that thought.
Theo wrinkled his brow and glanced over at me as he pulled into the garage. He knew better than to ask me what I was laughing about. If I wanted him to know something I’d tell him.
When I’d put my bags and jacket and stuffed animal and donuts and cheese away in my room, and checked to make sure my level of airplane stink was not appalling, I found Theo leaning against the back of the living room sofa, waiting for me. He wasn’t even looking at his phone, he was just waiting.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hi.”
“So do you feel like talking about it or not?”
“Not.”
He nodded. “Okay.” He lifted his backwards baseball cap off his head, ran his fingers through his thick beautiful mess of hair, put the cap back on, then stroked his chiseled stubbly jaw with his fingers. “Is it okay if I say something?”
As long as it isn’t something wonderful that makes me fall more in love with you.
I shrugged my shoulders and shoved my hands into my front pockets.
He startled me by moving so quickly from the sofa, lunging towards me and wrapping his arms around my shoulders. “He shouldn’t have done that to you, Gem.”
I could barely breathe, he was holding me so tight. I wrapped my arms around his waist and this time I didn’t cry, because all I could feel was Theo. Theo’s biceps, Theo’s hands, Theo’s abs, Theo’s back, Theo’s deep voice vibrating through me when he said: “You’re the best person I know. No one should treat you that way.”
I laughed into his chest, because he was so concerned and what he was saying was so corny. “I’m really okay.”
He pulled back from me and lifted my chin up to face him. “I’m here for you, if you’re not okay. You know that, right?”
I nodded my head, but he looked at me so strangely.
“I mean I’mherefor you,” he said again, only this time it seemed to mean something different. He looked confused, and I felt so confused, until suddenly I didn’t.
I knew exactly how I felt, and maybe, just maybe he was feeling the same way too?
He was lowering his face towards mine.
I tilted my head up, closed my eyes, offering my lips to him.
And then I felt his lips press against my forehead.
A forehead kiss.
He gave me a freaking forehead kiss.
I opened my eyes and shoved him away, humiliated.
He grabbed my wrist. “Hey.” He pulled me back towards him, but I tried to pull away and he grabbed my other wrist. He looked so perplexed. He never looked perplexed. Theo always had both feet on the ground and a good head on his shoulders. But right now it looked like I could knock him on his ass with two words.
Kiss me.
I didn’t say it, but I know my eyes did, they were daring him to.
I let him pull me in again, as he put his hands on my face and stared at my mouth.
And then the phone in his pants started playingLet’s Get It Onby Marvin Gaye, and I thought: “Yes. Let’s!”
But he froze, and pulled his phone out from his back pocket to check the caller I.D. “Shit. Shit!” His hand went to his forehead. “I have to take this—shit. Sorry.” He answered as he head into his bedroom and shut his door.
Reason number 26 why we should only ever be Just Friends:That.
