Page 39 of Deja Who
“Not being afraid all the time.” She had a strange look on her face, part wistful and part “I don’t really care I’m just making polite conversation until we can kiss again.” “Is it nice?”
(Boom that’s it my heart just blew up oh Leah oh shit oh you oh oh oh)
“I’m going to help you,” he said, and Leah’s gaze dropped and she couldn’t look at him as he continued. “We’ll fix this.”
“Nothing to fix.” Now she was standing—yikes, she could move like a cat when she wanted. Standing and, yep, moving for the front door. “You were right. This was a terrible idea.”
“Now,” he yelped, scrambling after her. “It’s a terrible idea now. Later, it’s gonna be the opposite of a terrible idea. I’ll get some Ensure and it’ll be a wonderful terrific idea. Just not now.”
She shrugged, one hand reaching for the doorknob. “Sorry to haul you into my nonsense.”
He blinked at the odd word choice.Nonsense? That’s her mother talking.
“It was very nice meeting you.”
No! Stop! Tilt! Abort!
“Ow!” He shrieked it so loud she whipped around at once. “My wound! Wounds, I mean! They’re burning up and I feel all stabby inside! It’s a fever from an infection and ow-ow-owie! You can’t leave me in mortal agony argh the agony is overwhelming ow-ow!”
She rolled her eyes but, thank God, let go of the door. “Ye gods, Archer. That’s awful. Do not quit the day job.” Pause. “Whatisthe day job, besides stalking me, which we have agreed you shall no longer do?”
“You don’t have the kind of time we’d need for me to explain. Right now, I’m a professional housesitter. It’s how I ended up living here. The pain,” he groaned. “It’s washing everything away, including the ability to let you leave. And also, your breasts are like apples, did you know?”
“I’d like to have just one conversation with you that isn’t surreal,” she grumped. Then, “Apples? Like...” She glanced down at herself. “Crab apples?”
“No, more like Golden Delicious. Or Honeycrisp. You’re a hammerhead shark with luscious Honeycrisp boobs, God, you are soooohot.”
Leah, meanwhile, had started laughing so hard she had to lean against the door. She’d self-consciously crossed her arms across her chest, which only drew his attention to the Honeycrisp goodies. She saw him looking and laughed harder, finally staggering away from the door. She reached for him, curled a hand around the nape of his neck, and drew him in for a kiss on the corner of his mouth. “Oh, Archer,” she managed between snorts. “Never, ever change.”
“I want to see you tomorrow,” he said, sticking his hands in his pockets so he wouldn’t grab her, toss her on the couch, and go bobbing for apples. “And the day after. And the day after-after.”
“Fine. I’m too tired and emotionally traumatized and giddy to say no to you. Honeycrisp apples. Christ.” She went back to the door, opened it, and headed out into the night. “Yes, all right. I’ll see you tomorrow. Assuming, of course, I don’t get murdered tonight.”
“Don’t youdare,” he said, appalled. “That’ll screw up all my plans for you.” He heard how that sounded and groaned inwardly, but luckily Leah just found it funnier. Even after the door was closed behind her, he could still hear her giggles. It was a sound he planned on hearing, off and on, for the rest of his life.
“Aw, nuts,” he said to the air. “We didn’t set up a time or anything.”
Details. He’d see her again. She ought to count on it, since he was.
