Page 264 of Heartsong (Green Creek 3)
He drops his hand, blinking slowly. “Um.”
I put my face in my hands and groan.
He says, “I take your breath away?”
I drop my hands. “All right. Have at it.”
“Have at what?”
I grind my teeth together. “Laugh it up. Make fun of me. I know I’m being stupid. I know I’m—”
“You’re serious?” he demands.
“Ye-es?”
He takes a step back. It’s like he’s stabbed me right in the chest.
“I won’t bother you,” I mutter, looking down at my shoes. “Just… forget it.”
I start to push by him when he says, “No.”
I stop. “No what?”
“I’m not going to forget it.”
“Um, why?”
He nods. “I’m… okay. With it.”
I gape at him, unable to form words. Okay with it isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement, but I have to stop from howling for everyone to hear.
His nostrils flare, and he rolls his eyes. “I’m not going to have sex with you. Stop it.”
I have no fucking idea what he’s talking about.
He says, “Look. I… might like you. At least a little bit.”
I say, “Oh. Yeah. Cool. Cool, cool, cool. Uh. Me too. A little bit.”
He says, “I figured.”
I say, “What gave it away?”
He says, “The crackers. You brought me crackers.”
And I say, “I tried to kill you a deer but it was too fast and oh my god, are you for real right now?”
And it happens again. That little laugh, and I swear to god I never want to hear anything but that sound ever again.
He smiles at me.
I smile back.
I—
I
I
