Page 109 of She Wolf

“Shhhh. It’s okay. What’s wrong?” he says into my hair. I step back on a heavy breath.

“I love you. Do you know that? I love you so freaking much I feel like I’m gonna burst. Do you get that Gunner Grey? That I’m so hopelessly and wholly in love with you that I feel—”

He kisses me. In the middle of the toy store. Where kisses are supposed to be non-existent, or at least PG. It’s not though and I have to be the one to break away. But right there in an aisle full of Lego’s, Gunner Grey kisses me breathless.

“Come on. Let's go pig out on theatre concessions and make out in the dark. I’ll even spring for the good seats.” He smiles a giant smile and I swoon as he picks up the basket that’s filled to the brim with my kid’s favorite construction toy.

***

“I cannot believe you paid for four seats,” I say looking around the virtually empty theatre.

“Peaches where are we gonna put all our snacks, eh?” he says as he spreads our goodies out around us. I have my giant cherry coke—as standard—and my sweet and salted popcorn. Gunner has, well let's just say Gunner’s going to pass out halfway through the movie in a sugar coma. Nachos caramel popcorn, snowcaps, gummy bears, a large Dr Pepper, and junior mints—“for all the kissing we’re gonna be doing,”—take up his side.

“You’re going to fall asleep.”

“I will not. I haven’t been to the movies in years. It’s you we need to worry about. What is it with you and this drink? You’ll need to pee halfway through.” Before I can answer, his head snaps to the screen as the first preview begins to show. “I fucking love the trailers.”

I smile and shake my head as I watch my twenty-nine-year-old boyfriend shovel popcorn into his mouth and get lost in this experience. After all he’s done and the places he’s been, it’s amazing that he can get so much joy out of simply watching a movie, holding his girlfriend's hand, and stuffing his face with candy.

He’s right though, halfway through I do have to use the bathroom. He argues that he needs to come with me but I tell him not to be stupid and that I’ll be back in two minutes. Admittedly it takes a little longer, but I’m back in no time and find the middle armrest has been raised.

“Snuggle in here, Peaches.” I giggle and do so, bringing the sweet cherry nectar to my lips once more.

“Made room?”

“I sure did,” I say taking another sip.

“Give me a taste.” I pass him the huge cup but instead of taking a pull from the straw, he places it down beside him and in a hushed, low voice says,

“I want to taste it on your lips,” and then proceeds to kiss me like we’re teenagers. I don’t know what happens for the next forty minutes of the movie. All I know is that Gunner Grey is able to leave me a needy, clingy mess of a woman.

***

“Gunner. Pull over!” I squeal. He starts to slow down but I tug on his arm making him pull up abruptly.

“Coralie what are you—” I don’t hear the rest of his sentence because I’m already running back the way we came. The cold rain lashes down on me, soaking me in seconds. Lightning flashes in the distance, the thunder following loud and imposing.

“Kate. Katie, is that you?” I shout. I’m close enough now to see her blood shot eyes go wide and when she recognizes who I am, she throws her arms around me. It’s cold for summer and she’s not wearing a coat.

“What are you doing out here in the rain?” I shout. “My car’s just up ahead let’s get out of this storm.” The lightning crackles, and the thunder booms again, almost like it’s agreeing with me.

She bites on her lip for a second but soon follows me. I open the back of the truck and she climbs in. When she sees Gunner, she pulls back coiling in on herself. His smile falls and I rest my hand on her arm, not having closed her door yet.

“Hey Kate, this is Gunner. He’s not going to hurt you,” I say as reassuringly as possible. “We’re just going to drive to my house, okay? Get you dry and warm.”

She nods but it’s barely perceptible in the dark the storm shrouds us in, the only light coming from Gunner’s dash. I jump in the front and as I buckle up he looks in the mirror and then back at me, concern etched across his face.

I turn the vents up high in the back and Gunner shrugs out of his flannel shirt as he drives and passes it to me with a nod to the back.

“Here you go, try to warm up a little. We’re not far away now.”

She’s stopped crying but I can see she’s still shaking, deeply upset.

We arrive back at my house late and I already know Jack is fast asleep. Casey opens the door as I rush out of the car to help Kate.

She balks again when she sees Casey’s hulking presence, but I hold her tight to my side and Gunner ushers him away into the kitchen. I walk her straight into the bathroom and sit her down on the lidded toilet.

“Do you want to shower or just get into some dry clothes? It’s up to you.”

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