CHAPTER 37
“Good night, Mark,” I said, lingering at my door, perhaps a little too long. I was lingering because I was hoping he might speak to me again—he’d been silent since we’d arrived.
“Good night, Frankie,” he said. He’d hardly said my name since we met and I must say, it sounded nice coming from his lips. He had nice lips, actually. But there was also a gravity to him I hadn’t seen before; something looked like it was bothering him. But then he shook his head and gave me a smile.
“I’ll make sure I don’t sleep naked,” he said jokingly.
My cheeks flushed. “Good idea. Don’t the insects bite?”
He smiled. “I burn citronella candles.”
“How romantic!” I said sarcastically and Mark laughed at this. I looked down at Harun, who seemed to be watching us out of his one eye. His head was down, but his eye and one good ear were definitely tracking our conversation.
“Do you mind if he sleeps with me on the bed?” I asked.
“Sure. No problem.”
“Harun,” I called, and clicked my fingers at him. He got up slowly and walked over to me, wagging his huge tail so much that I was worried it would knock things over.
“It looks like he’s been your dog forever,” Mark commented. “He listens to everything you say.”
“Not everything. Otherwise he wouldn’t have had his belly cut open.”
“Sleep well,” he said. “If you need anything, just call.”
I reached down and patted Harun on the head and he nudged my leg. I don’t think he knew his own strength, because whenever he did this little gesture, it rocked you back and forth on your feet.
“Good night then,” I said, and Mark started to walk away.
“You know where the bathroom is, right?” he stopped walking and asked.
I smiled at him. “We were in it earlier, remember?”
“Oh. Yes. Right.” He took a few steps again, and then stopped once more.
“Kitchen, if you need a midnight snack or anything.”
I smiled. “I think it’s past midnight.”
“Well, if you need a three a.m. snack or whatever, you can just scratch through the cupboards.”
“Thanks,” I said.
“Make yourself at home.”
“It’s very kind of you to let us stay here.”
“It’s a pleasure,” he said quickly.
And then, without thinking, I walked up to him, and hugged him. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him close. He immediately reacted, wrapping his arms around me too. I had intended it to be a short hug. Quick. The kind of hug you give when you say hello to someone. But it wasn’t. It lingered. I closed my eyes for a second. He was warm. He smelled so good. And he was . . .
“You’re very kind,” I said, finally pulling away from the hug and smiling at him. “Letting me stay here. Helping with Harun.”
“I like Harun.” He smiled back. The light in the room was dim and warm. It cast a golden glow over his face, and suddenly I felt sad for some inexplicable reason.
“You look surprised that someone is kind,” he said.
I shrugged. “I’ve had so many people be unkind to me lately that, I guess . . . I don’t know.”
