Rolling over onto my back, properly with my head against the pillows this time, I smile.
ME: No, I’m sleep texting.
I snap a photo of myself with my eyes closed and send it to him.
ME: See. Totally not awake.
RYNE: Is that my sweatshirt?
Oh, shit. My desperation is now one hundred percent obvious.
RYNE: If so, I’m glad.
My heart melts a little. I can’t help it. That warlock better fuck off because I like the direction things are heading right now.
ME: Maybe.
RYNE: Question. Did you eat all the M&Ms out of the bag of trail mix? Who the hell does that?
Between the first and second movie, we’d gotten some snacks at the concession stand. When we got back he sat down and tugged on my hand, so I dropped down next to him. We sat next to each other for the second movie, and I did in fact eat all the M&Ms out of the trail mix.
ME: Okay, but who the hell gets the trail mix with RAISINS in it in the first place? I did what I had to do.
RYNE: You’re ruthless.
ME: And you’re a sadist.
RYNE: But serious question. How the hell did you manage to do that in the dark? There are literally zero M&Ms left in this bitch.
ME: I am extremely talented.
RYNE: You’re something all right.
I hold my phone up and snap another picture and send it to Ryne. This time my eyes are open and I’m grinning.
RYNE: Send another one.
I scroll through my photos, find the one I’m looking for, and send it to Ryne. Instead of texting me back, he calls. His gruff, sexy voice does all sorts of gooey things to my insides.
“The fuck is this?”
I bite back a laugh. “What?” I tease. “It’s another picture of me, as requested.”
It is, in fact, a picture of me. It’s from the last time Evie, Trisley, Noah, and I played paintball. News flash: I lost. Those two girls are quick on their feet and move as stealthily as a fox, AND they tag-teamed me and Noah. I can still hear Trisley cackling madly after she hit me. She’d given me the biggest grin and when we trudged out of the play zone, Evie pulled out her phone and snapped the photo. In it, I’ve got fluorescent paint smeared all over my hair and clothes and Trisley is grinning wildly at me.
“Dacen.” The word comes out as a growl.
And now I’m hard. I will never not find each and every one of his growly sounds sexy, especially when they’re punctuated by him saying my first name.
“Not what you meant?” I can’t hold back my laughter this time.
“Not what I meant and you fucking know it.” When I don’t respond I can practically hear his eyes rolling. “Well, I guess it is a hot picture,” he taunts. “You standing there covered in paint with your hot little friend beside you.” A growl comes out of my own mouth before I can stop it. I don’t wear jealousy very well, apparently. The lust in his voice is momentarily overshadowed by his cocky tone. “What? You didn’t send me this picture, in my very horny state, to appreciate both of the hotties in it?”
I hear the teasing underneath his words but jealousy still swirls through me. Not because it’s Trisley, even I can appreciate that she’s beautiful. It’s more so because of the annoying voice of insecurity that likes to pop up in the back of my mind and wreak havoc with comments like,What’s he see in me? I’m not special, not any more than any other person at school. What’s to say his eyes won’t drift to something brighter and better and move on?I know they’re ridiculous thoughts. But then again, are they? After all, he only seems to want the physical stuff and he can get that from almost anyone.
“Whatever.” My voice is sulky and pouty.
Ryne’s deep laughter comes through the phone. I want to curl up inside of it and let his warmth embrace me, even though the laughter is at my expense.
