Page 39 of Jinxes and Drumsticks

“Uh, yeah. See ya,” I say.

“Wren, don’t go,” she says.

“I’m not mad,” she says. “I’m just tired of watching you idiots eye fuck each other.”

Damn, that’s kind of harsh.

“Wren, come on,” Lillith tries again.

“Goodnight,” Wren says with forced cheer as she leaves the apartment, the door clicking quietly behind her.

Lillith looks crestfallen as she stares at the door. I can’t help but feel responsible for the glum shift in her mood.

“That... kind of seemed like it was my fault,” I say. “Do you want me to see if I can get her to come back?”

“No,” Lillith says with a sigh, finally looking at me and rewarding me with one of her sweet, soft smiles. “That’s just... Wren. She’s my best friend, and I love her to death, but she’s really fucking nosy and also kind of bossy. It’s not your fault. She’ll get over it and we’ll be back to... I dunno, braiding each other’s hair next week or something.”

“You guys weren’t talking about me, were you? I mean, you know you can tell me whatever, right? And I’m not going to think poorly about you?”

I mean it, too. I can’t think of a single thing that would make me want to vanish from this woman’s life.

“I don’t think you know that for sure,” she says.

“No, I do. For real. If it’s herpes? So what? More than half of the world has herpes and a bunch of people are asymptomatic carriers. You got a boyfriend or a girlfriend? I’ll help you dump them. Blood kink? I’m in.”

“What? No—none of those. God, I am never going to live that blood-kink thing down,” she moans.

I chuckle and slip my hands in my jeans. “I mean, you already told me you see ghosts and shit. I took it well, right? Why don’t you just give me a chance to hear it? Maybe you’ll be surprised.”

She runs a hand back through her hair and sighs. “I really appreciate that. I’m just not ready yet.”

“Well,” I say, crestfallen. “That’s that, then, I guess. I can’t blame you. It’s not like you know me all that well.”

“It isn’t like that. In fact, it’s the opposite. It’s just a lot to put on someone who has already had a lot put on him,” she says, looking sheepish. “Like, I’m pretty sure you just want to get a good lay and go on your way, right? I’m sure you’re just here because you’d feel like a dick if you didn’t after I cried earlier today.”

“Lillith. I asked you if I could come back tonight. And I fucking rushed over here as soon as I could,” I say.

“That doesn’t mean you want to. Maybe you just have an overactive sense of loyalty. Or you feel guilty for the seizure I had on our date?”

“Let me make something clear, because I think there’s a little confusion here,” I say as I start closing the distance between us with slow steps. “I don’t feel guilty about the seizure. I’m actually really glad I was there to help you come out of it and help you get home safely.”

Her silvery eyes meet mine.

“I don’t feel obligated to be here. I want to be here,” I tell her.

“Promise?”

“Yes. And finally, I’m not just here because I want a quick lay,” I say as I finally come to stand in front of her. I cup her face in my hand. “First of all, the last thing I’d do is insult you by fucking you quickly. Secondly, I know I laid the dirty talk on pretty thick this morning, but I would never want to assume that you’re going to have sex with me just because I showed up. And finally, despite what people think, I actually don’t care for casual hookups. That just seems to be all people are willing to give me.”

She wets her lips with the tip of her tongue and my eyes trace the movement despite all my talk of being some respectable guy. “Have you considered that it’s not a great idea to put out on the first date?” she says, her voice a bit tremulous. “Gives people the wrong idea.”

“Are you...slut-shaming me? Again?” I ask her, cracking a smile.

She drops her head and laughs, and I feel like I’ve won the lottery. I love her laugh. It’s almost musical. Hushed, a little raspy. And her face just lights up with it. Fucking beautiful. She’s so fucking gorgeous.

“You should know that I can’t sleep with you tonight,” she says as her hands light on my chest, her fingertips finding the snap closure of my shirt and fiddling with it anxiously. “I’ve… been fighting off this UTI thing. I don’t want to make it worse.”

I shrug like it’s no skin off my nose. Do I want to fuck her? Abso-fucking-lutely. But I’m not about to blow it by throwing a fit. Besides, I meant it when I said I wasn’t trying to get a quick lay. I do want to take Lillith out again. There’ll be other opportunities to sleep with her.