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“Then no, we should continue. Bo will soon catch up, but I suggest assuring him you are okay. Something tells me he isn’t just worried about my well-being this time.” His hand fell away from my face, and I missed his warm and heavy touch on me.
“I can do that.”
Bo sat patiently as I made my way to him with Ilias following behind.
“See, Bo. We are just practicing. She’s safe and sound,” Ilias said as I petted Bo’s head.
An hour later, I couldn’t even manage to smile.
I ached!
I could only imagine what I looked like while Ilias hardly seemed affected. He wasn’t sweating, only his hair was wildly tussled, but it didn’t take away from his appeal. Not a bit, on the contrary.
“I need a break.” Out of breath, I dropped to the floor and laid my back flat on the carpet.
With light chuckles, Ilias lowered until he mimicked me and laid a few inches away. “We didn’t even start groin kicks, Davina.”
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. “I’m terrible at this.”
Ilias stayed quiet, and I almost laughed at his silence. I was glad he didn’t try to correct how bad my self-defense techniques or stamina was. Ilias just kept himself from lying, he knew better.
“We’ll keep working on it. Don’t give up just yet. Who knows, maybe you’ll surprise us both.”
This time, I did laugh.
“Anyway.” He stood, picked up his sweatshirt from the couch, and stretched his arm out for me to take. Reluctantly, I raised my arm with a groan and our hands connected. Ilias pulled me up, but before I had the chance to inch closer, he took a step back and said, “It’s getting late. Best if I leave you now.”
“Would you like to stay for dinner before you leave?” I asked, and the question sounded like I was questioning myself. What was I doing?
Ilias raised a brow with a head shake. “You need to rest, plus I packed dinner.”
“Packed dinner?”
He headed to the kitchen, and when he reached the back door, he looked back at me with a side smile. “I forgot to mention, Beckett and I switched times. I am now here during nights.”
“Wait, why? And why are you leaving through the back door?”
“Why not? Now lock up.”
Ilias didn’t give me the chance to speak, he was already out the door leaving me and Boris behind with many questions.
After eating the leftover soup he had dropped off on my front steps the night before, I took a lukewarm shower and snuggled with Bo under the sheets.
With heavy eyes and the reminder of seeing his car just outside relaxed my body with peace. But Ilias stayed on my mind, and the thought of him staying up all night while I slept comfortably in my bed seemed unfair. I slid my hand under my pillow, bringing my phone out and squinted when the bright light blinded me. It didn't take me long to find his name in my contacts. I’d saved it the night he slipped it through the front door. He had written to call or text him when I needed him, and even as I lie warm and tucked in bed safely, in some way, I needed just a bit of him.
I decided to say something simple, a question of neutral meaning, so neutral it almost seemed silly.
How was dinner? I typed before hitting send.
At first, I wondered if I had the right number for the amount of time it took to get a response. But when I saw the name I’d saved him as on my screen, I bit my smile.
Blue: Why are you not sleeping yet? It’s past eleven.
D: Did you know you always answer with a question?
Blue: Yes, I’ve been told.
Blue: And dinner was great. Now, are you going to answer me?
