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“Then I’m staying.” She smiles up at me, it's a simple smile. The truth is in her eyes though when I look into those gorgeous honey-brown irises, I see the secrets she holds there. The honesty, the excitement. This is why I need Alex Monroe to be mine. She’s fucking special. The way she looks at me is special, she won’t admit it, but her eyes do. I’ll fight for the truth they tell me, even if it kills me in the process.
27
ALEX
We walk back across the huge yard I was just admiring, and now wish it was smaller so we could get inside faster. Dark clouds take up the sky with little pops of light flashing in the far distance.
The door closes louder than expected as a burst of wind blows against it forcefully, making it harder to close. A storm must be rolling in.
“Well, that was quicker than I expected. Y’all must fuck like animals,” Cora shouts from the living room just past the entryway. “Oh, hush, he’s still here, you little witch,” she laughs from the living room where I can hear the courtyard lunch scene fromGreaseplaying in the background.
“Oh, I know he is. I knew he would tell you how he felt and you would NOT tell him, but show him in other…ways,” she laughs even harder at that one, and Kohen and I join in as we head over to the couch with her.
“I hope it’s okay that he stays, C.” I plop myself on the cushion next to her and wait patiently for a response while focusing my gaze on the tv.
“Of course, he can stay. Besides, there were some tornado warnings on the tv a second ago, so it’s better this way so that your precious knight in shining armor doesn’t get swooped up to OZ with Dorothy. God knows you will find a way to get there and murder anyone who’s looked at him, including the Wicked Witch. Psh, she ain’t got nothing on you.”
“Ha ha ha, so very funny. Really, you should look into participating in stand-up comedy. Your future is bright my friend.”
She rolls her eyes and continues watching Sandy pining after the bad boy everyone wants, and she can’t have. This movie always got to me because I never understood why in the end Sandy had to be the one to change. He tried and failed and so what, that's good enough? Hell no. He better work for it, too. He doesn’t grovel, doesn’t fight, and he’s a fucking pussy. Now Kenickie is a guy I can get behind, or better yet, let behind me.
“Stop being a ho for Kenickie and pay attention to your man,” Cora says, interrupting my thoughts. I hate how she knows me so well, but ignore it and look over at the space I felt Kohen’s weight settle in. He’s fast asleep, as he should be.
I watch him, the way his chest rises and falls slowly as he breathes. The quiet snores coming from the small space between his lips, his long thick lashes, way too long for a guy I might add, it’s definitely not fair. And the way the tips of them cast shadows on his cheeks. He stirs and I freeze. I don't want him to catch me staring at him like a creeper. His hand reaches out and he feels around him sloppily. I move my thigh closer to see if it’s me he’s searching for. He feels the skin on my leg with his pinky and moves his hand over my thigh and lightly squeezes, a small groan leaving him. My heart swells. He was feeling forme,my mind can’t comprehend this. It's fucking weird. Time feels altered like it’s a tangible flexible thing that makes it feel like we have known each other much longer than we have because this isn’t normal.
“Alex?” Cora’s voice breaks me from my hypnotizing thoughts.
“Mmm, yeah?” Turning my head to look at her, I see the movie is paused and I didn’t even realize it was so quiet.
“Are you okay? I said your name twice and you didn’t respond.”
I think about that for a few seconds before saying anything. “I’m sorry, I’m so tired. I must have been daydreaming or something.” A strike of lightning lights up the entire yard and a loud boom of thunder shakes the window right as it hits the tree across the street. Kohen pops up so fucking fast, it scares me.
“It’s just thunder and lightning from the incoming storm. Cora said there were some tornado warnings.” I rub his thigh to comfort him. I don't know why because that's not something I do. Why the fuck am I doing that? I remove it and look over at Cora as she stares at me, then my hand, and at the place on his body I removed it from. Her eyes dart right back to mine and I look away.
“Oh, damn. It scared the shit out of me. It sounded like a gunshot,” Kohen says. His eyes are so sleepy and he rubs them as if trying to force himself to stay up even longer. Rain begins to tap the roof and I decide it is time to head to bed.
“Let’s go to bed, Kohen. Cora, do you want us to help you upstairs?” I stand and look down at where she sits.
“No, babe. You guys go to bed and I’ll sleep here. I love falling asleep to the sound of the rain.”
“Kohen, let’s go upstairs.” I grab his hand and pull. He gets up slowly like his body weighs as much as an elephant’s. We turn to make our way upstairs, and just when my foot hits the bottom step, I hear Cora clear her throat.
“Alex, can you help me real quick?” She clears her throat again and I look up at Kohen who is already at the top step.
“Go ahead, lay down. I’ll be right in.”
Walking over to Cora, I pick up a water glass off the end table and hand it to her.
“What's up? What do you need?” She smiles softly, her eyes filled with tears.
“Are you okay? Need Tylenol or something?” Panic fills my chest.
“No, I’m just… I've never seen you like that.” She wipes a tear from her cheek.
“Like what? I’m just being myself.”
“I don't know, Alex, but you are different with him. I know you can’t possibly love him, because you barely know him but…it’s… something, something different.”
