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“Hey, Dane.” He nods.
“Corbin.” Dane nods back.
Helena introduces herself with a reproachful look at Corbin. Corbin ignores her because he’s back to that.
The tension has eased now that Corbin’s here, accepting Dane as an unusual but not unwelcome addition to the group. It wasn’t enough when it was just me.
Conversation flows again. Corbin and Aldous each grab a fresh drink.
I take the wine from Dane for something to do. And because I like this connection between us—Dane’s not sharing his wine with Amy or Selina. Just with me.
“What are you doing here?” I ask when I feel like nobody’s listening.
“Checking up on you.” He looks me right in the eye.
I like that he doesn’t hide it. Doesn’t try to pretend.
“How’d you know I was here?”
“You told me you were coming.”
My spine goes cold.
I don’t remember telling him that.
I don’t really remember anything from his house today.
That scares the shit out of me but also makes me feel a deep, dark thrill, low in my guts.
What the fuck did we do?
I take a hefty slug of the wine, which tastes tart and expensive, and wipe my mouth on the back of my hand. “What did you do to me, anyway?”
Dane is amused. “I did exactly what you asked.”
“Then how come I can’t remember? And why do I feel all…weird now?”
He tilts his head in interest. “Weird how? What are you experiencing?”
“Everything’s loud, or bright, or…” I press my fingers against the tension points in my temples. “…doesn’t look quite the same as before.”
“Interesting.” Dane lifts my chin and looks into my eyes like he’s checking my pupils. His warmth surprises me every time we touch.
When he lets go, I see Emma watching from the other side of the fire. Selina is watching us, too, though less obviously.
“Did you fuck with my head?”
“Maybe,” Dane says. The firelight makes his eyes molten and flickers across his skin.
“Maybe?”
“I made a suggestion to your mind.”
“What?”
“It was only a suggestion; you don’t have to take it. But it sounds like you did.”
My heart feels fluttery in my chest, a thousand panicked butterflies hatching in a too-small box.
