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Boyd studied me closely but it was a very thinking look and didn’t worry me yet. When he finally composed his thoughts, he didn’t seem worried either. “First of all, I don’t think that will be a problem. I would tell you right off the bat if I didn’t think you had a little side. I’m blunt to the point of rudeness when necessary.”
I’d seen him do that when it wasn’t necessary, but that was mostly when the people around town started fucking with him to drive him insane.
I didn’t point that out, though, because it wasn’t in my nature to be blunt and frown at people.
“We just need to find the things that you like and that make you feel…the things that make you feel the silly happiness, not grown-up pleasure.” He gave me a very thoughtful look that seemed more teasing than serious. “Like for instance, I bet you have something fun at the bottom of that bento box. You’ve been petting the edges of it and you keep looking at it like you can’t wait to open it…but you haven’t.”
Shoot.
He grinned as my cheeks started to heat up. “So, something in your lunch box makes you even more excited than the rest of your food, and that’s made you feel very good. You nearly do a happy dance every time you make a new stack.”
He paid entirely too much attention to me.
I wasn’t sure I should tell him to stop, though. That conversation seemed like it would end up with us going in very confusing circles and would possibly send the wrong message.
“I…I’m not as dessert-motivated as Kenzie is. I can make meals. I don’t bake too much. I don’t buy a ton of junk food.” Just a tiny bit. “I buy lots of fruit and vegetables.”
In slightly unconventional packages.
Adults could like applesauce. It was very good.
“Does it make you happy?” Boyd didn’t ask specifically what it was, making it easier to answer.
“Yes.” When I realized I was squirming, I tried to sit still, but the effort was ridiculous and the way he was smiling said he knew it. “It does.”
“Wiggly dancing type happy? When no one is looking and it’s just you?” He already knew the answer. The confidence on his face as he asked the question made that clear.
“Yes.” I might’ve whispered, but if he already knew, then I couldn’t just not answer…well, not without safewording. “Some things just make people happy.”
That’d come out louder again. I was doing great.
“That’s right.” He smiled, looking like he’d won an argument and he loved it. “We just have to find the things that make you happy in not-so-big ways. Like books.”
I liked books.
As I nodded, he got another one of those pleased-with-himself grins before it quickly shifted into something very…Domish, maybe. “Can I come around and hug you? I’d like to show you how it feels to cuddle with me.”
Oh.
Before a first date?
I wasn’t sure what he saw on my face but something made him chuckle. “Dirty boy. No, nothing grown-up. I would like to hug you or hold you in some way while you eat your lunch.”
Okay.
I could see why he thought that might be helpful.
“Like…like Kenzie cuddled with his Daddy while we ate cake?” That had been…intimate but not inappropriate.
Boyd’s eyes sparkled for a moment before he settled into looking human again. “Yes. Like that would be perfect.”
I probably should’ve stayed on topic but I could finally ask questions.
“Um, why…why did you do that?” I gestured toward his face before I realized I was still holding a cracker. “Your eyes.”
His head cocked and he frowned. “What do you mean?”
I ran through how to ask my question several different ways but it always ended up sounding like I was talking about vampire sparkles like we were in a book. “I…well, your eyes sometimes get brighter? I don’t know how to describe it without sounding silly, but you didn’t look completely human for a second there.”
