Rex (30 page)

And I want to so desperately.

“What do you want, Rex?” I exhale, slumping against the table, my strength disintegrating before his eyes.

“It’s simple. I want
you
.”

“You’re still relentless,” I breathe out with what little breath he hasn’t stolen from me.

“Is that a yes?” He edges closer, his voice deep, our knees practically touching now.

“Okay.” I choke out the word, squeezing it past the ball of nerves in my throat.

“
Okay
?” he repeats, his eyes telling me he doesn’t believe what he heard.

“Yes,” I confirm, and the answering grin I’m gifted with is blinding.

“Great.” He runs a hand through his hair, staring at the ground before returning his deep brown gaze back to me. “Okay, so… I’ll be in touch.”

“You’ll be in touch?” I laugh, and his face grows serious, eyes piercing mine.

“I missed that sound.” He closes the gap between us, and my eyelashes flutter when his lips, warm and soft, find my cheek. “I’ll be in touch.”

And then he walks away, leaving me mesmerized by his ability to do what no other could before him—somehow chisel his way into my heart, carving out a spot all his own.

Once he’s gone, I sag back against the table, attempting to catch my breath, but finding it impossible to hide the runaway smile on my face or the relentless pounding inside my chest.

The rest of the event goes off without a hitch—a whirlwind of conversation, captivating speakers, laughter, and drink. I couldn’t care less though. I’m sitting on a cloud in a crystal blue sky, floating. The only thing I can think about.

I’ve got a date with Rex Grayson.

My feet are on fire by the time I stumble to the elevator of my apartment building at midnight. The event was a huge success and every part of my body is feeling it. A relaxing breath leaves my mouth as I slide off my shoes, looking forward to soaking my tired muscles in a warm bath.

With heavy eyelids and a smile that hasn’t left my face since Rex paid me a visit, I slink onto my floor, hauling my briefcase that suddenly feels like it weighs a ton over my shoulder. A glint of silver in front of the door catches my eye, and moving closer, I discover a giant tin. There’s a note on top, so I drop my bags to the ground and unfold it, grinning when I see Rex’s handwriting inside.

I press my lips together to suppress the squeak that wants to escape at his thoughtfulness. I’ve never looked forward to death and destruction so much in my entire life.

Why the hell do I have to work on Saturdays? I should’ve taken the day off today. I’ve done four tattoos and if you asked me what the hell they were, I couldn’t even tell you. There’s only one thing on my mind and that’s seeing Vanessa tonight.

I hope she liked my present. I’m not really a flowers type of a guy, but maybe the popcorn let her know I was thinking of her. If she knew how much, it would probably scare her off. I know it terrifies me. But I’m trying to push past the fear and focus on what Dr. Billings implied in our session.
Pay attention to the people that add value to your life
. And Vanessa definitely adds value to mine.

The image of her from yesterday is stamped on my brain. Those sky blue eyes with a sparkle that draws me in like no one else before her, lips that when they smile make me forget my own name. And her heart. She’s got so much heart. I don’t even think she realizes it.

“All right, Zeek, I’m heading out,” I call out, my feet so anxious I can barely keep up with them.

“Early tonight, huh? You got a hot date?” He chuckles, rubbing hand sanitizer between his fingers.

“Something like that.” I keep walking, trying to stifle the grin threatening to expose me.

“I figured as much.” He props his elbows on the counter. “You didn’t act like a dick today.”

“I try my best, asshole,” I joke, and he straightens, stretching his arms above his head.

“See ya, man.”

“Later.” I wave my hand in the air as I plod out the door.

The air is crisp, serving as a wake-up call to the strange shit happening in my life. I’m fucking excited about seeing a girl. It’s certainly not something that I ever expected but I’m finally acknowledging it, accepting that I want to see where this goes. For the first time in, well, since I can remember, I feel hopeful. Emotions are unfamiliar territory for me so I know I need to tread lightly. Otherwise, fear will pull me under and I’ll end up drowning. I’ve already let that happen once. I refuse to let it happen again.

The theater is packed when I arrive and there’s no sign of Vanessa. Doubt festers in my head and I run a jerky hand through my hair, worrying that maybe she changed her mind. I quickly shrug off the thought and zigzag through the crowd to the concession stand. I want to get her that buttery popcorn she’s so fond of.

A high school student with blue hair and a nose ring helps me out, and I make sure to have him put extra butter and salt on it. I don’t know how she can eat this shit, but I love seeing the smile on her face when she does.

I find an empty corner and wait, trying to avoid checking my watch every few minutes. I’m sure she’ll be here. She’s probably just running late.

Not more than ten minutes later, she walks through the doors. I stand back and watch her as she scans the lobby for me. Her big, blue eyes are wide, blonde waves bouncing over her shoulders as she peers over heads and around bodies until she finally spots me. And that’s when I see it.

The smile that makes me forget to breathe.

We walk toward one another until we meet in the middle, both of us talking at once.

“Hi.”

And then we laugh.

“You showed,” I say, and her brows dip low in confusion.

“Of course. I never pass up an opportunity for death and destruction.” She plucks a kernel from the tub of popcorn and pops it in her mouth, crunching down on it. “Oh, and popcorn.”

“And to think,” I shrug, “I thought maybe it was my sparkling personality that brought you out.”

“You’re an added perk,” she teases, elbowing me as we search for theater four. “By the way, was this the biggest popcorn they had?” she asks as I hold the door open for her. “Because I like the extra large.”

“Somehow I already knew that.” I grin and she elbows me again, harder this time. “So where do you want to sit?”

“I’m flexible. I just can’t sit too close to the screen.”

“Okay, how about here?” I point to a row in the middle of the room. “Good?”

“Yup,” she replies, and I follow behind her until we take our seats. “Hey.” She flicks her gaze to mine. “Thank you for that tin of popcorn. That was really thoughtful.” Her lips meet my cheek in an appreciative kiss that makes me grin.

I did something right.

“So what are we seeing anyway?” She continues to munch loudly on the popcorn and I can’t control my laughter from spilling out. “What’s so funny?” Her blue eyes narrow as she arms her hands with bunches of popcorn, ready to strike.

“It’s just that you’re too darn cute. That’s all.”

Her eyes soften and the popcorn lands in her mouth instead of on me. “Okay. In that case, you’ve been spared.”

“Shhh… quiet. The movie’s starting,” I warn, and she shakes her head, giggling.

I honestly couldn’t give two shits about the movie. The fact I’m so close to her again that I can hear her laugh, smell her raspberry shampoo, feel her knee brushing against mine. That’s the only thing I’m focusing on—everything else is static.

In the back of my mind, I know she probably still doesn’t trust me. But I’m going to prove to her that she can, that she matters to me. I know I’ll probably fuck up. If I’m lucky, though, maybe she’ll be there to catch me.

The beginning credits roll and she gasps from beside me. “Oh my God,” she says in a hushed voice. “It’s
A Good Day to Die Hard
. You remembered.”

Of course I did. There’s not a single thing I don’t remember about her since we met. And as soon as I heard they were having a Bruce Willis marathon, I was all over it.

I’m not even paying attention to the damn movie. Instead, I’m stealing glances at her, watching the way her cheeks puff up every time she takes a handful of popcorn, her eyes focused on the screen. It’s still crazy to me that she loves these movies. Although, if I had to sit through a chick flick with her, I would. I just wouldn’t tell her that.

Halfway through the movie, I lean over, my breath barely a whisper above her ear. “I’m so glad you’re here,” I say, and she shivers when my lips graze her skin.

She turns her head and smiles, and I know she feels it too. I reach out, threading our fingers together, and she looks down at our hands before returning her attention to the screen. Her lips curl at the corners, my heart racing in response.

It’s a good thing I’ve seen this movie, because I couldn’t have recalled one single detail. The only thing I do have memorized is the girl sitting beside me, who stands up and stretches now that the show is over.

“That was awesome!” She tosses her empty box of popcorn into the trash on the way out. “Didn’t you think?”

“Yeah, it was great.”

We follow the hoards of people back through the lobby and out into the night. The sky is filled with stars and the New York City streets are buzzing with energy. As much as I miss Boston sometimes, there’s something about this city that makes me feel alive.

“So, what do you want to do now?” I casually slide my hand over, twining are fingers together again. I’m not usually one for holding hands, but I can’t not touch her.

“I don’t know. Let’s just walk. It’s a beautiful night. So,” she pauses, “did you ever make out in a movie theater when you were younger?”

“Hell, yes.”

“Geez, don’t hold back.” She giggles, her lips edged with sarcasm.

“Hey, you asked. It was ninth grade with Emily Sanchez. Kind of hard to forget. It was the first time a girl’s hand had wandered down to the promised land.”

Her head falls back as she laughs. “The promised land?”

“Fuck, yes. What about you?”

“No. I never did, but always wanted to,” she says, sounding regretful.

“Well, you’re about thirty minutes too late. All you had to do was say something and I would have obliged. I could’ve been your first.”

The twinkle in her eye when she turns to the side tells me she wants to say something else, but instead I’m on the receiving end of a comfortable silence as we continue strolling the streets of Manhattan.

We walk a few more blocks until a small shop comes into view, the display window filled with cakes and a variety of pastries. Vanessa stops to admire the sweets, and I think I see her mouth frothing at the corners.

“You want to go in?”

“What gave it away? My longing looks at the chocolate croissant,” she teases, and I grab her, tugging her up against my body, swallowing any distance between us.

“You. Are. Feisty,” I breathe out, my eyes lowering to her lips, tongue anxious to taste her again. But I hold back. After the fucked up comments at my apartment, I want her to know that she means more to me than just my physical attraction to her. “Come on, feisty. Let’s go in so you can get your fix.”