The conversational whiplash made her blink – and laugh. Somehow he had gone from existential trauma to absurd comedy in three seconds flat. It should’ve been disorienting. But instead, it was like pure oxygen after holding her breath for too long.
Maybe the skid from heavy to hilarious was his own version of deflection. Perhaps that was his trick, too – shine the light where it hurt less.
He stood, offering an arm. Shall we blow this popsicle stand?”
His gangster accent actually wasn’t half-bad.
Chapter Nine
It seemed an unspoken agreement to continue strolling the deck, taking in the sights, yet away from the cocktails and cameras and crowds.
Tzipi pushed her hands into hip pockets of the borrowed jacket as they strolled aimlessly. Her fingers met smooth foil, two gelt coins. “I see you found the fancy chocolate.”
“Oh, gelty as charged.” He laughed. “That chocolate always finds me, every year.”
She offered him one, thinking about the first piece she tried right before spotting him on the boarding deck. Find Your Flame.
“What’s yours say?” she asked, watching as he slowly unwrapped the foil to reveal its mantra.
“Eight Nights, No Regrets.” He smiled down at it, then her. “My older sisters always had a thing they’d make me do with fortune cookies when we’d get Chinese takeout.”
“Let me guess: add ‘in bed’ to modify every fortune?”
She felt her cheeks flush as his brows rose.
“No, but that’s brilliant.”
His laugh was big and unruly, like it had a mind of its own.
A dirty mind.
She flushed, scolding her own mind for even thinking it.
“My college roommate always said that…it makes even the most cryptic fortunes funny.”
“Well, sex jokes are universally funny.” He re-read his fortune now, making her laugh. “What does yours say?”
“Burn Brighter Tonight...” They both waited a beat, before crowing in unison: “…in bed!”
“Sounds like you may want to see a doctor…I think they have a cream for that.”
Tzipi almost choked on her chocolate. Max’s quick delivery, combined with that smile? It got her every time.
“I was going to say…” He adjusted his glasses and bit his lip. “My sisters told me I had to eat the tiny slip of paper, or my fortune wouldn’t come true.”
“No!” Now it was Tzipi’s turn to be shocked. “That’s so...”
“Evil?” He laughed. “Yeah, they were merciless. But I survived.” He neatly folded the foil and pocketed it. “Saving this for later. In bed.”
Talk about merciless. She had a feeling he was going to tease her all night about that.
“Oh, pardon my reach…” His big hand carefully lifted one side of the jacket, slowly dipping his fingers into the interior coat pocket to retrieve something else.
She had a sudden flash about how precise, how gentle Max would be (in bed.)
Heat flooded her body, despite the wind whipping up as the boat turned to make the most of its current sparkling view. Could she wish something into existence? His lips, warm and full, on her…everywhere? Those big hands roaming, claiming.
“…earlier. I’d better check in with Ground Control at some point.”
