“I made Taron binge the show with me last week,” he told me, and then wrapped his arms around my waist. “Four episodes in, and he started losing his shit. He began looking for 19thcentury gowns for himself, and even drew a digital sketch of a carriage he wanted to make for himself. But…” He paused for emphasis, “…before he could actually make true onanyof that, I stopped him. A couple of chokeholds here, a few arm twists there. I think I even used his beard as a leash at one point, but it’s kind of ablur right now.” He faintly lifted a shoulder. “It worked, though, so who am I to complain, right?”
I stared at him in absolute shock.
At this point, I know that I shouldn’t be surprised by anything Myles says, or does, orboth, but it’s impossible for me to not lose a slice of my commonsense every time I hear him say something as aberrant as what he’d told me.
You and Taron belong in a museum, I signed.You two are crazy.
Myles chuckled.I know, he signed back, then said, “You should be ready for shit like this by now, Rina. I can’t drop these bombs and have you standing here gawking at me like you have no idea what to do with yourself. It’s very unbecoming, babe; live up to your damn reputation.”
You said you used Taron’s beard as a leash. How was I supposed to expect that?I asked.My bravery can only stretch so far.
“We’ve done worse to each other than that, though,” he stated casually.
I rubbed my hands over my face in utter frustration, which resulted in Myles to chuckle again.
“You’ll get used to it, I promise,” he assured, like it evenwassomething I needed assurance on.
Asshole, I signed, just as a loud screech of the mic, followed by the mellow sound of a piano, filled the air. One of the musicians began playing the familiar tune ofWe Could Form an Attachment, an originalBridgertonbackground music, on the piano, and the crowd around us started cheering and taking pictures. A few moments later, Jayden and a female performer walked on stage, just like Simon and Daphne had walked into the Vauxhall gardens at the end of episode one. The two bowed ceremoniously, then fell into a beautiful waltz, and surprisingly, so did a lot of the couples in the crowd.
Myles grinned down at me, and I couldn’t help but laugh at him.
“Stare into my eyes, Rina,” he commanded.
I would have rolledmyeyes at him for quoting Simon, but I just couldn’t, because the way he was looking at me – it defied every single level of intensity any fictional character has whilst looking at their love interest.
Becausethiswas real.Wewere real.
And nothing – not even my love for a period drama and its lead guy – meantanythingcompared to what Myles meant to me.
I stepped closer to him and gazed up at him. Even under the dim daylight and shadowing streetlights, I could clearly see the bright flecks of grey in his eyes. I ran a hand up and down his chest, then draped my arms over his shoulders before gently cupping the back of his head.
“Would it be right for me to presume that you don’t know how to waltz?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Great.” He playfully fixed the beanie on my head and gave me a subtle wink. “Let’s wing it, then.”
And boy, wing we did. We started taking short steps from left to right, then from front to back. The loop was far from perfect, but it still made me smile.
Left, right.
Front, back.
Left–
“Ow!” Myles grimaced. “Babe, you just stomped on my feet.”
I looked down, and flinched when I saw that my left boot was pressed over one of his sneakers.
Sorry, I signed.
He shook his head. “You’re lucky I have resilient feet,” he said, then twirled me once, twice, before bringing me close to him again.
I didn’t remind him how hisresilientfeethad been unsuccessful at handling Oxford shoes just a couple months ago, and had ended up looking like a carnival of blisters when he’d come over to my place. He may be the sweetest guy I know, but Myles is also a man, and most men have egos – whether they like to admit it or not.
And I also didn’t tell him because once he starts pouting over something, he just doesn’t let up. It’s very cute, but also very concerning.
Myles dipped me briefly, to which I laughed, and then we continued our left-to-right and front-to-back routine.
