This was all so confusing and overwhelming. He needed to get it together. He needed to act like he wasn’t too damaged to function in society. People were watching them. He shrank against Arsen, wrapping himself around his arm and resting his head on his bicep.
“I brought you here to find some books to read. I know you’re bored watching me work.”
“I don’t have any money.”
“Well, today, you have a benefactor,” Arsen said.
Ever frowned. “A what?”
“A benefactor. Someone is covering the bill for all of this. You don’t have to worry about anything,” Arsen promised, leaning down enough for Ever to feel his breath ruffle his hair.
Yeah, right. “What do I have to do for this money?”
Arsen sighed. “Nothing,besenok. Jericho and Atticus want you to have things of your own. They want you to enjoy your day. They’ll never ask you for anything, I promise. This isn’t reciprocal.”
There was nothing Ever wanted more than to believe Arsen was who he said he was. He’d never done anything to prove otherwise. But they had known each other less than a week and he was showering him with gifts and attention. All the things Jennika had done in the beginning. But Arsen didn’t feel like Jennika had. Even as a child, Ever had sensed there was something…off about her. She smiled too wide, her words were too sweet, too…sharp. Like the big bad wolf posing as Red’s grandmother. A small voice had whispered that she couldn’t be trusted. He never heard that voice with Arsen.
Arsen put his arms on Ever’s shoulders, walking him deeper into the store. “Let us spoil you today. Please? It will make me so happy to see you happy.”
Ever was having a hard time concentrating with the warmth of Arsen’s body pressing against his back. “Okay,” he managed.
Ever lost track of time. They could have been in there an hour or seven days. He moved from aisle to aisle, a sense of urgency hurrying his steps. There were so many options. He couldn’t settle for anything less than looking at them all but it was impossible.
Arsen trailed behind him. Each time Ever would say a book sounded interesting, he’d set it back on the shelf only to see Arsen retrieve it and add it to a basket he held. He wanted to protest, but he’d promised he’d let them spoil him.
Arsen insisted they get coffee at the cafe in the center of the store. Ever didn’t know what to order so he asked Arsen to surprise him.
“Is there anything you don’t like?”
“Olives,” Ever said, then blushed when Arsen gave him that puppy look.
“Have you ever had coffee?” Arsen asked.
Ever shook his head. “Jennika said caffeine gives people cancer.”
“Jennika was a liar,” Arsen said with a shake of his head.
While Arsen stood in line, Ever couldn’t resist going through his finds, looking at each book lovingly before returning it to the stack on the table. He’d found a book about vampires and one about faeries. He also found a murder mystery and something listed as a thriller.
He blushed when he looked at the two romance books he found, one between a man and a woman, the other between two men, both featuring muscled half-naked men on the covers. Arsen had assured him there was nothing wrong with reading romance novels.
Ever had taken the ones he’d wanted but had also quickly exited to the young adult section where he’d found a few more titles. He wanted to hurry home and start reading.
Arsen returned with a drink topped with whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate and a cookie the size of a small plate. Literally the same size as the plate. Ever took a sip of the drink, eyes widening at the sweetness on his tongue. He couldn’t help the way he began to suck it down, stopping only when a knife of pain split his skull, causing him to wince.
Arsen chuckled. “Brain freeze. Do this.”
Ever watched as Arsen pressed his thumb to the roof of his mouth. At first, Ever thought he was joking, but did it anyway, willing to be a joke if that was what Arsen wanted. But it wasn’t a joke; it really did help. When he looked at him, relieved, Arsen placed his large hand over Ever’s smaller one.
“Drink a little slower and it won’t happen again.”
Ever gave a stilted nod as Arsen’s skin seemed to sear into him. He gave his drink a break, instead picking at the warm chocolate chip cookie, his eyes rolling in pleasure at the taste. It tasted almost as good as touching Arsen felt. That was dangerous.
Ever knew he would be sick from all the food later but he couldn’t bring himself to care. It was all too yummy.
Once they finished and Arsen paid for Ever’s books, he assumed they’d head home, but that wasn’t the case. Instead, they walked a few stores down to the shop with a giant bullseye on the top. Target. Ever quickly returned his headphones to his ears.
“Why are we here?” he asked warily, uneasy with the number of people in the vast space. It smelled different there. Not bad but…chemical. And there were far more people there than at the bookstore. People pushing carts filled with groceries and children and plants and even a television.
