This is the sort of headache that can only be fully gotten rid of by sleeping it off, so I log off for the night, drink a full glass of water and refill my bottle, wash my face, and clean my teeth. There’s a small, half-full pot of red tiger balm in my cabinet, so I grab it and massage a little into my temples and above my eyebrows.
I don’t even try to read my novel when I get into bed. I just turn the lights out and close my eyes, letting the burn of the tiger balm do its job.
I’m not going to drop off immediately, though, and my mind drifts back to Dean, and what it would be like to be his woman.
I’m Googling aboutdatinghim. This is a far cry from a simple ‘DTF’ situation, as modern parlance and most of my students would have it. When precisely did that happen? I’m not sure. But Iamsure that this is something I’m interested in, even though this isn’t going to be easy. Maybebecauseit won’t be. I’ve never been drawn to anything easy or simple. I always crave to be brought out of my comfort zone. The men I’ve been involved with so far haven’t challenged me enough, intellectually or otherwise. Which makes me sound obnoxious and self-regarding, but it’s the unfortunate truth. I’ve had meetings of minds, and I’ve had good sex. But I’ve otherwise been untouched in any real way. Nobody has sparked anything compelling inside me, or pulled on the core of who I am the way Dean has.
He’s under my skin, and I would miss him if he wasn’t there anymore.
And I want him to feel the same way. I want him to be lying in his bed right now, thinking about me the way I’m thinking about him. I want to crack his code enough to remove the sadness in his eyes. I want to make his life better.
I want to understand what it is about him specifically, and no-one else, that’s changed my outlook and my desires so profoundly. Because it’s magic and confusing and fascinating and wonderful.
CHAPTER NINE
Liaden
“Heyyyyy, Liaden!” As I walk through the doors of Wishbone Tattoos, Leo greets me as familiarly as if I was family.What it is to belong after a lifetime out of step. He grins at the pretty brunette he’s herding out the door as she gazes up at him adoringly. “See you later, Gillian, and remember what I told you about Cam’s birthday. Valkyrie Lingerie on Jubilee Street.” She nods raptly. “When you get to the checkout, give them the discount code LEOSENTME10, and you’ll get ten percent off. You are going torocka corset, gorgeous, and Cam is a lucky bastard who’s gonna lose his shit when he sees you.” After such lavish praise, delivered with such sincerity that she has a spring in her step as she leaves, Leo's attention returns to me. “Welcome to your free appointment, Rizzo,” he says, holding up his palm for me to high five, which I do reflexively. Emily is busy on the phone.
“Rizzo?” I don’t get the reference.
“As in the Pink Lady, not as in The Rat,” he grins, gently tugging on a strand of my hair. “Though you’re probably more Frenchie, given the pink hair.”
“Oh…Grease, right? I’ve never actually seen it, but I’ve sung some of the songs before.”
His eyes widen as he leans forward, hands in his pockets. “You’veneverseen Grease?”
“It was on my parents’ ‘no’ list when I was a child, because of the anti-feminist content, and then I never got around to watching it once I could choose my own entertainment.” I shrug. When it became apparent that I had a higher than normal IQ, my parents became very mindful of what media I was exposed to, andGreasedidn’t make the cut.
His nose wrinkles. “Yeah, the ending never sat that well with me. But I won’t spoil it for you. And the songs areso very singalongable. Which is now a word.”
I laugh. “I’ll send you a link to the Oxford English Dictionary submission form.”
“There’s a submission form for that?” He smirks and rubs his hands together. “Oh, this could take a while. Shakespeare made, what, a quarter of the English language? I can beat that.”
Emily ends the call. “Hey,” she says to me brightly. She turns to Leo. “All booked. The upstairs table is ours.”
“Epic. Thanks, Embo.” He hugs her with one arm from behind. “Ever been to Madruga’s?” he asks me.
“Madruga’s…” I pause. “Brazilian barbecue. Yes, it’s amazing.”
“We’re taking Dean’s mum and dad there when they visit soon. You should come, too - ow!” He quickly disguises the hoarse noise as a cough, but IsawEmily elbow him in the ribs, so I’m not sure why he bothered.
I smile. “Well, if Dean invites me, then sure. But that’s for him to decide.” Emily gives me a slow, approving grin.
“Fair enough.” He nods towards the corridor. “Speaking of, he’s all ready and waiting in there.” He raises an eyebrow at me. “Have fun, and be good.”
“Oh, I will,” I reply, matching my playful tone to his. Why be coy, after all? He knows. And there’s a strange smile on his face as he sings quietly. “Tell me more, tell me more…”
I push the door open with one finger, and Dean is indeed ready for me, wearing a big smile that sets my skin to tingling. He brushes his jeans and fidgets with his pockets, but seems happy to see me, almost…expectant.
“Hello,” I say curiously, “what’s going on?”
He reaches to the table behind him and produces a single cupcake on a plain white side plate, with a massive swirl of pink and white icing and a single freshly lit pink candle placed carefully in the middle.HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIADENis spelled out in front of it along the edge of the plate in those chalky alphabet candies I used to like when I was a child. I’d see how long a word I could create from the selection in the bag. Even my sweets were educational tools.
I stare. “How did you - ”
He hands me his tablet, explanatory text already typed out in anticipation of my question.
