Kit’s jaw tensed. “I do.”
“Kit, I’m not bothered.”
“They’re not eventryingto be subtle.”
“I don’t think that’s the aim.”
Kit’s gaze flitted to Quin for a second before focusing back on the group of women. “Stay here,” Kit said, then strode towards them. Quin couldn’t have stopped him if he’d tried. But he also didn’t heed Kit’s instruction, following alongside him instead.
The women appeared excited at Quin’s approach until they noticed Kit. Whatever they saw on his face, it had them sobering up.
“Don’t look at him,” Kit said. “Say nothing about him or to him. In fact, forget he exists.” The women’s expressions grew vacant.
“Sorry,” Quin said to the women, but their gazes slid over him like he wasn’t even there. He looked at Kit, who was exuding smugness as he strode towards the screen entrance. Quin hurried after him, his longer legs eating up the distance between them. “Did you just…?”
“Compel them to forget about your existence so that they’ll never bother you again? Yes. I didn’t like what they were saying.”
“That’s—” Quin broke off. He didn’t even know how to finish his sentence.
Kit quirked a brow at him. “Horrifying? Overbearing? Manipulative?”
“Kinda sweet.”
Kit gave him a disgusted look. “Stop paying me compliments.”
“Never,” Quin vowed.
There was a flurry of movement as the doors to the screening room opened, the other patrons scurrying in to get to their seats. Quin collected the tickets, and then he and Kit walked in side by side. The room was small, but the screen was of a decent size.
“Back, middle, or front?” he asked Kit.
“Back, obviously.”
The teenage group had parked themselves in the back row, so they took the one in front of them.
“If they speak through the films, I’ll compel them to shut up,” Kit whispered, leaning so close that his lips tickled Quin’s ear.
“How handy,” Quin said, watching as the tipsy women filed into the room, taking the row of seats closer to the front. “You know, I’m pretty sure one of those women works the till at my local Co-op,” he said. “It’s going to make doing my weekly shopping difficult if she no longer acknowledges my existence.”
Kit grimaced. “Okay, so maybe it was a bit of an overreaction. I just don’t like the idea of anyone else thinking they have a shot at you.”
“Believe me when I say that nobody other than you comes close to having a shot with me.”
Their gazes caught, Kit looking at him like he’d said something profound. Kit didn’t respond, but Quin read a million questions in his eyes.
“Kit, I’m in,” he said. “For everything. I’d prefer there to be no more attempts on my life, but I’ll take that if it means getting to be with you.”
The screen burst to life, cutting off Kit’s chance to respond. Quin reached over and offered his hand to Kit. However, it wasn’t only their hands that slotted into place when Kit’s hand took Quin’s; it was everything. Nothing in Quin’s life made moresense than being with Kit. Quin had come to the coast to find himself, and instead had found what he needed in a prickly little vampire with pouty lips, who went toe-to-toe with their enemies without hesitation.
And when Kit smiled over at him in the darkness, a hint of fang peeking out, Quin knew for certain that this was it for him.
They watched the films in relative silence, Kit keeping his hand in Quin’s the entire time. Quin had only seenThe Lost Boysonce before and remembered little, so he enjoyed reliving the eighties’ campness. He’d seen the more recent remake ofFright Night, but the original had practical effects that reminded Quin of the movies he’d seen as a kid. Most importantly, Kit seemed to have fun. He laughed at some parts that nobody else did—mainly the gory bits—but Quin couldn’t blame him for that. If anyone was going to laugh at a guy’s skin melting off his body, it would be Kit.
It was late by the time both films were over, but Quin wasn’t tired. Spending the night so close to Kit and yet not being able to do more than hold his hand had him longing for more. He looked up as they left, the sky so clear that it would have taken an eternity to count each star.
Kit followed Quin’s gaze, mouth spreading into a smile. “Pretty,” he said.
Quin lifted Kit’s hand to his lips and pressed a chaste kiss to the centre of his palm. “It is.”
