I hesitate before I press send, wondering if that sounds too not-casual. But at the same time, I really want to see him and smooth over any lingering tension. After overthinking it for a full two minutes, I decide to go for it, then hold my breath until he replies.
Eros415: Can’t. I’m busy tonight.
He sends me a selfie in the Ghostface mask, reading a very familiar copy of Pride and Prejudice. When I glance at the missing space on my bookshelf, I gasp.
BiteSizedGabi: You stole my book?
Eros415: Stole implies permanence. I’ll return it once I figure out what’s so great about this Mr. Darcy character you’re obsessed with.
BiteSizedGabi: I’m not obsessed.
Eros415: You have five copies.
Okay, well, I can’t argue that.
BiteSizedGabi: Are you really going to stay home and read?
Eros415: Missing me already?
I stare at those words, trying to identify if that’s what this feeling is. But the longer I think about it, the more confused I get.
BiteSizedGabi: I’m just surprised you’d rather have a night in with Mr. Darcy than me.
Eros415: Show me what we’d do if I were there right now.
A warm flush spreads over me as I consider it. We haven’t played this game in a while. The send-each-other-spicy-GIFs game. I type a few keywords in the search box and scroll until I find one that I’ve been thinking about for a while. It’s a clip of a masked man taking a woman from behind while he snaps a picture. I was inspired by the selfie Eros left on my phone.
When he receives the message, he starts typing, then pauses several times before finally sending a response.
Eros415: Is that an invitation?
BiteSizedGabi: Yes.
Eros415: Maybe if you’re a good girl this week.
BiteSizedGabi: You’re really not coming over?
Eros415: Show me what I’m missing.
BiteSizedGabi: What do you mean?
Eros415: OOTD.
BiteSizedGabi: Have you been stalking my Instagram, too?
Eros415: I’m waiting…
I roll over onto my back and hold the phone up, angling it to get a shot of my outfit. Today I’m wearing a pink plaid mini dress with a cropped knit cardigan, white tights, and sneakers. I snap the pic and send it to him.
Eros415: You’re a walking distraction.
BiteSizedGabi: I’m not sure if that’s a good thing? Btw, you never sent me a GIF.
A minute passes before he replies, attaching a GIF of a masked man chasing a woman through the forest until he captures her.
Eros415: This what you want, little shark?
A shiver coasts down my spine as I watch it again. He couldn’t have chosen a better depiction of what I’d described when I told him all the things I want to try.
