“Hey, Zig.”
“You busy?” he asks.
I should be, but with how I’ve been working today, I think I’ve caused more issues than I’ve fixed. “Not really.”
“I …” His eyes cut away while he swallows, and then he meets mine again with determination. “W-will I see you tonight?”
Hope strangles me. “Do you want to?”
He quickly nods, and the relief I’m hit with makes me feel like I might float away. This is what I was waiting for. I’m letting him lead. Letting him decide when he wants me around. “Then yeah, of course.” I try not to sound too eager, but I don’t know if I pull it off. “At your place?”
Sure.
“Cool.” I go on grinning because my face doesn’t want to do anything else. I’m mesmerized by him. That sweet, angular face, his abnormally large brown eyes, the thick hair, and the guardedness he only ever lets slip around me. Hart’s rules can go fuck themselves for a second because I can’t resist cupping his chin and brushing a soft kiss over his lips.
Ziggy pulls back, cheeks red, tongue piercing tapping against his teeth. He checks behind himself like he’s worried we’re being watched.
“Ah, don’t worry about my brothers. They already know we’re together.”
His eyes fly wide.
“Ah … I mean … is that okay?”
Ziggy does nothing but blink at me, but I haven’t yet figured out what a whole lot of blinking means. Is he mad? Upset? Surprised?
“Blink three times if it’s okay and you don’t hate me.”
Unfortunately, that makes him stop blinking at all.
Then, a laugh hiccups from him.
“I don’t know how to translate that.”
“It’s okay.” He steps forward, taking my hand and wrapping his fingers through mine. “Explains why they were staring.”
“Staring? I’m going to kill them.”
He’s not exactly smiling, but his eyes are happy when they meet mine.
“You can’t blame me,” I point out. “You’re hot. I had to make sure neither of them started getting ideas.”
His lips purse tighter, and I can read him this time.Yeah, right.
“Don’t argue with me. You’re a catch, and I won’t hear another argument against it. Got it?” I cup my ear, but I’m too fast for him, even if he wanted to argue. “Got it. We’re agreed. Good. Now, where are you taking me tonight? If it’s not a five-course meal with fireworks after dessert, I’m not interested.”
Doubt clouds his eyes, but I don’t let him get away.
“I’m kidding. If you’re there, I’ll be happy.”
I could say so, so much more than that, but I force myself to stop. I’m being cool. Collected. Nothing to see here.
His brow crumples, and he grabs my other hand, turning it to see my bandaged thumb.
“Hazards of replaying our memories from the other night,” I say, just to see him blush. Then I tap the Band-Aids around his fingers. “Looks like you had the same problem.”
He pulls his hands back and tucks them behind him. “Tonight?”
“I’ll be there.”
