He goes rigid. “I don’t kill for fun.”
“Oh, right.” I exhale. “Stupid.”
“No!” He lifts my chin, so our eyes meet. “You’re notstupid. I don’t expect you to understand how it feels to do what I do. I don’t want you to have anything to do with my…job.”
Nodding, I say, “Do you ever feel bad?”
Redness tints his high cheekbones, and he scrubs a hand down the back of his neck. “It’s getting late. Let’s call it a night,” he says quietly, holding out the empty tray.
“Oh. Um. Okay.” I take it. “Let me bring it inside.”
“I can carry it in for you.”
“No.” I clutch it to my chest, the tight grip letting me feel something other than guilty. “I’ve got it.”
A silence swells between us. My heart is trying to break out of my rib cage.
“Rhys?” My voice goes small.
“Aye?”
“Do you want to kiss me?”
He gazes into my eyes.
“Aye,” he repeats, voice low and throaty this time. “I would very much like to kiss you. Go put that thing away.”
“Right. Don’t go anywhere,” I sing-song and dart into my apartment.
I set the tray on the kitchen counter and stare at my plants, all craning their leaves toward me.
‘How was it?’Ivy says, her vines knotted together like a bestie would fold her hands under a chin.
‘Can you talk in the living room or build me a hook in the kitchen?’Fern croaks from her swing.
‘Did he go home with someone else?’Basil grumps from his pot.
“No. He didn’t go home with someone else,” I scoff and give him a bratty flick on one leaf.
‘Ouch,’he exaggerates.
“I’ll tell you all everything in a minute,” I coo. “Rhys is finally going to kiss me.”
Ivy lets out a hoot. Fern’s hanging plant hits the ceiling as she swings with delight.
I creep back out into the hall and light up that Rhys is still there. “You waited.”
“Of course I did.” He acts like he hasn’t breathed since I left.
I close the door behind me and lean back against it. “Of course you did.”
He steps closer.
Then closer.
“Your voice, Fal…” His hand cups my cheek, thumb brushing the corner of my mouth, and the earth stops spinning. “It drives me fucking nuts.”
Then he kisses me.
