“Me too,” Rune whispered. “But not always in a good way.”
“But that's the great thing about immortality,” I said. “Time makes everything insignificant. This too will pass.”
His stare softened as he said, “Not everything.”
After a pause that I used to collect myself, I said, “You know, I wouldn't have slept with you on our first date if I thought there was a chance for a relationship.”
“You're not that kind of girl?” Rune smirked.
“Something like that.”
“Well, I'm totally that kind of guy.”
I snorted and smacked his arm.
“Stop hitting me, woman!” he declared. “You're so violent!”
“Oh, do my little smacks hurt the big bad hound?”
Rune grinned. “Maybe. I think you need to kiss it better.”
“Kiss what better?” I countered.
“Damn. Now I wish you had hit me in the—”
“Don't say it!” I pointed at him with my spoon.
“Mouth,” he finished with a smirk. “What did you think I was going to say?”
“Uh-huh.” I grimaced at him. “I don't believe for one second that you were going to say mouth.”
“Because I'm a big bad hound dog?”
“Yup.”
“Hey, do you have a/c in your apartment?”
“Of course. Why?”
“Because this hound wants to do things to you that will be very uncomfortable in this weather. Hot things.”
“Hot things, eh?” I lifted a brow. “But what if I want to slow things down now that there might be more for us?”
Rune's face twitched into something goofy, but then his expression hardened. “Lora, I don't—”
“Right,” I cut him off. “You came back to play with me a little longer, but that doesn't mean you want anything lasting.”
“I don't want to want anything lasting,” Rune said. “But I want you too much to just walk away without making more memories.”
“I see,” I whispered.
He sighed. “I get it if you don't want more meaningless sex.”
“If it was so meaningless, what are you doing here, Rune?”
Rune looked down into his lap. His throat worked. His jaw clenched. “I don't know,” he finally said. “I don't fucking know what I'm doing.”
Then his phone rang, and he cursed violently.
