Cupid Falling

Chapter 7: Friday Night

I laugh. "I know, right? Isn't it weird how we have all these movies at our fingertips, and we still can't find anything to watch?"

"First world problems." He's smiling, and I really wish I didn't look like a half-drowned rat right now. Though, he did still invite me over... So maybe he likes half-drowned rats?

"Just let me find some socks." I turn around to scan my apartment for said clothing item. I know I put some out earlier, but Steve likes to steal them. Unsurprisingly, I find them in his favorite spot on the couch. Pulling them on, I ignore that they too are covered in cat hair. I love cats, but the cat hair drives me up the walls. But eventually, you just have to admit defeat and accept that you'll never own clothes without cat hair on them again.

Eros has patiently waited for me in the hallway, and as I lock my door behind me, he opens his and we go inside. I try not to laugh when I see the striking difference from the last time I came here. The sterile serial killer vibe is gone, and instead, there's evidence of bunnies being in residence pretty much everywhere. There are even some gnaw marks on one leg of his coffee table.

"Oh, did you pick up the new bunny this week?"

"I did, and as you can see, the two of them are now in full control of my apartment. It's basically a hostage situation where I am their captive, only no one will pay my ransom and this is my life now."

I laugh at his disgruntled tone, but even through the complaining, I can hear a warm affection for the tiny miscreants. Maybe someone should have warned him about the sheer destruction bunnies can cause before he got some. But who can say no to these fluffy faces?

"How is the bonding going? Is it a good match?"

"What?" He's staring at me as if I'm speaking an unfamiliar language.

"Are they getting along?" I clarify.

"Oh, yeah. Uh, sometimes. Leonard will accept Brian to a certain extent, but she will quickly let him know when she finds him too much. Which is probably more often than not."

"Brian?" I can't help but smile at his choice of name.

He shrugs. "It felt fitting with Leonard. I considered giving him a feminine name to match my previous mistake, but decided against it."

"Might be best. His fragile male ego might not have handled it well." When he turns his head to give me an amused look, I flash him a grin. "Anyway, where are they?"

"They're in time-out in separate rooms after Leonard thought it was a good idea to smother Brian with her body." He rolls his eyes as he walks over and opens a door to what I use as my office in my mirrored apartment, then opens the second door, which would be the bedroom in mine. A few moments later, Leonard comes out of one room, clearly the one considering themselves in charge. When there's no sign of Brian, Eros disappears into the other room, coming back out again carrying a beautiful amber Mini Rex and hands it to me. Then he scoops up Leonard.

"I swear she gets jealous if I give the other bunny too much attention," he says and I nod, transfixed by his long, lean fingers stroking the animal. I can think of something else he could stroke like that. Wait. What?

I clear my throat, wondering if I need some bleach to scrub my thoughts. "She might just prefer you to the other bunny for now. It will get better as they get bonded. You might want to try putting them in forced close proximity now and then. With supervision, of course."

"Like shutting them in a room together?" He looks amused by this idea.

"Maybe smaller. Like a wash basket, or you can set up a makeshift pen using cardboard boxes."

"I might try that." He smiles at me again, and I almost wish he would stop because it does something to my insides. I can't remember reacting like this to any other man before. But then, I rarely run into men quite this handsome.

"So, which movie are we watching?" I ask, realizing I never did. What if he's picked up a truly awful one? I liked the idea of hanging out with him so much I accepted the invitation without even considering what we might watch. And will there be food? My stomach chooses that moment to let out a low rumble, reminding me I haven't had dinner yet. I came home from work and threw myself straight in the shower, and now I'm starving.

"I wasn't sure what to get," he admits. "So I randomly picked one called The Meg."

I try not to laugh. That might be the least romantic movie ever. Not true, Saw would be worse. "Oh, really? I've heard it's pretty terrible."

He makes a face. "I like sharks. Sorry, we can watch another one if you prefer?"

"No, it's all right! I haven't actually seen it. Could be fun!"

My stomach makes itself known again with a particularly loud growl, like its trying to wrench itself free of my body and make a run for it to get that food I'm not feeding it. I must be the worst date ever. If this is even a date. I'm never sure with Eros. I thought our bunny shopping slash ice skating was a date, but he didn't make a single move the whole time. Not even a quick peck on my cheek at the end. Maybe he really just wants a friend. I can do that. I can be his friend. His friend that has very inappropriate thoughts about him from time to time.

"Would you like something to eat?" He looks amused rather than disgusted by my rumbling tummy, so that's positive.

"Ohmygodyesplease!" It comes out as a rush of air, and I slap a hand over my mouth, horrified by my desperation.

Laughing, he puts the bunny down and picks up a couple of menus from some local delivery places, handing them to me. "Here, choose. If you don't eat, I'm not sure we'll be able to hear the movie."

I make a face at him as I grab the menus and flick through them, choosing the Italian around the corner. "This one. Pizza, please. Any pizza. And no, I will not share, their pizzas aren't big enough."

He raises a perfect, dark eyebrow at my greediness. "What size pizza would you consider large enough to share?"

"I don't know... Like a thirteen-fourteen inch one?"

"A woman with a healthy appetite."

"Yeah, don't come between me and my pizza. It would not end well."

Still smiling, he calls the pizza place and orders two pizzas. I hope they're quick. I'm not sure I can last much longer. Maybe the terrible movie will distract me. I put Brian down and follow Eros to the white couch. For a moment I doubt myself, wondering if I should choose the armchair if this isn't actually a date, but he pats the seat next to him and I sit down.

"Let's see how bad this movie is then."