New Romantics

Chapter 14

I thought about the book he caught me devouring the other day. Every time I went back to the second floor of Paperbound and tried to finish it, my mind went to other places. I knew I shouldn't go to those places—but then again, why not?

I would show Leo the romantics.

Leo said he'd try to bring me back to earth. But it seemed that ever since our encounter on the balancing, he was making my head swim in the clouds.

Tugging on my bottom lip with my teeth, I jerked my chin at the door. "Point taken. Now let's go. I am starving."

"As you wish."

Dani and Sasha were arranging the last of the food on the coffee table when we stepped outside. Sasha, a coconut shrimp in hand, tossed a few more blankets on the loveseat. "I think that should be enough—" she turned, popping the shrimp in her mouth, and froze, "—oh." The shrimp dropped out of her mouth. "Oh."

This time, I glared daggers. Stop being so obvious!

Sasha smirked, and then fluttered her eyelashes with pure innocence, and I buried my face into Leo's shoulder, embarrassed—and then abruptly pulled away, completely embarrassed all over again. His deep chuckle reverberated through his chest and into mine. A cold sweat swept over my skin when he gently placed me onto the couch in front of the gorgeous spread of Thai food.

"Thank you," I said to my two wonderful roommates. "Now, I'd like to apologize for my lack of manners tonight."

"Never apologize!" Dani chirped.

"You aren't sitting on the couch?" I asked when she settled on a mess of blankets on the floor, her back against the L-shaped couch next to the coffee table. Sasha was already piling her plate with food and settled on the opposite side of the living room on the loveseat.

"There's not enough space for all of us," she explained. "You and Leo get... comfy."

We were going to have a house meeting about the importance of subtly. Dani's eyes twinkled and I scooted closer to Leo on the couch. His sidelong glance was sparkly and knowing, and I eased into the cushions with my fresh plate, the sweet and spicy aroma making my mouth water.

The movie burst to life in a nostalgic chorus of romantic strings and orchestral whimsy, the bright colors and soft notes of magic warming my heart, as Sophie bumbled around the hat shop. It was like returning to the house you grew up in. Somewhere over the years, a bittersweet note twisted within its frames, and I found myself shifting in my seat, unsettled.

"You okay?" Leo asked just as the Witch of the Waste strolled into the hat shop. His hand rested beside mine again, and I fought the urge to grab it.

"I think so." It came out more of a question than a response. "I think I just ate too fast. Heartburn, you know?"

He nodded. "So Calcifer just hangs out in the hearth?" he asked.

"Well he has to," I explained under my breath. "He powers the whole moving castle. He's a fire demon. He's so tiny." His lips quirked at the way I cooed tiny and I scooted closer, this time intentional with each movement.

"He's a demon. Why would he just hang out in a castle and make breakfast?"

Was he not paying attention? "He's not just a demon! He's—" I choked on my words. No spoilers! "Important! And more than just a glorified water heater."

"Glorified water heater? Brutal, Aria."

"I figured you'd have a sarcastic quip next. So I beat you to it."