Touch Me

Under My Skin

"Babe?" He panted, running his fingers through my hair.

"Yeah?"

"You are...so pretty.."

"You're prettier." I smiled, turning to him

"No way."

"...Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah?"

"What's on your leg? Really..?"

"It's nothing."

"It's something."

"Baby, it's nothing."

"Is it a hickey?"

"No. it's not even purple, it's red."

"Hickeys can be red.. What is it?"

"It's not a hickey."

"I know it's not. What is it?"

"It's nothing!"

"Can I see it?"

"No."

"..Kevin what is it, you're frightening me."

"I swear, it's nothing, Connor."

"..I don't believe you."

"McKinley, I'm grateful you care so much, but just stop worrying your pretty little heart for one second. I'm fine. It's nothing."

"If it's nothing why won't you tell me what it is?"

Our argument wasn't heated. Far from it, actually. We were still cuddling, just, now I was essentially interrogating him on the red mark on his thigh. I could hardly see it, it was hidden by his boxers, but it was there, and what I saw looked intensely red. Not just a mosquito bite or something. More like he had jabbed a bendy straw into his leg. Well, something like that.

"I need a cigarette.." he huffed "I'll be right back."

"Have it in here."

"You're sure?" He asked, reaching to the bedside table for his cigarettes and lighter.

"Yes. I want to talk."

"About?" He raised an eyebrow, lighting the silent killer and taking a deep inhale as if it were fresh oxygen he hadn't had in weeks, his eyes shutting.

"Why are you being so secretive?"

"What? I'm not."

"You won't tell me what happened to your leg!" At this point, I was getting worked up with worry.

"Connor, hey, take a breath. When I was outside earlier, I fell on a stick. I guess it poked me harder than I thought. It was a stick. That's why I said it was nothing. Because it was."

"...Okay. Sorry. I just worry about you. I really love you, ya know."

"I love you too. But it's nothing to worry about."

It honestly looked more like a burn than anything else, but I couldn't accuse him of lying to me. Instead, I chose to believe him, giving him the benefit of the doubt that he was telling me the truth.