Let me love you. ✔

25 Crash, Boom, Bang.

I'm praying that the warm water and the lavender scent will soothe me enough for a few hours of sleep. It has to because I'm out of ideas.

I go check on the bathtub when the doorbell rings. Who could that be? Jaimy and Hannah went to the movies and, Matt is, well where he is doing what he is doing.

Choosing to ignore it, I start to undress. The doorbell gets pressed again in an inpatient way.

Dammit.

I put my shorts and racerback top back on. Halfway down the stairs, I have a little hope it's, Matt. That he changed his mind and took the plane anyway.

I rush down impatiently, run through the living room and hallway, opening the door with my heart slamming against my chest.

"D... Dallas?" I stammer, and very aware of the lack of clothes on my body. No bra, no panties. Only shorts and a top covering my private parts.

A small breeze blows against me, covering my skin with goosebumps and I feel my nipples harden against my top. Dallas's eyes are locked on mine, but I'm convinced he saw my skin react. Wrapping my arms around me, I try to cover myself a bit.

"What brings you here, Dallas?" I ask, genuinely wondering why he is here.

He takes his hands from behind his back, holding up my favorite ice cream and a six-pack of beer, and smiles, "Thought you could use some company."

Oh, man! I can't send him packing, right?

Bey lavender bath, I wish you a lovely flush through the drain. Bring joy and freshness in the sewer for me, will you?

Stepping aside, I let him in. "You know the way. Make yourself comfortable, I'll be back in five minutes."

Dallas disappears into the kitchen and I run upstairs to put on underwear, a large sweater, and shorts. He is sitting on the couch when I return downstairs, scrolling through Netflix.

"How are you holding up, Angel?" His eyes stay fixated on the screen but the way he asked me makes me uneasy. All I wanted was an evening to myself, to try to fix this mess I call my brain.

"I'm good, Dallas. I promise." such a blatant lie.

Shifting his body, he penetrates his chocolate-colored eyes into mine. "You sure? You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Uncomfortable with his piercing eyes, I change the subject. "Which movie you have in mind?"

He stares at me for a moment, probably contemplating whether to leave it or plead with me to spill my guts.

I feel my body relax, glad he decides not to push it when he says with his signature grin, "You still owe me that horror to show you I'm tougher than you."

A snort escapes me. "Okay, you pick the one you want while I'm gonna get us some chips and beer."

He makes a yes-mam wave with his hand, informing me that he put everything in the freezer because he didn't fancy a lukewarm beer.

I grab an oven dish, throw in some tortilla chips, and cover it with chili sauce and cheese with Dallas summing up the movie's behind me in the living room.

"Halloween?"

"Just saw it."

"What about, Heredity?"

"Not scary."

"Okay, a Final destination marathon?"

"Come on, Dallas." I snort. "You're not even trying to scare me, are you?"