Chapter 31
From the moment we landed up here, I was full of fear and excitement. I was also completely in awe. So much so that I didn't take note of what exactly this grated walk-way was built around.
The way to get up here without having the help of a fallen angel was through the top room of the lighthouse. Which was a round room made up of mostly glass panels. Peter actually guided me to the door of the round room and we headed inside. Honestly, it was unlike anything I've seen before. Never been to a lighthouse, let alone been inside at the top of one!
A huge light, one even bigger than us, was in the middle of the room, taking up most of the space. In the back corner was some tools, a broom, and a narrow opening in the floor, leading below to the rest of the lighthouse. All of which appeared untouched for who knows how long. The glass was dotted with dried mist and water; there was dust covering everything. If the exterior didn't scream this place was deserted, the inside did.
"I wonder how long this has been abandoned for," I whispered, slowly wandering around the room. The brick wall ended at my waist where the dirty glass started, allowing me to peer through to the surrounding view and orange sky.
"It's been decommissioned since the 80s. A newer lighthouse was built further up the coast, replacing this one," he said, standing off to the side.
"Oh. Gotcha. Makes sense that you wouldn't take me to the newer, safer, and more secure one," I mumbled. Then, an idea hit me when I passed by the broom. Stifling a smile, I took it and turned towards him. "This broom is coming with us."
"Why?"
"Think about it. What would someone think if they spot us in flying the sky?"
"Well, they'd probably be a little surprised."
"Right, because there is no explanation," I smirked, tapping the broom bristles against the creaky floor as I wandered over to him. "Your wings are invisible, so it literally looks like two people randomly zipping through the sky. But if you have a broom between your legs, that explains how it's possible. They'll just be like 'oh, it's a witch, no big deal.'"
Searching my eyes, he fought a smile. "That is the dumbest shit I've heard in a while."
"Too bad. We're taking this broom with us," I said, loving my stupid and funny idea.
He cocked a brow. "You know, just because you always need to be straddling something... doesn't mean I have to."
"Oh my god, shut up," I exclaimed with a laugh, slapping his shoulder. This man sure was a natural when it came to giving me shit and teasing me. Sure, I wasn't as smooth with my comebacks, but they were natural to throw back. "You're just nervous because you've probably had nothing happen below your belt in forever, but don't worry. You can't disappoint a broom. Not too much anyway."
Crossing his arms, he nodded to the large square opening in the floor a few feet away. "You want to talk smack, miss 'I'm such a badass' huh? Start climbing."
I scoffed. The top of a ladder rested against the opening cut in the dusty floor, reaching a few yards down to the landing of a huge spiral staircase. By the way, the ladder was wooden, small, and who knew how old. Yeah, no fucking thank you.
"You go first, then I'll think about it," I finally said.
"No, I might get hurt," he said in an obvious manner.
"That's why you should definitely go first," I teased, glancing through the grimy glass towards the gorgeous ocean. "Besides. I don't have time to nearly kill myself. You see, I have a date with the sunset."
"Ah. That's right. Well, we can't have you miss that," he said warmly.
"Exactly."
Biting my lip, I tried ignoring the light exchange. Dare I say flirty exchange. Looking away to hide my blush, I stepped past him to the door. I needed to calm my fluttery antsy heart. Just because I wasn't used to this side of him didn't mean I should allow myself to be swept away by it. I had a feeling he was taken aback by that strange and different air as well. He wouldn't meet my eyes for a solid few minutes after that.
After a few seemingly awkward moments, we walked back out of the side door to the cool breeze. You better believe I took the broom too. The sun was lower, illuminating the clouds with deeper shades of orange and pink. I wanted the best seat possible for the sunset, but I slowed down to get there. My cautious feet made him snicker, but you can't blame me. Even without a fear of heights, no sane person would want to walk on this eroding walk-way of doom.
Once we were overlooking the cliff and ocean again, we set aside the broom, sat down, and rested against the brick lower half of the glass room. Beyond our outstretched legs and railing, we soaked in the peaceful view. I could finally relax – and focus on the guy who sat a couple feet to my left.
I couldn't get over this. I couldn't believe we were even here. That he flew me here. That we were watching this gorgeous sunset. More than anything, I couldn't believe this was because of Peter. That's what floored me. For how usual this was, how unexpected, from a man like him... I had a feeling there was a lot behind his intentions. Regardless, this destination showed how thoughtful those intentions were. It was peaceful, just sitting and taking in the sunset. Hell, this was even better than some pictures from my dream board too. Nobody probably had a view like this.
"Do you fly to places like this all the time?" I asked, glancing over to him.
Taking in the view, he spoke after a thoughtful moment. "Not really. I'm usually too busy to be sight-seeing."
"Well, when aren't too busy, do you have any favorite spots? Like this lighthouse?"
"Oh, this place is nothing compared to others," he scoffed. "Believe it or not, I was just being mindful of your fears by coming here. There are higher and better spots I could have shown you. So yes, I do have my preferred places."
"Like where?"
"Well, I can't tell you that." He offered a teasing smile. "Those are classified locations. Reserved for frequent flyers who aren't afraid of heights."
Smirking, I hummed a humorous note. "Oh, I see. Well, first of all, I don't know where in the world you are getting this idea that I'm scared of heights," I chuckled. "Second: who is part of the frequent flyers club? Just you I'm assuming?"
"For now. You can be upgraded once you grow a set of balls."
Beyond the teasing, it made sense he was the only one in the club. Who else would he be offering 'flights' to? Humans can't know about this. And I can't imagine a reason he would take anyone sight-seeing anyway. That left me as the only one he could really do this with. It made me really wonder.... Maybe he wasn't just doing this for me. Anyway, I'm not going to lie. The fact that he implied we could do this again, that I could become a 'frequent flyer,' filled my chest with butterflies.
Leave it to him to insult me while making me feel all bubbly inside. "Well, I'll let you know when I grow a set. Then one of us will at least have a pair."
Pushing my hair back as it danced in the soft breeze, my mind continued to reel. Truly, just the idea of this was... captivating when you think about it. "You know, if I were you... I would never get tired of going places other people can't. To fly anywhere and everywhere. It would be so freeing." Then, at realizing something, I looked over and smacked his shoulder in excitement. "Damn! I didn't even think about it, but you could travel the world for free. You could be my free plane ticket to anywhere I want to go!"
"Free? No, you want me to haul you somewhere, I'm charging your ass," he snorted.
"I don't think so. You owe me, so I get free flights."
"Let me guess. I owe you because of your insurance?" he asked with a playful glare.
Chuckling, I nodded. "Look at you! Finally getting a clue."
"I sure didn't get it from you."
The clouds turned pinker, with dark purple outlines, the sun more orange as it lowered towards the ocean. It was beautiful. All of this was. While it was so easy to enjoy the view, I couldn't help but wonder again... why? That's what lingered in my mind this whole time. Why did he do all this for me? Hell, the guy even said he doesn't often make pit-stops for the sake of scenery. And it's not like this guy was the definition of sweet and charming. So why?
"Alright, time to fess up. Did you bring me here to scare me? Or because of the view?" I asked as nonchalantly as I could.
"Both," he said simply.
I didn't expect that. We were here because he wanted to be a prick and be sweet? I guess that contradicting answer wasn't too shocking. Peter was the type to get a rise out of you while doing something considerate. Which I found weirdly intriguing. "Well, jokes on you. When we were flying, I wasn't scared for a second."
"Really? If that's the case, we'll do a few spins and flips on the way back."
"Sounds great. And I definitely won't throw up all over you," I shot back with a smirk.
We were only scratching the surface. Silence settled in, letting the waves and birds fill the amused air. I knew it would be hard to crack the code to the more serious answers. I guess that would require asking him more forward questions. Because yes, I knew he got a kick out of my frightened reaction, but obviously, that and this view was not the full reason we both were sitting here.
Tucking my knees in, I shifted to face him more. I pursed my lips and studied him. "You brought me here to scare me and because of the view. But... I'm just confused. What caused all this? Why did you really bring me here?" Also, why the fuck were you being so open and nice?
One ankle crossed over his other, his thicker dirty blonde locks sifted in the air. He calmly watched the endless orange waves. I forced myself not to admire his shirtless torso, but his toned frame showed he was at ease. Yet... for being at ease, he refused to meet my eyes. Almost on purpose. Peter also hesitated to answer despite his relaxed demeanor. It's like he wanted nothing to do with my question. Or rather nothing to do with admitting what inspired this entire chain of events tonight.
"Your aura," he finally mumbled after a long moment. "Your colors dimmed and changed. That's why I wanted to know what's been going on with you. Your aura showed you're distressed and..." he struggled, discarding that last thought by rolling his eyes, as if annoyed by admitting that.
I understood why too. While his reason was a surprise, it was also satisfying. It gave credit to my theory revolving around the mysterious and cold man having a heart. Because if my aura changing is what spurred all this... then it sure sounded like someone was worried about me! I had to bite back a smile. I'd tease him later. I was more grateful and touched and... well truly surprised.
"My aura bothered you again? Because the colors changed again?"
"That's why I came into the restaurant and wanted to talk to you. You were stressed."
"Okay, but we didn't talk. You flew off with me. Against my will. How was that supposed to help?" I chuckled.
He smirked. "It gave you what you needed: a shock to the system. A thrill."
How in the world did I need that? That was somehow better than a nice friendly chat? I scoffed, cocking my head in surprise. "A thrill? Now, you're losing me."
"You needed something more than just a talk. You needed something exciting," he explained, finally turning his gaze, eyeing the edges of me. "The fact that your colors are now brighter prove you just needed a little fun and a good distraction."
Huh. When he explained it like that... it did make sense. My stressors had faded from the forefront of my mind. How couldn't they? Scooping me up and flying off like a bird kept my attention better than fucking scholarships and a bad shift at work. Even though it did scare me, it was exciting, and it was a huge distraction. So was being on top of a lighthouse and the beautiful view it offered.
"So... you did all this basically cheer me up?" I asked, laughing in surprise.
He cringed, as if he didn't want to admit that. "Yeah, it was bothering me. Like you so easily seem to do."
"That was quite a gamble, doing all this just to make me feel better." I couldn't help but laugh. I get his motive, but that would not have been my ideal choice to relieve stress. "What if I absolutely hated it? You could have made me feel worse instead of better!"
"I knew you would love it," he said with confidence.
"Well... what if I said I actually hated every second of it?"
"Your colors say different."
"My colors are liars," I obviously lied and chuckled, all while eyeing him with curiosity. "Anyway, I'm surprised you'd do that. You usually like when I'm frazzled and in distress."
He couldn't help but smirk. "Yes, if I'm the one causing it."
I suppose that's why he got a kick out of my flustered state while flying. Smiling, I rolled my eyes and studied him. Hands tucked into his pockets, his bare back was relaxed back against the building like me. Again, I had to force myself not to take in his chest and lean but toned frame (yes, it was an active effort I had to keep up with). But for how blank he appeared, I knew he was anything but blank.
"So. What's been going on?" he asked, eyes still not meeting mine.
He asked casually, but he seemed oddly genuinely curious. However, did he really want to hear all the mundane life details? I doubted it. "Um, well... what's going on is really nothing grand and over the moon. Nothing compared to what you've been through." I glanced to the beautiful shoreline. "Just life stuff, you know?"
Surprisingly, that didn't deter his interest. "Like what?"
"Well, I've been applying for scholarships nonstop these past few days. And working. It hasn't been that bad, but it's just a drag," I scoffed, shaking my head. "They aren't good distractions either for everything going on. Like Jamie. I hate that he's still gone. I hate thinking about what he might be going through. And then... then this stuff with my mom," I sighed, waving my hand. All of this sounded so mundane compared to his supernatural world and all the personal hardship he shared with me recently.
Yet, it caught his attention. Finally, he caved and looked over me. "What stuff?"
"Well, my mom had some bloodwork done and... it indicated she probably has some serious health problems. We don't know anything until she gets a bunch of scans done, but it's not going to be good. I mean, she is a heavy smoker, she has been hacking up a lung like crazy lately, and she is an alcoholic. She also hasn't gone to the doctor in ages until recently. Probably because she didn't want to know just how much damage she's done to herself. We'll finally be finding out soon though." I shook my head at the thought – and how easy it was just to rant on about her. "Honestly, she probably won't even care what the results are. As long as she can have fun, neglect her responsibilities, live in the moment, and not give a shit how any of it impacts the people around her."
"Hmm," he hummed in thought. "Your mom sounds like quite a character."
I took a deep breath. "She isn't that bad. I've just had to watch out for her – and deal with all her bullshit."
"You've just had to be the parent – and deal with still being the parent," he said, stressing his words with a slower voice. "And as the parent you never should have been... you don't need to make excuses for her childish behavior. It's okay for you to accept how fucked up it is." He pursed his lips, catching my eyes and holding onto them for a long second. "It's okay for you to say... she really is that bad."
Maybe this guy did have some kind of clue. I searched his inviting gaze, caught up in how appealing his take on it was. I suppose you don't live forever without having a high level of insight and wisdom. There were honestly quite a few comments he's made before that were eye-opening. This definitely qualified. Yes, I was aware I was more like the parent. But I never realized how deep those unhealthy roots seemed to run. Because he was right. No matter how frustrating she was... I always pulled card after card of excuses for her. Dude should have been a therapist for his cover story, not an architect, am I right?
"I never really thought of it that way," I mumbled. "But yeah. I was the parent a lot of the time and I do make excuses for it. But it's hard not to. I just see all the reasons she couldn't properly take care of me since she couldn't even take care of herself. Anyway, it doesn't change how much I love her and worry about her. I constantly worry about my grandma too."
"Did you take care of your grandma too?"
"Yeah, but in a more justified way. Being with her was more... peaceful," I said, twirling the ruby charm on my necklace. Looking down at it, I smiled. "She mailed this to me right when I moved here, and I haven't taken it off since."
"Maybe you should. It's quite gaudy," he snorted.
"You're quite gaudy," I mumbled (though I admit, the quarter-size ruby was not subtle).
"Anyway, for you to wear such an outdated necklace every single day... I imagine she's very special to you," he said more warmly.
"She is. She was the parent my mom should have been. Always encouraging and supportive. She's so witty and sweet. She is still all those things, just... now, she has dementia. And it's slowly getting worse." Meeting his eyes, I sighed, thinking of a recent example of it that still hurt. "You know, she didn't even remember that she sent me her necklace. That was just such a punch in the gut. I got it in the mail, called her to thank her, and she said she never sent it. Things like that just kill me. And it happens more and more every time we're on the phone. She'll repeat things we already talked about before, forget what she's doing...." I trailed off, taking a deep breath to calm my quick flash of anxiety. Swallowing, I spoke softer. "Nobody took care of her like I did. Nobody took care of me like she did either."
He just continued to watch me. I was surprised just how invested he seemed. How he was scanning my face with interest. "You must really miss her then."
"Yeah. I really do. We are just really close." It wasn't often I talked about this. I had to clear my hallow voice. "I didn't have an awful childhood; my mom really did try. But even sober, even at her best, she struggled. So, I happily spent a lot of time with my grandma. She is warm, someone you can actually talk to. That's why it's hard to watch her memory just... slip away."
He didn't say anything for a long moment. Looking back out to the ocean, he pursed his lips. "You didn't abandon anyone by moving here. You know that?"
I hummed in thought. He sure hit the nail on the head. "It feels like it sometimes."
"Of course it does. You've done nothing but give your time and energy to others. But remind yourself of why you moved here: to finally give that time and energy to the one person you always neglected. Yourself." Shifting to face me, he propped his hands behind him on the grate, crossing one leg over the other. "Your worries are valid. You have a big heart, but don't let it crush you or slow you down."
I nodded slowly, smiling with both warmth and amusement. It was a sweet reminder, but one that he continued to seemingly bring up a lot. That I needed to focus on myself, and live my short life to the fullest. You know, something that apparently didn't apply to this hypocrite (since he wouldn't take his own advice). Regardless, I couldn't help but blush, knowing his goal tonight was for me to have fun and forget my problems. It was so clear that he cared... and it was clear he couldn't hide it as well anymore.
Silence filled the air. We watched the sun continue to set. But with him only being a few feet apart, I couldn't help but notice more about him. Specifically, his eyes. The bright evening sun showed they were a deep chocolate, with hints of gold and amber. They were so pretty. Well, they were pretty when his asshole-ness didn't get in the way I suppose. And when my stomach didn't interrupt everything.
Yes, that's right. As the sun was dipping under the horizon, making the bright colors peak, my stomach started to growl. Loudly. Ugh, how embarrassing.
It earned me a glance. "Sounds like you're hungry."
"Well, I usually eat on my break," I said awkwardly.
"Say no more. I was getting bored anyway," he said, getting to his feet.
"What?" I asked, looking up at him confused. "What do you mean? Are we leaving?"
"Let's go," he nodded. "I'll take you to the most unimpressive taco joint in town."
Wait, what? I was so caught off guard. First, that me simply implying I was hungry put him into action. And that he would even be willing to take me somewhere to eat. Wait... did he say unimpressive? Before I could ask, the hasty man pulled me up as well.
"Wait, wait," I laughed, eyes wide. If we were leaving, that meant we were flying! Oh god, not again, not this soon. "I'm not ready. I have to mentally prepare for a sec!"
"Nope. Flight is about to take off."
"No, ass-wipe, wait a second, just wait," I laughed, heart racing, trying to step back. "Wait, just wait!"
"Fasten your seat-belt," Peter said, stepping closer.
"Wait! You need your broom first," I exclaimed, grabbing the dusty thing. "If people see us, they need to think we flew out of a Harry Potter book!"
He rolled his eyes. "We are not taking that broom."
***
We took the broom. Yes, I out stubborn-ed him. Since the man refused to put it between his legs, I held onto it after he lifted me bridal-style and took off. Which, yes, caused me to scream for my life once again. He threatened to chuck the broom through the sky, but thanks to my death-grip on the man, it was trapped safely between us. That's right. Suck it, Peter.
Flying was just as scary and exciting, but it didn't last nearly as long. After only a minute or two, and after my screams turned into just fast breathing, we landed. Blinking, looking around with wide eyes, we were in the shadows of the shops and boardwalk that fenced the marina and private bay. I was here before with Liz; we ate at a small pizza place when a certain someone interrupted us. Now, being night, it was so different. The only sound was the calm water and a few of the docked boats rocking gently. The strip of shops were closed for the night. Except for one place.
The last sign of life around here was our destination: a small taco place. The sky was darkening, and we just made it before closing. Oh, and because Mr. Wings didn't have a shirt, guess who had to go in and order for us both? That's right. Me. At least Peter gave me money for it. After I came out with the food, we claimed one of the three picnic tables.
Yes, could this night get any wackier?
15 minutes ago, we were at the top of a lighthouse, watching the sunset. Now, I was eating a taco, at the boardwalk, sitting across from a shirtless Peter who got a burrito. I could not get over the fact that he did all this. All because he apparently wanted to cheer me up. Why though? Why was he being so nice? Even more strange: it didn't feel forced either. Our talking, our banter, the openness felt natural and easy. That begged the question: was his usual cold and rude attitude... a front he put out on purpose?
Nothing changed about his food standards though, that was for sure. After my first bite into the soggy tortilla shell, I chuckled. "This taco is probably as old as you are."
"I told you this was the most unimpressive taco joint in town," he reminded me.
"Yet, if it was mid-day and we had other options, you'd probably still choose this place. You're that much of a sick freak," I teased.
"No, absolutely not. Even for me, this tastes mediocre." After a bite of his burrito, he threw up a playful brow. "This would only be my first choice if you're with me."
"Why?!" I laughed. "Oh. I get it. You wouldn't waste good money at a nice place on someone you can barely stand."
"True. But it's more about the fact that I just don't like to see you happy, you know?"
"Ahh, okay," I smiled widely. "So, you would bring me here purely to disappoint me. For a miserable ass like you, I guess that makes sense because you just love pissing people off."
"Only you, Josephine," he grinned warmly.
"Aww, really?" I gushed, flailing a dramatic hand over my heart. "I feel so flattered and special!"
"You should. Only certain people bother me as much as you do."
I loved how the sour words we usually exchanged were the same... but the tone made them suddenly playful and teasing. My heart fluttered from it and the warmth behind his eyes. This was just different. That's all I could think. This was so different coming from him.
"So, the real question is: why in the world do you have a car when you can fly?"
"Well, if you weren't aware, I do try and blend in with people," he said.
"I wasn't aware. You do a piss poor job at it," I snorted, taking another bite.
Taking another bite, his eyes grew. "How? I blend it wonderfully."
"Hmm. Remind me. How many times did I call you out and question you? Was suspicious of you?"
"Yeah, because most people aren't weirdos who have demons after them. Or an impenetrable mind that can't be wiped for whatever reason," he threw back defensively.
I was loving this. "Okay, fine. All that aside, to the plain-jane folks of the world, you still don't blend in well. First of all, you don't have a regular job. You don't age or get older – which must look suspicious if you're in the same place for a long time. You also fly around like it's the new and hip thing for young kids to do." Thinking over anything else, I smirked and added, "Oh. And you don't really have a life, you know?"
Leaning back, he dramatically dropped his burrito to the table. With a huge grin of amusement, he stifled a hearty laugh. "Wow. I don't have a life?"
"Nope."
"Who hasn't done one notable or fun thing this summer without being pushed to do it?"
"Um, for your information...." Damn. There was nothing I could retort. Matching his grin, I shook my head and laughed. "Fuck you."
"That's what I thought," he chuckled. "Anyway, I have my human-ways of transportation because I am a professional at blending in," he tossed back with lightness. "Because, believe it or not, I only fly when I need to be somewhere quick."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I drive almost everywhere; it's crucial to operate like everyone else."
"But driving must feel so inconvenient, right?" I asked more seriously. Beyond our fun banter, it was crazy to really think about. "If I were you, I would want to fly everywhere – as long as I'm not hauling a bunch of shit. Plus, you are so impatient," I chuckled. "It must kill you to drive instead of fly."
He nodded. "It's incredibly irritating when flying is much faster."
"That's probably why you are such a reckless and crazy driver," I realized.
"I'm not that crazy of a driver."
"Yeah, you are," I smirked. "But if I could fly a million miles per hour, I'd probably drive like a maniac too."
"You do drive like a maniac."
After taking a sip, he picked up the last of his burrito; he had maybe two bites of it left. Just as he lifted it towards his mouth, I snapped forward and smacked the last of it out of his hand! Beautiful execution – and beautiful landing! Don't blame me though. This rare and inviting energy called for me to do it! It flew towards the docks and water, falling apart in the process on the boardwalk. The darkening sky and dim light-post offered enough light to see the range of burrito debris. The sight of it, and his surprised face, made me crack up! The man should have expected it though! I showed him my unpredictable ways when I did the same thing with those gross pop-tarts.
Caught off guard, he scoffed. "I see. You don't just drive like a maniac. You are one."
"I'm sorry, my hand just seemed to slip," I shrugged, shaking my head with 'shock.'
Then, he snatched the rest of my taco and stuffed it into his mouth. "Sorry. My hand slipped too," he muffled with a teasing glare.
Wow. I got to admit, I liked his swift thinking. "Damn it. I was really enjoying that god-awful taco," I smiled, shoving my hand back in the take-out bag. "Good thing I got another one though."
"Well, if you don't want it, add it to the pile," he said, nodding to where the guts of his burrito laid a few feet away. "The wolves will have a little snack tonight. They tend to come out around this time."
"Wolves? Says the guy that likes to scare me."
"Yeah, they're all over."
I never thought about wolves being around here. I guess it would make sense though. But Peter trying to scare me also made sense. Regardless, he wouldn't get the satisfaction. I studied his neutral face while trying to mirror his. "Well, hopefully they enjoy their midnight snack." I shrugged, taking a bite of my taco. "If they show up while we're here, I have my deadly broom."
"Yes. Perfect defense weapon."
"But I'm not worried. And wolves don't scare me," I lied proudly.
"Just like heights or the ocean don't scare you, right?"
"That's right."
Then, after a few minutes and more bantering... sure enough: a howl echoed through the night air. It was far enough away, but enough to cause my body to grow stiff in place. Okay. I guess there are fucking wolves. Cool.
Leaning forward, he rested his chin against his propped hand. "Something wrong?"
I shook off my surprise. Biting my lip, I leaned forward. "Nothing at all."
"Did you know a wolf's sense of smell is about 100,000 times great than a humans?"
What a nice fun fact of the day. "If that's the case, this shit food should deter them."
Across the table, his eyes stayed in mine. And they were so... warm. Warm, amused, and admiring. I truly could not stress how different this was. How different he seemed. It was so simple and easy, getting swept away in the automatic playful banter we shared. It was like a gift. It wasn't even like he was a different person, he just... was in full bloom. Why though? Why now? Why had his walls been up in the first place? I wouldn't ask though. I didn't want to shatter this strange dream. Besides, it was easy – like the easiest thing in the world – to just keep falling into this dream with him.
Unlike how he seemed to keep his eyes away from mine, they searched mine in seriousness. Not in annoyance, not because he was trying to read me. Not for any real reason. The moment I got lost in his gaze... he looked down to the table when he answered.
"Wolves also have over 40 teeth," he said off-handedly.
"Huh. Did you know I have over 50 teeth?" I said with the same ease.
"Oh. I didn't know that."
"I can also run faster than a wolf," I said, forcing my body to relax.
"You have over 50 teeth and can run over 40 miles per hour?"
"Mhmm," I said, taking a bite of the second taco. It was somehow worse than the first. "I would have gone that fast when we ran at that golf course, but I got stung by that bee, remember?"
"Right."
My tough and unphased demeanor vanished when I heard another howl – and this one was closer. Jumping to my feet, I scanned to the steep trees behind the shops and boardwalk. Tense, looking all around, I was waiting for anything, any sign of a wolf... but I heard nothing else. Glancing down, Peter just watched me calmly. Damn jitters. No joke though. That howl was close!
"Speaking of fucking bees...." I said, waving at the imaginary pests.
Humming at my poor excuse, he stood up as well. "Well, you probably want to get going before you get stung, right?"
"Yeah," I nodded eagerly.
Tossing away our food, I grabbed our broom and joined him along the vacant boardwalk. It was dark by now, with the night sky glistening against the bay waves. The short row of lights lit our way towards the end. When he stepped off the walkway and towards the woods, I immediately stopped.
"Why are we going into the woods?" I asked.
He didn't turn to look back or stop. "Because I'm not as awful at blending in as you think. My flights leave and land out of sight, Josephine."
"There is nobody around though," I groaned, following him.
We weren't far into the trees or shadows. Just enough though to feel rattled. Of course, we didn't leave right away. Nope. Despite being in the dark, I could see his face just enough when he stopped and looked down to me. Could see that smug smile... and I knew exactly what he was up to.
"If you don't get us in the air like right now, I swear to god...." I chuckled nervously.
"What? I'm just giving you time to mentally prepare before we take off," he said in an overly sweet voice.
Exhaling, feeling a mix of nervousness and amusement, I glared up to his annoyingly pretty eyes. Why did he love to get under my skin like this? Just why? That smirk turned into a huge smile... when once again... an ear-piercing howl came from my left. Oh my dear god, there is a goddamn fucking wolf so close! And this guy's goal was to get me all worked up?!
Wincing, groaning with a gasp, I immediately stepped closer, grabbed his arms, and looked around me with a scowl. "Peter, get us in the fucking air," I growled, forcing myself in his arms.
He casually glance towards the howl. "Why? You have your broom for a sword, right?"
"Yeah, I'm about to stick it where the sun don't shine," I hissed.
Glancing down to me, his hands instinctively rested on my hips. His fair skin and dirty blonde locks contrasted with the shadows, allowing his smirk to stand out. "Nothing is going to happen to you. I promise," he said more seriously.
I hated how quickly he could make my blood boil. I hated how much he got under my skin. And I hated how quickly he could disarm that anger. Because that second, I believed him and could let myself trust him. I was nervous, scared, but I didn't fear for my life. He was the perfect safety net. That's why he was able to taunt me like this. Because he knew I was safe – and he knew I was just not used to this. And this ass knew how much I weirdly was loving every second of this whirl-wind.
Yes, even when another howl reached the air. It was closer – and it scared me. I was frantic to get out of there. But I never experienced so many thrills and could feel in my bones that I would never forget tonight. I was out of my comfort zone and could both hate it and love it at the same time. I showed it too when I both laughed and hissed at him to get us the fuck out of here after that howl.
He finally complied. Just like that, he fully scooped me up... and we were off. And while I smacked his chest and scolded him over the rough wind for delaying take off, I couldn't help but smile where I buried my face into his warm shoulder.
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I feel I got caught up in some old writing style habits of too much detail. But I felt it was necessary to have this between the two of them. I also am trying to just write and post like I used to - without editing it a bunch. So that's what I did. Hopefully it wasn't too bad. Anyway, sorry this took much longer than expected. This is a super long chapter so hopefully it makes up for it.
There are always excuses and reasons why I can't or don't upload as frequently. Things are just a bit different this time. I hope to keep being able to upload more often. It's not even a matter of having too little time as it usually is. There is just a lot of things happening and changing right now. But writing is huge for me and I will try my hardest to keep this going as frequently as I can.