“Yeah. I cook rice, peas, and carrots, and add either chicken or ground beef. I make enough for a week, but seeing as we have Zorro now, this week’s food is gone. I need to make a new batch.”
Dylan stares at me. “You cook for your dogs? That’s why people go to the supermarket to buy canned food.”
“Nope. Not for my dogs. Nothing but the best. Keeps them healthier.”
“Molly, you are impressive. I hope we can hang out more,” Gemma says as she stands. She steps toward me, and gives me a hug like we’ve been friends for years. I like Gemma. Her heart is big, and she’s honest. She gives me a good feeling.
“I hope so too. Anyway, I’ve gotta go.”
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Dylan offers. “Back in a few minutes?” he says to Gemma, but it’s more of a question.
“I’m not sitting here like a complete loser, twiddling my thumbs, waiting for you. Give me your keys, I’m going back to your place.” She holds her hand out, waiting.
“I’ve got some dirty dishes in the kitchen sink.” I barely know Gemma, but I doubt she’s going to wash them for him.
She walks away, but turns and walks backward. “Get a maid!” She then turns forward and keeps walking.
“I like her. She makes me smile,” I say.
“She can be too much sometimes, but I’d do anything for her.”
I reach for Dylan’s hand, linking our fingers together. Oh crap. Did I do that? Did I initiate us holding hands? Or did he do it? He’s not pulling away, which means he’s okay with it either way. Am I okay with it?
“You’re doing it again, Molly.”
“What?” I’m completely consumed in my own head.
“It’s the same thing that happened yesterday.”
We reach my car. I unlock it, and place my bag on the back seat, before closing the door and leaning against it. “What happened yesterday…” I know exactly what he’s referring to, but I don’t want to verbalize me being a jerk.
“You’re fighting with yourself.” I swallow hard, knowing he’s right. “But I’m patient.”
“I…um…” I look away for a second to gain strength. I have Dad’s words stuck in my head. “I’m terrified, Dylan. I’m so scared I can’t give you what you want.”
“If you’re talking about sex, then I’m going to stop you right there. I’ll tell you this. Do I want sex from you? Absolutely. But I refuse to make you feel like you have to do something you don’t want to do. I’m not putting an ounce of pressure on you. We can take this as slow as you’re comfortable with.”
I lean forward, and slide my arms around his waist, hugging him close to me. He smells like fresh coffee. Placing my head to his chest, I can hear his strong heartbeat. “I don’t know what I’m doing,” I admit.
“Neither do I.” I feel his lips on the top of my head.
Pulling back, I look into his brown eyes. “You might get sick of being patient.”
He shrugs and breathes in deeply. “I might. But I probably won’t.”
“What if it doesn’t work out?”
“Then it doesn’t work out.”
“What if I hurt you?”
“Then I’ll pick myself up, and try to mend the hurt.”
I gaze past him, staring at our reflection of the store front glass. “Okay,” I say.
“Okay,” he says.
We’ll try. And I’m not going to argue with myself anymore.
“Can I kiss you?” he asks.
My head wants to argue, but I push the crap down. “You can.”
Gently he slides his hands up my arms, making my skin quiver from his warm touch. He tenderly lets his fingers skim over my neck. My body is on fire. I can feel sweat beading on my hairline. Slowly he leans down, his wicked lips only a hair’s breadth from mine. The warmth of his breath touches my lips. “Is this okay?” he whispers, his voice confident.
“Yes,” I sigh. Closing my eyes, I allow myself to lean into him.
His supple lips graze mine. The kiss is fragile, as if he’s kissing glass. He’s barely making contact with me. He softly sweeps his tongue on my bottom lip, gently asking for permission for more.
I’m overtaken by so many feelings. Excitement being the one that’s coming through hardest. But I pull away, unable to continue kissing him so tenderly and seductively.
“I’m sorry,” I say, and lower my hands to clutch at his t-shirt.
“Why are you sorry? I loved every single second of that. It was perfect.”
“You wanted more, and I couldn’t…”
“I want what you want, Molly. And truth be told, I really like when your arms are around me.”
He makes my body shiver with happiness. He’s just so perfect. I lean into him again, hugging him as tight as I can. His hands slide around me, embracing me to him. “Dylan?”
“Yeah.”
“Can we go on that double-date with my sister?”
“Tonight?”
“Not tonight, but tomorrow.”
He kisses the top of my head. “It’s a date.”
I step back, and give him a quick kiss on the lips. “I have to go.”
“Okay. Drive safe. Text me when you’re home.”
“I will.” I get in the car, and pull out onto the street. Dylan stays watching until I can no longer see him. I drive home on cloud nine. Maybe even above cloud nine. I can’t wipe the smile off my face.
Yeah, he’s a good guy and I really like him.
There’s a boy, no not a boy, he’s a young man. Maybe my age; I don’t know. He’s standing in my door staring at me. “What do you want?” I ask.
He stares at me. The white t-shirt he’s wearing showcase his rippled muscles.
“It’s time,” he says.
“Time for what?” I sit up in bed and rub at my eyes.
“You know what you have to do. It’s time.”
I shake my head, and rub at my sleepy eyes trying to wake myself. “I don’t understand,” I reply.
The boy looks at me, and tilts his head to the side. “Please, I don’t want to have to do this either. But it’s time,” he says again.
“Time for what?” I snap at him.
He holds up an overstuffed, once-white bunny. A rumble of nausea swirls in my stomach. I know the bunny means something. But I’m not sure what.
“Can you hear it?”
“Hear what?”
The temperature in my room falls to icy, causing my skin to pebble with goosebumps. Something’s not right, I have this gut feeling something sinister is lurking nearby.
The boy-man steps forward, holding the bunny out for me. But I don’t want to take it. I know that bunny is much more than it seems. It’s darkness. It’s hate. It’s evil.
“No,” I say. “I won’t take it.”
The boy sighs letting his shoulders fall forward. “This is what you have to do. It’s your job.” Has he had this argument with me before?
I blink several more times to make sure I’m not still asleep, then run my hands through my hair. “I don’t even know who you are, or what you’re doing in my room. So you can take that stupid rabbit, and leave.” I reach for Zhen, because he always makes things better, but he’s not here. I look around at the floral sheets, and the tiny bed. This isn’t my room.