It was his turn to look at me. After how mad mom had been, I knew I should talk to her first. “I’ll call you tonight after I check with my mom.”
School flew. Before I knew it, I again settled on the back of his bike heading home. No detours unlike yesterday.
We worked on the earrings until mom and Aunt Grace got home. After dinner, when everyone thought Morik left, I went back to my room to finish them. Morik helped me wrap them so they’d be ready for Saturday night when we exchanged gifts. I still didn’t have anything to give Morik.
“Did you sleep at all last night?” I asked after changing in the bathroom. He waited for me beside the bed, but didn’t begin the chant.
“It was very comfortable,” he replied pulling back the covers.
I slid into bed, not commenting on his evasive answer. The blankets were already warm.
“You’re welcome to lay down any time.” I grinned up at him. “I don’t mind the extra heat.”
He returned my smile and pulled the covers up repeating last night’s routine.
Snuggling against his side, I fell asleep. At some point during the night, I got too warm and kicked off the blankets. I felt him shift so I could free my legs and then floated back to sleep.
Chapter 13
When the light hit my eyes, I groaned and turned my head burrowing into Morik’s shirt. His fingers threaded through my hair in slow gentle strokes teasing me from my slightly surly mood. I wanted to sleep in today.
Sighing, I enjoyed the heat of his skin against my palm and pressed closer. Then I froze. Skin? More awake, I concentrated before opening my eyes.
I lay against his side with only a thin blanket tossed over us. My hand had found a way under his shirt to his skin. And, at some point during the night, I had casually tossed one of my legs over his thighs.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, untangling myself and sitting up abruptly. The hand he used to thread through my hair fell to the bed. “I didn’t mean to practically lay on you. I must have gotten cold after kicking off the covers.”
“I didn’t mind.”
Black pools stared back at me. I couldn’t tell the direction of his gaze when they solidified to one color like that, but I felt pretty sure he focused on me. I had pushed up his shirt leaving his stomach exposed. My eyes drifted to his skin. I couldn’t help it. I liked the warm color of it and the texture.
Realizing I stared, I looked away awkwardly. He’d told me he wouldn’t draw any lines for me, but I didn’t want to do things that would make him feel uncomfortable either. He wasn’t a toy to be played with.
“I’m going to get ready,” I said softly and scrambled off the bed climbing over his legs.
I stopped at the door, my arms full of clothes and looked back at him unsure of what I was getting ready for. “What are we doing today?”
He lay still watching me. At least, I thought he was. “Your Grandmother came in a few minutes ago.” He sat up pulling the blanket half covering him off the bed with him. “She covered us up and asked if we’d go shopping with her.” He folded the blanket in his arms looking relaxed as he waited for me to open the door.
I looked down at his bare feet. Even with black nails, the sight of him standing barefoot in my bedroom started butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
“Do you mind going shopping?” I asked trying to ignore my reaction to him. He stayed where he was and shook his head indicating he didn’t. “Okay.”
Leaving him in my room, I took my time in the bathroom. It wasn’t often I had the time to shower in the morning. It gave me time to think. I liked sleeping next to Morik. Maybe a little too much. Would I like doing that for the rest of my life? Would he? My fascination with him continued to grow each day. Thinking of the party tonight, I knew I wouldn’t be looking anymore. It was time I set us all free. I wanted Morik as my choice, but didn’t know how to make it official. Some part of me wasn’t in agreement with the rest. Was it my heart or my head? Maybe a little of both.
Though I knew his loneliness inspired the original deal, I wanted him to have a choice too. I wanted him to want to be with me not out of desperation, but because he didn’t want anyone else. That part really worried me. What if I was the wrong choice for him? Once I chose, him would I still be able to talk to my family or other humans or would the rules preventing him from interacting apply to me as well?
I had so much I needed to ask him, but it all started with what I meant to him. And that would be the hardest question to ask. Would his answer change my decision? Selfishly, I didn’t think so. I’d take Morik over anyone else just because I didn’t want a death on my shoulders, but still worried about sacrificing his happiness.