The smile died and his brows drew together.
“Christ, don’t go to the Haunted Houses with Al y and Indy. A few years ago, Indy went berserk and broke through the hay bales they had set up to make the haunted trail and headed into the cornfields. Al the employees chased after her but since they were dressed like monsters, Indy lost her mind. They had to cal the cops to settle her down.” I lost him at “cornfields”.
“Cornfields?” I whispered.
“Yeah.”
“They have a haunted trail through cornfields?”
“Yeah, up in Thornton. Best Haunted House in Denver.
Indy and Al y go every year. Why?”
“Cornfields freak me out,” I admitted.
Hank was silent.
Then, he said, “You’re from Indiana. How in the fuck can cornfields freak you out?”
“Cornfields don’t freak me out. Cornfields at night freak me out. Haunted cornfields at night freak me out.”
“You been to many haunted cornfields?”
“Dude,” I said low. “Al cornfields are haunted. Trust me. I know.” Then I came up on my elbows so I was closer to him and I said quietly, “They whisper to you.” Then I gave a shiver because, wel , the memory of whispering cornfields freaked me out, indeed, whispering cornfields should freak anybody out.
His arms came around me and he pul ed me ful y up and pressed my torso against his. I knew he was laughing. I didn’t hear it I felt it. After his body quit shaking he said, “Did you just cal me ‘dude’?”
“Yeah. So?”
His hand went into my hair at the side of my head, his fingers sliding through it. This made my scalp tingle pleasantly. He watched his hand move, then his eyes came back to me.
“What’s wrong with ‘dude’?” I asked when he didn’t answer.
“We don’t have enough time to get into al that’s wrong with ‘dude’, especial y when we have more important shit to talk about. And if I stay here any longer, I’m gonna want my exercise in an entirely different way, a way that isn’t going to help Shamus keep fit.” He gave me a light kiss, which made my lips tingle even more pleasantly than my scalp.
“There’s coffee beans in the freezer, grinder in the cabinet over the coffee maker. Help yourself but I’m takin’ you to Dozens for breakfast so don’t eat anything that’l spoil your appetite.”
“Okay,” I said, staring at his lower lip, fascinated with watching it move while he talked.
“Roxie?”
“Hmm?” I was kind of not paying attention. What could I say? His lower lip was fine.
“You keep lookin’ at my mouth like that, after I’m through with you, and since I’ve been doin’ most of the work, you’re gonna have to take Shamus for a run.”
My eyes moved to his and then they narrowed.
“You’ve been doing most of the work?” He grinned but didn’t answer.
“Wel ! Do I have to remind you, Hank Nightingale, that you wouldn’t let me touch you the first time and the second time I tried to climb on top but you flipped me over –” He kissed me quiet.
“You don’t have to remind me,” he said softly when he was done kissing me. “I remember every second.” That shut me up, mainly because it took my breath away.
He went on, “I’l be back in forty five minutes, an hour at the most. Wait for me, we’l shower together.” I nodded my head. Although somewhere in my psyche it was registering that he was being supremely bossy, I didn’t care, not even a little bit.
“I think I might go back to sleep for a while,” I told him.
“Wake me up when you get home.”
At my words, his eyes got lazy and his arms tightened, bringing my body deeper into his. I got the feeling he was losing his motivation for the run. I looked to the side of the bed and saw Shamus sitting there, impatiently, tongue lol ing out, tail starting to wag when he caught my gaze. I looked back to Hank.
“Whisky, Shamus is waiting.”
Hank kept looking at me, just that, looking at me, his face close, his eyes staring into mine. I felt my breath turn shal ow as his lazy eyes got that intense look behind them.
“What?” I asked.
His hand ran up my side.
“Just thinking of you sleepin’ in my bed,” he said. “It’s a good thought.”
My throat closed and feelings of panic and happiness surged through me. It was strangely thril ing and frightening at the same time. I swal owed to open my throat, then I put my arms around him and pressed my face in his neck.
“Hank,” I whispered against his skin. “What I have to say at breakfast I know you aren’t going to like. Please, for me, or for the person you think I am right now, don’t –” He interrupted me.