“Will you get on the bed with me?” I asked.
His smile was wry. “I will give you anything but that. I know us, and I know what happens when we kiss and if I get up there, we’re going to kiss. And I’m good with that, crave it, but there’s no one here to stop us.”
“You think Zombie Ali will take over again?”
“Maybe she will, maybe she won’t, but it’s not that.”
“Good. Because I don’t think I’ll want you to stop,” I admitted softly.
He brought my hand to his mouth, kissed my knuckles. “And you don’t know how happy that makes me. But I don’t have a condom and I refuse to risk you, even by pulling out. I don’t have a disease or anything like that,” he added in a rush. “I’ve never been with a girl without a condom, but getting you pregnant is a very real concern.”
For once I wasn’t embarrassed to talk about this with him. “Oh. Well, that sucks.”
“Believe me. I know.” He stood and looked down at me. “I stocked the fridge with all the food I know you like. I expect you to eat it.”
“I will.”
“I’ll come back tomorrow. And every day after.”
“I’ll miss you,” I said.
He reached for me. Balled his hand just before contact. And then he walked away.
This time, he looked back more times than I could count.
Chapter 24
I’m Late For a Killer Date
I felt sorry for lab rats. Like, really sorry. Every morning, Mr. Ankh came to the small house in the woods and drew my blood, checked my vitals. I’d been poked and prodded so much I had to look like a junkie.
I’d told him all the testing was unnecessary.
I was going to die here, and I knew it. All I could do now was enjoy the time I had left.
And I was. Because of Cole. But deep down, I admitted this wasn’t the way I wanted to go out. I wanted to die fighting, taking as many zombies as possible with me.
I sighed. Cole visited me every afternoon, and he always brought Nana. I could tell she’d asked him for a ride and he’d been unable to tell her no, because there was always a gleam of frustration in his eyes. But even though he wanted to be alone with me, he never complained.
Once, he pulled me aside and said, “Your grandmother is the toughest coc—uh, sex block I’ve ever come across.”
I’d giggled.
On New Year’s, the three of us sat on the couch, watching a movie Nana had brought. I was too distracted by Cole’s heat and scent and general deliciousness to care what it was. I occupied the middle, he had my right, with my head on his shoulder, and Nana had my left.
When the credits finally rolled, I said, “I really am sorry about the new furniture you bought, Nana.” I’d said the same words every day. Guilt hadn’t left me.
“I told you. Furniture is replaceable. You aren’t.”
“But the money—”
“Ali Bell,” she said, wagging a finger at me, the charms on her bracelet slapping together. “If I hear one more word about money, I’m going to scream. I mean it.”
“Good luck with that,” Cole said. “Ali is the most stubborn person I’ve ever met.”
“Hey,” I said.
“It’s not an insult if it’s true.” He kissed my temple. “I wish we could stay longer, but my dad is expecting me back.”
And he probably had some zombie hunting to do.
Nana kissed my cheek.
Cole gave me a long, searching look that told me he would be on me if we were alone. Then the two of them were in his Jeep, driving away. I watched from the window, trying not to cry.
Needing a distraction, I walked through the home, my bare feet thumping against the wooden floors. All of the mirrors had been removed. There were hundreds of books—romances, mysteries, science fiction and fantasy, nonfiction, a Bible—plus a TV and a fully stocked refrigerator. Cole had made sure I had my own clothes, an iPod loaded with Thousand Foot Krutch and Krystal Meyers, two new favorites, and the picture of Emma and me that Nana had found.
A chirp sounded from my phone. I check the screen, and smiled widely as I read Cole’s text.