tray.
“Go on
and eat.”
He sidles
over, picks up the bread and chomps on it. After a moment, he scoops up the clay
cup of water and settles on the mat beside me.
“How are
you feeling?” he asks. “After being sick in the night?”
I smile
at the familiarity in his voice. “I feel fine.”
“Yes.
Because you woke up here.” His grin returns. “In my arms.”
He jokes,
and it’s sweet. But heat rises, sliding up my neck and into my cheeks. In the
light of day, I’m suddenly very aware of my recent behavior in this cave, and
guilt nags at me. My gaze settles on Chad ,
and the warmth in his eyes draws me. My heart thumps; he blinks once. I clear
my throat and look away.
“I saw
the Village physician,” I say, my eyes on the gate. “She says I’m not sick.”
“That’s
good.” He takes a long swig of the water, lowers the cup, and looks at me. “That
means you can kiss me again.”
Something
catches in my throat, and I am very still beside him. He’s different today.
Full of teasing confidence. After a moment, I shake my head.
“ Chad ,
stop talking like this.”
“Why?”
“Because…
it’s strange.” After a moment, I add. “And there won’t be another kiss.”
His brows
push together. “Why not?”
“Because
I never should have let it happen. It’s not common.”
“It
should be common.” His eyes burn into me. “It’s the nicest thing I’ve ever felt.”
Me too. I catch the thought before it becomes words.
“I had a
dream about you after you left this morning,” he adds. “And you did kiss me
again.” He grins, then changes the subject. “The gate is still unlocked.”
He takes
another bite and sweeps his eyes toward the bamboo bars, and my eyes follow. A
wind burst suddenly rattles the gate. It eases open slightly and clatters shut
again.
I watch Chad eat. He looks nice today. Handsome. Especially since his recent bath and shave.
His jawline smoothes into a thick neck, and the defining muscles of his
shoulders and upper arms have grown more prevalent with his exercises. He looks
strong. Without thinking, I reach a hand toward his arm. My fingers graze the
bicep. He looks at me.
“What
else do you dream of… besides me?”
His eyes flick slightly and then fill with
intensity.
“I don’t
dream often,” he concedes. “But when I do, I’m always a little boy… in the
nursery. And I’m—happy.” He shrugs, a slight smile lighting his lips. “That’s
the only time I remember being happy. Until now.”
He
focuses on me, and I let my hand fall away as his words sink in.
“I dream
of you, Mia. And then you’re here, and I don’t have to dream anymore.”
He takes
my hand. His is warm, and it swallows mine up. The nursery was a happy place. I
remember.
Chad has never told me about the “in-between” part of his life—in between the
nursery and the Pit. Every time I’ve asked, he cringes and closes me off. That
alone makes me wary. Truly, I don’t want to know, and he shouldn’t have to relive
it.
“Why did you
really come today?” Chad asks, and the question yanks me back to the present moment, his hand still warm
over mine. I purse my lips, thinking.
“I’m—I’m
missing my friends terribly today,” I confess. “I suppose—” I shake my head,
eyes down. “I just needed to be with someone
“Go on
and eat.”
He sidles
over, picks up the bread and chomps on it. After a moment, he scoops up the clay
cup of water and settles on the mat beside me.
“How are
you feeling?” he asks. “After being sick in the night?”
I smile
at the familiarity in his voice. “I feel fine.”
“Yes.
Because you woke up here.” His grin returns. “In my arms.”
He jokes,
and it’s sweet. But heat rises, sliding up my neck and into my cheeks. In the
light of day, I’m suddenly very aware of my recent behavior in this cave, and
guilt nags at me. My gaze settles on Chad ,
and the warmth in his eyes draws me. My heart thumps; he blinks once. I clear
my throat and look away.
“I saw
the Village physician,” I say, my eyes on the gate. “She says I’m not sick.”
“That’s
good.” He takes a long swig of the water, lowers the cup, and looks at me. “That
means you can kiss me again.”
Something
catches in my throat, and I am very still beside him. He’s different today.
Full of teasing confidence. After a moment, I shake my head.
“ Chad ,
stop talking like this.”
“Why?”
“Because…
it’s strange.” After a moment, I add. “And there won’t be another kiss.”
His brows
push together. “Why not?”
“Because
I never should have let it happen. It’s not common.”
“It
should be common.” His eyes burn into me. “It’s the nicest thing I’ve ever felt.”
Me too. I catch the thought before it becomes words.
“I had a
dream about you after you left this morning,” he adds. “And you did kiss me
again.” He grins, then changes the subject. “The gate is still unlocked.”
He takes
another bite and sweeps his eyes toward the bamboo bars, and my eyes follow. A
wind burst suddenly rattles the gate. It eases open slightly and clatters shut
again.
I watch Chad eat. He looks nice today. Handsome. Especially since his recent bath and shave.
His jawline smoothes into a thick neck, and the defining muscles of his
shoulders and upper arms have grown more prevalent with his exercises. He looks
strong. Without thinking, I reach a hand toward his arm. My fingers graze the
bicep. He looks at me.
“What
else do you dream of… besides me?”
His eyes flick slightly and then fill with
intensity.
“I don’t
dream often,” he concedes. “But when I do, I’m always a little boy… in the
nursery. And I’m—happy.” He shrugs, a slight smile lighting his lips. “That’s
the only time I remember being happy. Until now.”
He
focuses on me, and I let my hand fall away as his words sink in.
“I dream
of you, Mia. And then you’re here, and I don’t have to dream anymore.”
He takes
my hand. His is warm, and it swallows mine up. The nursery was a happy place. I
remember.
Chad has never told me about the “in-between” part of his life—in between the
nursery and the Pit. Every time I’ve asked, he cringes and closes me off. That
alone makes me wary. Truly, I don’t want to know, and he shouldn’t have to relive
it.
“Why did you
really come today?” Chad asks, and the question yanks me back to the present moment, his hand still warm
over mine. I purse my lips, thinking.
“I’m—I’m
missing my friends terribly today,” I confess. “I suppose—” I shake my head,
eyes down. “I just needed to be with someone
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