Page 82 of Left In The Dark

I shrug. “I don’t know. The Princess Bride is one of my favorites, and I haven’t seen it in a while.”

“Sure. I actually have that one.”

I smile. “So this means I can take the blindfold off?”

“Yes. Go right ahead.”

Glee swarms inside me. It’s such a small thing too, and yet I’m treating it as if he’s given me the whole world on a silver platter.

“Allow me,” he says, slowly pulling the blindfold free from my eyes and slipping it off my head.

“You’re wearing your blue mask.”

“Yeah.” He chuckles. “You really like this one, huh?”

We’re chitchatting, talking like old friends spending the day together. I didn’t know if I’d get this side of him again, but I feel so lucky to have it. “Yeah.” I look around. “Is this your room?”

“Yeah,” he says, taking longer than usual to respond.

“There’s more floral than I expected.”

He laughs, shaking his head, and walks through a door, flipping on a light. It’s a bathroom. He walks all the way in, closing the door halfway, and when he walks out he’s wearing different clothes. I run my eyes up and down his body as he straightens the bottom of his black sweater. It’s snug around him, stopping at his slender hips.

“Have you decided what you want to eat?”

“Chicken noodle soup.”

“Yeah.” He pauses, straightening his mask. “I can do that.”

“More brownies too?” My voice is small. Hopefully I’m not asking for too much.

“Sure. I’ll uh . . . go get started on that.”

“Can I come keep you company?” I try not to sound desperate but I’m probably failing.

“Maybe tomorrow.” He turns away from me and stops right before he reaches the door, craning his neck back. “How about you take a short nap. You look like you need it.”

I rub at my neck, shrinking in on myself, watching the door closely as he walks out it. He shuts it tightly behind him and I sag on the bed, unable to look away from where he just was. He takes so long too, and I think it’s worse than when he left for the store because only a stupid wall is separating us. I can hear every sound he makes but can’t see him. He’s so close but not close enough. He’s in the same house as me, but I need him in the same room. I need him.

Twenty-Eight

Logan

Blake sticks his head out of the blanket and licks his lips as his eyes drop to the tray in my hand. I close the door behind me and approach him slowly as he sits up.

“That smells really good.”

“Hopefully it tastes good too.”

He smiles. Fuck, why do I want to feel it so badly with my own lips? “I’m sure. You’re a really good cook.”

“Thanks. I like cooking.” I set the tray on the nightstand after moving some books over.

“I don’t.” He makes a look of distaste. “I hate it. I’m not good at it either, so maybe that’s why.”

“That’s okay. You have me.” Why did I say that? Why did I make it sound like a promise? I don’t want to make promises to him that I can’t keep. Apparently that’s something else that matters to me now. I should be making a damn distasteful face at myself.

“I do?” His eyes grow bigger. Those pretty doe eyes. They make him look so innocent sometimes. I wish I could say I’ve stopped falling for them, but I’d be lying if I did.