Human Bait

Chapter 49: Hurt You

As I contemplated my response, my attention caught on Rekkan once more. Mine, sang my heart. But if he were mine, why was he wondering if I was worth the pain? How could he withdraw so easily when I couldn't stop looking at him? 

"Fine," I said. "My advice? Look at her."

He frowned. "Look... look at her?"

"Yeah." I finished my cup and wiped my mouth with my sleeve. "You don't need to have the perfect words. You just need to look at her in that way that says, 'you are still the center of my world.'"

"'You are still the center of my world,'" Mekkar repeated.

He said something else too — perhaps an expression of gratitude — but my attention hooked elsewhere. My gaze had once again strayed to Rekkan, and this time, he was staring straight back at me. Hands balled in fists, shoulders tight, eyes... what was that look in his eyes?

Mekkar nudged my shoulder, his gaze following my own. In place of the seriousness from moments earlier, a laugh strained his voice. "You mean like that?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Mekkar patted my back. "And if I look at her just right, what do you suppose she'll do?"

"Well," I started weakly, tongue like rubber, "She'll probably —"

"Eh!" He raised a palm and tilted his head toward Rekkan. "Show me?"

Apparently that was the only invitation my nether-regions required to seize control. I marched straight up to Rekkan and released the words I could no longer hold in.

"Hey, are you done thinking yet? Because I'm sick of waiting."

His brows furrowed, eyes carefully blank. "It's only been a day."

"A day has twenty-four hours. That's..." My fingers fluttered in a calculation. "A thousand one hundred forty minutes. Which is..." My head swam, and I abandoned precision and pointed a finger at him. "Way too many seconds away from you."

A tiny smile softened his eyes. "You're drunk, Zaf. You should go to bed."

"Will you help me find my room?" And help me warm my bed?

Oh shit, did I say that second part out loud?

Yep, I definitely said it out loud.

Rekkan emitted a slightly-strangled sound. When he recovered, he shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea."

I was vaguely aware of Little-Miss-Fluff eyeing us, probably judging my lack of seduction prowess or my inferior fluffiness, but I kept my gaze on Rekkan. "Why not? Don't you want me?"

"It's not about what I want."

My voice dropped to a desperate whisper. "Then what is it about?"

One of his hands found mine and gave a gentle squeeze. "Go to sleep. Please? We'll talk about it tomorrow."

I swallowed another protest and nodded. I had embarrassed myself enough for the night. "Alright. Alright, fine."

Forcing my chin high, I strode toward the Southie entrance of the cafeteria... or tried to. Unfortunately, my sluggish limbs struggled to align, and my footsteps weaved off-beat like a beginner on a dance pad game. I swayed left, over-corrected right, and hurtled toward the floor.

Strongs hands snatched me just before I hit the ground. Lifted me. Tucked me into a familiar, solid chest.

I breathed in clean soap and spicy musk and breathed out words on a sigh. "Thank you."