Page 73 of Loathing My Boss
Her nostrils flare. “Viktor. I’m almost positive you’re milking this a little too much. One might even suggest you aretaking advantageof my emotions in regard to something that was deeply hurtful and scarring to me in my youth.”
“Do you, or do you not, want the roundness?”
A becoming blush paints her cheeks in the low lights. “W-well…”
“If I’m hurting you, tell me sincerely. My intention is purely to show how little this—” I show my hand. “—bothers me. We can have fun with whatever life throws atus, because even if it feels like a curse, I’m adaptable enough to treat it like a blessing. To me,” I whisper against her ear, “that’s what you are.”
Her breath stammers as the woman lifts the squat, plastic popcorn bucket full of ice cream over the glass shield. “Here you go, dears! Popcorn station is just inside the theater. Feel free to grab some on your way in.”
“Excellent.” I take the bucket with my good hand and hold Crisis’s eyes while she internally combusts. “Thank you.” Moving the bucket into the crook of my elbow, I set my hand firmly on her back and guide her in toward not only the popcorn station…but also the candy bar.
Chapter 26
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Insanity does not discourage him…
Crisis
Privilege. Honor. Blessing.
I don’t know what to do with all thispositive affirmation. Viktor’s existence beside me in the theater haunted me throughout the entirety ofStranger than Fiction, which is one of my most favorite ever movies. He wasn’t necessarily obnoxious—even though we were sharing a popcorn bucket full of ice cream. He was just…there.
Extremely present.
Squinting at my reflection in my bathroom mirror this morning, I look in mycoffee and chocolate-brown eyes, feeling Viktor’s phantom fingers run through mysilky softbrown hair.
I’ve driven us to and from the ranch for the past few days, given that it’s not exactly safe for him to drive with a balloon hand, but he’s insisted that bedtime stories continue, and he’s managed to rest his phone against his thigh while he reads, all for the express purpose of running his good fingers through my hair.
Myboringbrown hair, whichdoes notdefy gravity at all.
Our evenings are filled with quality time on top of physical, non-sexual, touch.
He’s been bombarding me for three days with all five classic love languages on rotation, feeding me a smorgasbord that will leave me shaken and starving once he’s had enough of this game he’s playing.
Three days together, constantly.
I don’t know how much more my soul can take.
“You,” I say, “are useless.” I search my eyes. My brown, brown eyes. “You don’t deserve anything nice, or good.” I push my hair back, wonder why I don’t think it’s quite as limp as it’s always been. Right now, it’s almost got a wave to it, something reminiscent of volume. “You aren’t worth the time, or the effort, that he’s putting in. You know that, don’t you?” He swatted a wasp for me. He got stung so I wouldn’t have to be. AftereverythingI’ve done. “I hate you,” I say, gritting my teeth. “I hate you. Everything about you makes mesick.”
“Hey there…”
Viktor’s voice makes me jerk. Gripping the sink, I whirl to find him at my bathroom door. In my bedroom.
Horror-stricken with concern, he murmurs, “You…better be practicing your endearments toward me with words like that.”
A swallow sticks in my throat. “What are you doing in my room?”
“Your door was open, and I overheard something disturbing. What areyoudoing in your room?”
Venom accentuates my words. “My affirmations,which are none of your business.”
“Your…” His brows knit. “Aren’t affirmations supposed toaffirm? Be…positive?”
“Maybe if you’re not a lame loser, they are.” I march past him to check on the box apple bread I popped in theoven for breakfast earlier. It’s the reason my door was open. This is what I get for trying tobe niceand make us breakfast. I’m a failure at everything I do.
Viktor’s adamant footsteps follow me. “You deserve everything.Everything. You are worth every minute of every day. You deserve every effort, always. I love you.” He catches my shoulder, stopping me in place, twisting me to face him. “Everything about you makes me love you more.”
