Page 9 of Hodge
“Then you really must have hit your head hard. I’m a fucking size twenty-four,” she snaps at me.
“What the fuck is a size twenty-four?” she huffs under her breath before standing once more. I know she’s trying to leave again, and I don’t want her to, so this time when she starts to move, I do too. I throw the blanket back and toss my feet over the side of the bed, and she instantly stops.
“What are you doing? You can’t get up!”
“If you’re leavin’, then so am I.”
“You can’t do that. You weren’t released,” she argues, eyeing me like I’m insane, and maybe I am.
“Neither were you.”
“Are you crazy?”
“A little. Now sit down unless you want me to fall,” I warn her. She debates it, looking between me and the chair before she walks back over and sits. I sigh and lean back, putting my legs back up on the bed and adjusting the blanket.
“Why do you want me to stay?”
“We’re talkin’.”
“And now I’m done.”
“No, you’re not because I’m not done. You said you were given away. What did you mean?” She waves her hand through the air and ignores the question.
“Nothing.”
“Fine. Keep your secret,” I tell her.
“Can I go?” she asks once more.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I fuckin’ said no. What’s your favorite color?” Now she looks at me like I’m certifiable.
“Blue.”
“Flower?” She nods toward the vase, and I look over. “Daisies.” She nods. “Favorite food?”
“Pasta.”
“When I get out of here, I’m gonna take you to eat pasta. The best fuckin’ pasta you’ve ever eaten, too.”
“Why?”
“You stayed with me.”
“And now I’m leaving,” she adds with a small smirk on her face. She’s fucking cute. Very cute.
“You’re not leavin’ yet.”
“You’re not my boss.”
“Would you like that? Me bein’ your boss? Because sweetheart, when I’m done with you, you’ll be doin’ every little thing I tell you to.” Her cheeks turn pink as I smile at her. I’m getting to her, I know I am.
“You think you could?”
“Is that a challenge?”
