Page 16 of Carver
“You have good taste,” I say to Kael. “Some books just speak to you when there are no words.” I should have thought of them myself, although I don’t know if Dom was ready toread them before. He might have found such an epic to be more depressing than inspiring.
“Have you read them?”
“I’ve read a lot of classics. I guess that my mom naming me Bronte kind of set that love for me. Plus, I was homeschooled for a big chunk of my life and my mom only taught classics. We did get a few prairie stories too, which I adored. To be honest, when I was a kid, it was a nice break from the heavy stuff, even if she found more modern day translations or youth versions.”
“That’s so cool that you were homeschooled! Tell me about it,” Kael leans on her elbows, digging in for a good story.
I don’t get shy very often, but again, it’s been a while since I’ve done this with someone I don’t know.
Dravin gets up and kisses Kael on the forehead. He shoots us an apologetic look. “I have to get back to the club and I’ll be late tonight. Kael’s going to stay though, if you want her to.”
“Yeah, no pressure,” she adds, rolling her eyes at Dravin. “Thanks for making me sound like old, greasy dishwater.”
“Even if you were old dishwater, I’d still love you.”
She snorts. “Nope. You can’t just be sweet like that. It’s flowers and chocolates and groveling tonight, or it’s throw the whole man out time.”
She ruins her stern effect by smacking him on the ass as he walks by.
He grasps her hand, but not roughly. “Kael,” he admonishes. “Behave.”
“Okay, Dray. I’ll be sure to do that.”
The poor guy sighs, his ears reddening.
Kael winks at him, but talks to us. “There’s nothing in the world that Dravin hates more than being called Daddy Dray. How about parental figure Fred?”
“I’m leaving now. No chocolates for you.”
“Because I’ve been a bad girl?” she taunts.
Dravin has to just leave. He can’t even with her when we’re here.
I should be laughing, not burning up on the spot over someone else’s banter, but it’s not just their love that’s effortlessly on display. My parents and my friends have good love stories, but they’re gentle, not brimming over with scalding passion so hot that it spills out at the seams.
Dravin leaves, but I want to know if he’ll punish Kael for mouthing off to him. She doesn’t seem like the kind to lay down and take it without sassing him back. I have never wondered what other people look like in an intimate setting. To me, that’s private. I’m not a prude, but I’ve also never watched porn. It’s okay if people do, I just haven’t. To be honest, I’m okay with a few kisses, but anything more than that in public usually has me cringing.
I could ask what’s wrong with me, but I know.
A long period of abstinence, a time of incredible emotional turbulence, a massive change, and lingering pregnancy hormones.
That last thought kills the buzzing rampaging just under my skin.
I came to Hart to help Dom heal. I didn’t have any other agenda, but maybe it’s time. If he’s opening to healing, to reclaiming his life, to a future, then my secret can’t be my secret anymore.
Maybe it was never right that I kept it, but I can’t change the past. I can only work with what I have in the present.
“So- uh…” Kael’s flustered too, but she’s also grinning and clearly ridiculously happy. I wonder what her love story with Dravin looks like. There’s probably a good tale there. They look at each other like they’re new, but also like they’ve been baptized by fire. “Do you guys like board games?”
“Board games?” Dom chokes like she just suggested we practice dark arts around the table.
“Yeah. Or cards.”
“Dom’s family didn’t play very many board games and mine wasn’t really into it. I wish I played more though. I always wanted to be good at chess, but I’m terrible.” It’s not that I’m used to covering for Dominic, but I’m good at deflecting when I have to.
“Me too,” Kael agrees. “I overthink everything and then my brain bogs down.”
“That’s it exactly.”
