Page 41 of Confessions of a Virgin on a Dating App
My eyes flicked to the shelf behind the counter, where the special edition books were stored.Cremara’s Horde of Dragonswas gone.I swear there were two on the shelf earlier. Someone must’ve bought them while we were playing.
“No worries.” Devin strode out from behind the counter. “I’m pretty sure I have more copies in the back room. Follow me.”
The storage room was far more cluttered than last time, with heaps of boxes, some opened with goods spilling out, stacked on top of each other. Devin rifled through them, cursing under his breath as he scoured through box after box, some of them toppling over at his feet.
“I know, I know,” he grumbled as I took a seat in the break area. “It’s a mess in here. I just got a huge shipment two days ago. I’m a one-man show most days, so keeping up with inventory can be tough.”
I peered over at the minifridge, my mind flashing back to when Devin comforted me here after the situation with Anthony. I remembered how calmly and deftly he handled the situation, and how gentle his demeanor was. I could still feel the cold water bottle being pressed into my hands.
Devin was right. I did need to be more careful when it came to online dating.
But at least I won’t be doing it anymore. I’m done.
“So, how’s it going with your new guy?”
I knew Devin was just trying to make small talk, but his words still sent fire burning through my veins. The wound that had been closing all night was just ripped wide open.
“We broke up,” I replied flatly, in a tone that indicated I was not willing to explain further.
“Ah, that’s too bad. Online dating can be tough.” Devin didn’t seem too fazed by my answer. “God, I swear it was in with the otherC&Cbooks…”
He was still scouring through boxes, stepping over a lopsided pile to reach the larger ones. It was hotter in the storage room than in the main storefront, and he had rolled his sweatshirt sleeves up to his elbows. I could see the muscles in his forearms straining as he lifted boxes, and my gaze was locked on his Cremara tattoo.
I could still feel it: the vibrant red dragon heads beneath my fingertips, the softness of his skin as I traced the design with my fingers.
The way he pulled away from me, as if my touch pained him.
“Hey Devin?”
He froze, still hunched over in front of a large box. “Yes?”
“I’m sorry about last week. I, uh, shouldn’t have grabbed your arm like that when I was looking at your tattoo.”
I had no idea why I was apologizing. I had no idea why I was even bringing it up. But there was this nagging urge, deep in my core, that was biting for answers.
“Oh, uh, it’s okay,” Devin stuttered his reply. He didn’t seem upset, or even confused. He seemed…sad.
I gulped.
Stop prodding.
But I couldn’t help myself.
“Can I ask you something else?”
“Sure.”
I was silent for a moment, the heaviness of my question hanging in the air before I’d even asked it. I was suddenly fully aware that it was just the two of us, alone in a storeroom in the back of a game shop that was about to close, and it made my heart pound wildly in my chest.
“If you have so many tattoos, why do you always cover them? We live in Florida, and you’re always wearing heavy sweatshirts, even in the summer.”
My words were like a knife slicing through the eerily still air. Devin had a bit of shock on his face, like someone zapped by static electricity. That’s when I noticed that he’d found a copy ofCremara’s Horde of Dragons, and it was in his left hand tucked behind his back.
You’ve really done it now. Just take your book and leave. Stop making a fool of yourse—
“Promise you won’t tell anyone else about this?”
His sudden response made me jolt. My heart ached as I realized he was about to tell me something deeply personal about himself. Something he didn’t want others to know.
