Page 51 of Isolation
Yet, I can’t get the oxygen to go down my nostrils. And my throat is parched like a tree bark.
Milo does not wear his heart on his sleeve or face, but right now he is staring at me with nothing but apprehension.
“Rave, you are scaring me,” he kisses my temple. “Baby, talk to me. What’s going on? Do you want some water?”
I frantically nod.
I watch Milo move to the mini-fridge and grab a couple of water bottles. I didn’t realize it, but it looks like he has also undressed down to his boxers.
Milo unscrews one of the water bottles and hands it to me. I feel his eyes on me as I chug all of it. He doesn’t say anything and watches me closely.
“Raven, are you okay?” he asks again.
I nod, averting his eyes. Milo rubs my back and leans in to give me a kiss on the cheek.
I jerk back from the quick movement. “Stop,” I say it again.
And he does. Again.
“Umm… I-I am not in the mood.”
“Did I do something?” he implores and strokes my cheek with the back of his hand.
“No. I-I am just overwhelmed with everything going on around the house. I don’t think I can do anything physical with all this going on...” my voice trails off with bullshit excuses.
Milo reaches over to kiss me. I am very aware that I am naked, but I can’t move or cover up. Dread builds for what I know is about to happen; Milo is going to pounce on me.
But Milo bides his time kissing my temple, cheek, and jaw, before dropping his forehead on mine.
Grabbing at the edge of the bedsheet, he suddenly pulls it up and covers my naked body with it.
I don’t know what to say or think, so I just give him a confused look.
“You are shivering,” he explains. “Come here.”
He wraps the bedsheet around me tightly and collects me in his arms. Milo leans back on a pillow with me on his chest and kisses the top of my head.
He catches my forearm in his hand to inspect the red marks I just made worse while I was absentmindedly pinching myself silly.
He doesn’t ask or comment on it. Neither of us speaks as I lie on his chest in surprisingly comfortable silence.
“What do you want to do tonight?” he looks down right as I peek up. He strokes my cheek with his thumb. “I know you are not in the mood, but I still want to do something.”
I am speechless.
I was never in the mood any of the other times either, but that never stopped him. Can a sexless Milo really exist? Am I really in the clear?
“Umm… Netflix and chill?” I suggest sheepishly.
Milo gives me a reassuring smile. “Sounds like a date.”
“I hardly doubt that passes as a date,” I retort on impulse.
“So, you will have to take me out on a real date then.” Milo raises an eyebrow and grins.
“Excuse me?”
“You said that hardly passes as a date. So, I assume you’ll take me out on a real date. I want to be wined and dined,” he smiles cockily.
