Page 68 of EverGreene
“And I’m going to need to hop right back in that bathtub,” I said, glad I hadn’t drained the water out of it yet.
V scooped my body up into his arms and began walking with me to the bathroom, setting me down on the rug outside the tub and running a hand in the water, quickly withdrawing it. “Good God, is your skin made of steel? How do you stand bathing on the surface of the sun?”
I knelt down to feel the water with my fingertips. “Are you kidding me? It’s hardly lukewarm.”
“Remind me to never ever shower with you.”
I turned the handle, cranking the temperature to as hot as it would go and stepped into the tub. “Don’t worry, you won’t. That would require you taking that mask off.” I smirked, looking over my shoulder. Despite not being able to see his facial expression, I sensed V’s demeanor deflate a little. He squatted down next to the bathtub, taking the washcloth draped over the edge of the tub in his hand, dipping it in the water.
“I’m going out of town next week.” I leaned against the back of the tub, placed my foot on the handle, and turned it back to the off position. “When I get back, the mask comes off.”
V nodded, taking the washcloth and running it up my leg from my shin to my thigh.
“Really? You’re okay with that?”
“I’m completely okay with that.”
The washcloth made its way to my chest, its warmth soothing. “I don’t get you at all. You spend a year sending me things, watching me from the shadows, only to now be kneeling next to me, washing away all traces of you from my body.”
“I can add more traces, if you want.”
“Very funny. Where did you even go today? Do you havefamily? Were you working? There’s so much I still don’t know about you. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve gotten to know more about my coworker I told you about than I know about you.”
“Is that where you went today?”
I eyed him. “Don’t turn this around on me. But also, do I detect a hint of jealousy from you?”
V shrugged. “Should I be?”
“I don’t know.”
He nodded, sending a twinge of guilt in my stomach, made all the worse as V had me sit up so he could wash my back.
“Yes, I went to Loche’s apartment today. He invited me to dinner. I had nowhere else to go, so I accepted his invitation.”
“Have things changed between the two of you?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
V paused over the small of my back as though my answer had taken him by surprise. “How so?”
“Well, for one, I don’t think he’s a complete douchebag anymore.”
“Just a partial douchebag, then?”
I laughed. “No, actually. I understand him now. Why he is the way he is. He’s not the person I thought he was.”
“Do you like him?”
I turned around, wishing I could see the expression on his face. “I do. But I like you, too.”
He set the washcloth back down on the side of the tub and slowly lifted the bottom of his mask, exposing his full lips as he bent down and kissed me on the forehead. “I know,” he whispered, pulling his mask back down and standing up. “I’ll see you when you get back?”
I nodded. “I’ll see you when Iget back.”
Even though Iknew V had left, I still walked out into my living room, wrapped in my terrycloth robe that Katy often commented made me look like I was collecting Social Security, expecting to see V sitting on my couch, feet propped up with Vinny in his hand. But the room was empty. Instead, I was left wondering whether tonight was the last time he and I would see each other, despite our conversation indicating otherwise.
I peered over at Vinny, who had swum to the side of the aquarium nearest to where I stood, fully expecting to be fed a second dinner like some kind of hobbit. “I’m sorry you had to witness your mom getting her freak on in the hallway earlier. But I do pay the rent here, so I can pretty much get laid on any surface of this house I damn well please.”
