𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒚

Five

𝙾𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚊 𝙲𝚘𝚋𝚋'𝚜 𝙲𝚊𝚛

𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚋𝚢 𝚂𝚝, 𝚀𝚞𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚘, 𝚅𝙰

𝙹𝚊𝚗𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝟿, 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟸

𝟺:𝟷𝟾 𝙿.𝙼.

Tillie and Spencer had spent almost the entire day together. The patter from the rain had seceded, and the clouds had parted to display the bright blue sky. 

The two had gotten to know each other over the past few hours, from things like where they were from, what they did, where they went to school. 

"So, let me get this straight, you're banned from casinos in Las Vegas, and where else?"

"Las Vegas, Laughlin, and Pahrump," he said with a goofy smile spread on his face. He looked at his hands in, what she could've sworn was embarrassment. 

"Because of your card counting abilities?" She was glad she was driving. If she wasn't driving, then he would've been able see her face straight on, and based off of previous information she had been given, his profiler skills would've practically seen her heart eyes. 

Yes, all she had done today, was fallen for him, or at least wanted to fall more and  more for him. 

"Yeah." Spencer was falling for her as equally as hard as she was for him. Her knowledge of wildlife and plantlife was fascinating to him. 

"Holy shit, my family is into cards, and I bet you could kick their ass poker," she laughed. 

"Well, maybe that opportunity could arise," he chuckled, to which he noticed her demeanor shift immediately. 

"Eh, I don't know if you'd want to actually play with them, though. They aren't the most honest people on the earth," Her last sentence was whispered, he almost couldn't hear her over the music playing and the hum of the heater. He didn't really know what to say to that, but he figured family may be a no-go for now. 

"I had a really great time today," he said softly. She had pulled into the parking lot for his apartment complex. 

"I had a great time too, we have to do it again sometime," she parked her car and turned to him. 

"I'd love that," he said to her, with admiration in her eyes. "I guess I should, I should go now," he pointed out the window with his thumb. 

"Yeah, I guess," she whispered to him. "But I don't want you to go."

His heart stopped, and he looked at her with his big puppy dog eyes. "You don't want  me to go?"

"Well, not necessarily, but I know you might have to go."

"I'm not doing anything, would you like to come inside?" He found a sudden boldness that had bloomed in his chest. He felt almost invincible, that he could do anything without a care in the world. 

"I would love that," she turned off her car, taking the keys from the ignition and followed him to his apartment. 

Spencer absorbed the feeling that she gave him, the feeling of the enchanting desire he had to be with her. To talk to her. 

Tillie was captivated by the everything about him. His eyes, his hair, his voice and words. Anytime he opened his mouth to talk, she was compelled to do nothing but listen to his angelic, and almost poetic voice. 

She had never felt these, these butterflies before. She had never wanted to be with a person as much as she wanted to t be with him. With their short amount of time together, she didn't feel lonely around him. And maybe he was a temporary fix, maybe this was just excitement of a new person, but it was so unalike everything and anyone else. 

She was so lost in her thoughts, she almost didn't notice her newfound surroundings. The first thing she felt drawn to were the books. A never ending amount of books, on almost every wall. 

"Have you read all of these?" She asked him in awe, tracing her fingers along the spines of the endless literature. 

"Well, I mean, not all of them. Sometimes I buy books before I finish them, and I keep buying more books, and I'll temporarily forget about a book I already have, and it's an endless cycle." He rambled, staring at her. 

"I know the feeling," she muttered. 

"Can I get you something to drink? A water maybe?" 

"Yes, please," she glanced back up to him. 

Wandering around his living room, she took in everything. From the green walls, to the brown leather furniture. He had an old record player on a short bookshelf, with diagrams framed on the wall. There was no TV, and the place had a very old timey  feel to it, but she didn't mind. She quite liked it. 

She didn't go into his bedroom, but she could see into it from where she stood. A black framed bed with a quilt hanging above it was most of it. It was a tiny room, but he definitely managed the space well. 

She sat on the sofa, breathing in the scent of books, vanilla, and leather. Spencer brought two glasses of water to the coffee table and sat next to her. 

"One glass of water," he handed her her glass and sipped from his. 

"Thank you," she grinned at him. "You know, Spencer, if there is one thing I've learned from hanging with you, is that you are one radical dude."

Spencer genuinely laughed out loud, "I'm one radical dude?"

"Yes! It's a compliment. You're awesome, and I really wish I had met you sooner." 

"I wish I had met you sooner too, maybe things would've been way different if I had," his tone turned solemn, and Tillie panicked. She didn't like the new change in his voice.

"What do you mean?" 

"Well, I just," he fiddled with the end of his sock, "I love my job, don't get me wrong, but I feel like maybe all of my issues wouldn't be so bad if I had someone like you to help me through it. You know?"

Her face softened, "I know what you mean, maybe my issues wouldn't have been so bad if you were there too."

Silence pounded between them. 

After moments, Spencer finally broke it, "What if we made each other a promise..."

"A promise?"

"Yeah, like, we help each other out. We vent to each other if we need it. Like if we ever need to talk, we can always talk to each other."

Tillie grinned, "And if we need a distraction, it could be the other's job to distract them for the time being."

He stuck out his right, little finger.  She interlocked hers, and kissed her hand. To which he slowly did to his hand. They smiled at each other.

"Pinky swear?"

"I pinky  swear."