Pumpking

Issue 26

We ended up back at the hotel, but this time he took me to his room. It was two doors down from mine. The rooms were basically the same, except his had been hit by a hurricane. I paused on the threshold and looked around. There appeared to be some sort of ghost that had rummaged through every drawer and pulled the contents out. Various bags sat around; some overflowing with rubbish, others holding neatly, freshly bought shirts. A dozen magazines had been thrown over the edge of the kitchen sink; dirty dishes—

"How can you live like this? It's an absolute pigsty."

He shrugged, "I don't really notice it."

Obviously, "You should at least put the rubbish in a bin for the cleaners."

He pulled me closer, sliding his hands around my waist, leaning forward so that I was trapped against the wall again, "You talk too much, Dion."

"And you don't talk at all," I countered.

He smiled slightly at that, gaze sliding down over my body, the heat from before rising. Just like that I could tell, he wanted me.

I swallowed softly, shrugging inside the damp jacket he'd lent me, "So are you going to tell me who she is?"

"Who she is?"

I pointed lightly at his hand, it took him a moment before he realized I was indicating his wedding ring.

"Oh, this. My wife."

"Where is she?"

"She died. A few years ago now," he ran a finger over the white space and the pain in his voice was so raw I regretted asking immediately, "I only took the ring off recently... being here, in this city, it was too painful to not be reminded of her."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to be insensitive," On the back foot for a change. It was usually him that I thought was insensitive. How had I made the rude remark this time? God we were like porcupines around each other. It was like we knew the exact place to strike to cause the most amount of distress.

He shook his head lightly, "It wasn't that. It's just... you aren't her. And I think you are right, that's who I wanted you to be- you two are very similar. In so many ways, but I forgot that you are two different people," He said and touched my chin, "At first I thought it was just the similarities between you... but then I realized that it was all just the surface; that what I was seeing was nothing but her ghost."

I took his hand, not sure what to say to that, "I'm not her."

"Samhain," He smiled slightly, "Her name was Samhain."

Ah, awkward. At least that explained something about him. I guess, maybe not a lot, "Well I'm sorry for your loss."

"As am I," his hand dropped and he turned, "Perhaps now is not the time to continue what we started before."

"I shouldn't have pressed to know more about you."

"Why not? Does my past discourage you?"

I considered my answer for a moment, hugging the still dripping coat around me. I was really cold, but I couldn't get past Ash in either direction; trapped until I had answered his questions. "I suppose. I liked it better when you were just being a jerk. I'm starting to understand you now and it makes it harder."

"You liked my mystery more?"

I laughed. It was a good joke and I chuckled at his ruffled feathers, "No, but I am starting to see that you're not the jerk I thought you were."

He shook his head and finally leaned away, turning and walking into the apartment, "I can never say the right thing around you, can I?"

"You're always looking for a right thing to say."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, sometimes it's not about saying the right thing, but being honest."

"I am honest with you, Dion."

I shook my head and turned to go, "Then I'm never going to figure you out."

He didn't stop me. Just watched as I left the room, those intense eyes never leaving me.

It felt like I was suddenly able to breathe again. Like being around him had choked off all my ability to think rationally.

What had we almost been going to do? I'd followed him into his room like some hormone addled teenager; thinking... well, not really thinking. Our discussion had illuminated one key point for me; I didn't know enough about him to sleep with him; he was probably more mysterious to me now then he had been before.

The way he got to me, I'd thought it was pure anger, but I suppose a little lust had found its way past my defences.

That was all it was, lust. He was just an attractive man. I'd only known him for two days. Love and real emotion takes a lot longer than that. I didn't believe in love at first sight; but lust... yeah, sure. I was lusting.

He'd given me back the clutch purse so I had a key to my room. I let myself in and exhaled. Shower. I was too cold, I needed to warm up.