Electrifying

xii.

"This Tara girl sounds like a real bitch."

I snort and push my hair out of my face. His arm is strewn over my hip.

"You have no idea."

He nuzzles my collarbone and places a soft kiss against my skin. "Maybe that's why you're so tense all the time. Have you ever thought of doing things to relieve that tension?"

"I had sex with you, didn't I?"

He chuckles. "That you did. But I mean other things."

I bite my lip. "I run." A smile touches my lips. "God, I love it so much."

"What makes you love it?" He props his head up.

"It just makes me feel free. I don't have to think about anything except my breathing and the pounding of my feet against the earth," I say honestly. I frown. "Why am I telling you this?"

"Maybe you feel comfortable around me?"

"I do, but..."

But it feels like it's more than that. I feel like I can confess my soul and trust him to not judge me or tell my secrets.

I roll over and face him. I haven't felt this way in ages.

Can I actually find a normal life again? Can I stop running?

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like I'm not real."

I blush.

"Can I ask what happened to your back?"

I bite my lip and stare at the ceiling. "It's complicated."

The room gets silent for a while. I beat myself up for making the atmosphere change. Before I can break the silence, he beats me to it.

"How about we go out and do something?" He rubs his thumb on my cheek.

I can feel the static brewing, but he seems oblivious to it. I decide not to pull away.

"It's the middle of the night."

"So?"

I push him onto his back and straddle him. He smiles up at me and grips my hips.

"So, let's stay in so you can be my booty call." I murmur against his lips.

He grins, but pulls away. "Seriously, I want to take you out on a proper date."

"Why?"

"Because you deserve it."

My forehead wrinkles. "You know, most guys would kill to be in your position. Why does a date matter?"

He sits up and wraps his hands around my back. "Because Aria, I'm not most guys. Let me be the man my mom raised me to be and take you out."

"Fine, but nothing fancy."

"Wouldn't dare." He moves me off of him and pulls his clothes back on.

At first I don't move. He sends me warning look along with a pillow that got knocked off of the bed. I laugh and get dressed.

It's odd.

He's achieved sex with me and yet, he still wants to go out with me.

Was it that good? Or is this something different?

I get dressed and shove my head into a beanie. Carlton drags me out of the apartment and leads me around New York to a grease joint. We order gyro wraps and curly fries and talk.