“He inclined his head at my dress. "What's the occasion?"
"Homecoming," I said, twirling. "Like?"
"Last I heard, Homecoming requires a date."
"About that," I hedged. "I'm sort of...going with Scott. We both figure a high-school dance is the last place Hank will be patrolling."
Patch smiled, but it was tight. "I take that back. If Hank wants to shoot Scott, he has my blessing.”
“Angel... I don't think you understand the lengths I would go to if it means keeping you here with me.”
“Fine! I'll throw on some clothes. Turn around. I'm in my pj's"
"I'm a guy. That's like asking a kid not to glance at the candy counter.”
“I love you.” His voice was straightforward, affectionate. “You make me remember who I used to be. You make me want to be that man again. Right now, holding you, I feel like we have a shot at beating all odds and making it together. I’m yours, if you’ll have me.”
“I missed you, Angel. Not one day went by that I didn't feel you missing from my life.”
“Hmm?' I looked away, flustered automatically using irritation to cover my discomfort up. 'What does 'hmm' have to do with anything? Could you ever use more that five words? All this grunting and minced words make you come across-- primal.'
His smile tipped higher. 'Primal.'
'You're impossible.'
'Me Jev, you Nora.”
“You're mine, Angel. And I'm yours. Nothing can change that.”
“Since we're keeping it primal, you smell good," he observed.
"It's called a shower...," I began automatically, then trailed off. My memory snagged, taken aback by a compelling and forceful sense of undue familiarity. "Soap, shampoo, hot water," I added, almost as an afterthought.
"Naked. I know the drill," Jev said, something unreadeble passing over his eyes.”
“How did you get in?"
"I move in mysterious ways."
"God moves in mysterious ways. You move like lightning-here one moment, gone the next.”
“Is that a yes?" he asked, pushing his fingers through my hair, fanning it out around my shoulders and searching my face intently. "Please let it be yes," he said with a gravelly edge. "Stay with me tonight. Let me hold you, even if that's all it is. Let me keep you safe.”
“I learned that I was either crazy in love with you, or putting on the best performance of my life.”
“If I lose you, I lose everything.”
“He bowed is head into my throat, groaning softly. "I loved you long before you loved me. It's the only thing I have you beat at, and I'll bring it up every chance I get." His mouth pressed to my skin, took on a devilish curve. "Lets get out of here. I'm taking you back to my place, this time for good. We have unfinished business, and I think its time we do something about it.”
“Hate to disappoint, but no feathers. I came to Earth stripped naked.”
“I like you in my bed,” Patch said. “I rarely pull down the covers. I rarely sleep. I could get used to this picture.”
“Are you offering me a permanent place?”
“Already put a spare key in your pocket.”
I patted my pocket. Sure enough, something small and hard was snug inside. “How charitable of you.”
“I’m not feeling very charitable now,” he said, holding my eyes, his voice deepening with a gravelly edge. “I missed you, Angel. Not one day went by that I didn’t feel you missing from my life. You haunted me to the point that I began to believe Hank had gone back on his oath and killed you. I saw your ghost in everything. I couldn’t escape you and I didn’t want to. You tortured me, but it was better than losing you.”
“I gave up something I wanted for something I need. And I need you, Angel. More than I think you'll ever know.”
“I had fun last night," I told Patch, flicking off my chin strap and handing over my helmet. "I'm officially in love with your sheets."
"That the only thing you're in love with?"
"Nope. Your mattress, too."
Some smile crept into Patch's eyes. "My bed's an open invitation.”
“I would lay down everything I possess, even my soul, for you. If that isn't love, it's the best I have.”
“Or, if you decide you want to sleep at my place, on opposite sides of my bedroom with a Do Not Cross line drawn down the middle, I'll do it. I won't like it, but I'll do it.”
“I couldn't escape him, now or ever. He'd always be there, consuming my every thought, my heart locked in his hands. I was drawn to him by forces I couldn't control, let alone escape.”
“I don’t like the idea of dragging you into something that could get messy fast. If you need one more reason, I love you. This is uncharted territory for me, but I need to know that at the end of the night, I have you to come home to.”
“I couldn't look at you and breath at the same time.”
“I need to brush my teeth. And I need a shower."
He grinned, hopping off the bike. "Now that is an invitation.”
“Quit calling me Grey. It makes me sound like I’m a boy. Like Dorian Gray.”
“Dorian who?”
I sighed. “Just think up something else. Plain old Nora works too, you know.”
“Sure thing, Gumdrop.”
I grimaced. “I take that back. Let’s stick with Grey.”
“Stay with me tonight. Let me hold you even if that's all it is. Let me keep you safe.”
“One last thing," he said. "Stop looking for me."
"I'm not looking for you." I scoffed.
He touched his index finger to my forehead, my skin absurdly warming under his touch. It didn't escape me that he couldn't seem to stop finding reasons to touch me. Nor did I miss that I didn't want him to stop. "Under all the layers, a part of you remembers. It's the part that came looking for me tonight. It's that part that's going to get you killed, if you're not careful."
We stood face-to-face, both of us breathing hard. The sirens were so close now.
"What am I supposed to tell the police?" I said.
"You're not going to talk to the police."
"Oh, really? Funny, because I plan on telling them exactly how you rammed that tire iron into Gabe's back. Unless you answer my questions."
He gave an ironic snort. "Blackmail? You've changed, Angel.”
“There's only one thing I know for certain anymore." He turned, his eyes a clear black. "That I would do anything for you, even if it means going against my instincts or my very nature. I would lay down everything I possess, even my soul, for you. If that isn't love, it's the best I have.”
“This isn't your fight, Patch," I said quietly.
His eyes burned with an intensity I'd never seen before. "You're mine, Angel, and don't you forget it. Your fights are my fights. What if something had happened today? It was bad enough when I thought your ghost was haunting me; I don't think I could handle the real thing.”
“Right now, I had everything I could ask for. It wasn't a long list, but it was a very satisfying one, starting with the love of my life back in my arms.”
“I'm not the distraction in the room."
"Oh? And what might be?”
“I remembered the fox. One runs the risk of crying a bit if one allows oneself to be tamed.”
“Why are you still smiling? You’re supposed to fear my mighty wrath.”
“So it is that we can seldom help anybody. Either we don't know what part to give or maybe we don't like to give any part of ourselves. Then, more often than not, the part that is needed is not wanted. And even more often, we do not have the part that is needed.”
“Hello,’ I say. My voice sounds high and squeaky. I try a lower register. ‘Hello.’
Woah. Too low.
‘Hello.’ Third time’s a charm.
They’re already chuckling. I’ve barely even said anything. High school is the worst.”
“Well, well—be careful of what questions you ask, for fear of what answers you may receive.”
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