The Reluctant Romantics Box Set (The Fall, The Mind, The Heart)

“Well, that sooo did not go how I pictured it,” she said. With tears in her eyes, we exited the dark space and stepped into the bedroom.

“That was fucking ridiculous and dangerous,” I scorned, shaking my head, unable to hide my chuckle. “What the hell were you thinking?” I grabbed her hands, which were cut pretty badly and walked over to get a cold washcloth. I wiped them clean and started to work out a splinter in her palm.

“I came here,” she said, her voice now shaking with nervousness. Her jade eyes were shimmering with emotion, and I stilled my hand. “I came here to tell you I love you too, always have.”

I smiled. “I know.” Elation seeped through my every pore as her face fell into a frown.

She shot up out of the bed, yanking her hand away and pointing at the window. “I damn near bit the pavement out there and all you have to say is I know?” She now had her torn up hands on the hips of her yoga pants, pants I had repeatedly told her I despised. The attire typical for Texas this time of year and her hair was a misted mess from the threat of rain. She’d never looked more beautiful.

“Sè cuando le estoy hablando a mi otra mitad. Siempre lo he sabido. Mi amor”

“Dean Jeffrey Martin, I don’t speak Spanish!” she said in a harsh whisper.

“I know,” I said mischievously as I joined her at the window. I reached in and tasted her lips, all the protest slipping from her as I repeated what I’d just said so she understood. “I know when I’m speaking to the other half of me. I’ve always known, my love.”

There was a whoosh of air as her lips puffed out. “That night I—” I pressed my finger to her lips.

I knew what she was asking about. She was wondering what I said the night of Reiner’s party. “It was more of the same.”

She suddenly looked guilty and I refused to entertain it. As far as I was concerned, she was always mine. “Dean,” she offered but I silenced her with my kiss and took her to my bed where I took her twice, saying words she couldn’t translate and making her understand them, anyway.

Dallas

Now

I woke up with a headache I would classify as terminal. I had a water bottle in my hand and once the contents had been drained, I looked over to my right to see Josh sleeping peacefully. I stumbled from his bed, desperately seeking to fill the bottle and only made it as far as the bathroom and stubbed my toe on his cabinet door.

“Son of a bitch!” I declared to the cabinet as I pushed through the pain and put my bottle under the faucet for a refill. I was downing my third bottle when Josh came in and stood in the doorway, reaching up to brace himself on the frame.

“Nice,” he said, chuckling as he watched me struggle with my jeans, my bare ass to him.

“How could you let me drink that much? No, no, it’s my fault,” I said, barely able to get the words out. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Do you still like me?” I said, barely able to look at him.

“I won’t bother with a play-by-play, but you were the worst case scenario. Seriously, woman, you cannot handle your alcohol. And you made me plug in your phone and blare old school Snoop Dog the entire way home.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, my God,” I said, burying my head in my hands.

“You also ate an entire box of Captain Crunch and forced me to watch The Notebook,” he said, his smile faltering. “That was unforgivable.”

“Oh, shit, Josh. Really—”

“No, no, you can’t take it back, Dallas.” He chuckled. “And I won’t forget it.”

“Great, I thought you said you weren’t going to give me a play-by-play.”

“I lied. Kinda like you did…Dally,” he said, his tone changing. I looked up to see him turn and walk out of the bathroom. He must have heard Dean call me Dally.

Shit. Well, if the hangover doesn’t kill me, guilt might. I should just convert to Catholicism.

“Josh, look,” I started, seeing him crawl back in bed.

“Who is he to you?” he asked, leaning back and clasping his hands behind his head.

“My past. Just some guy from my past and nothing more.”