That was good. “Does he stay very long?”
One tap on my arm.
Fuck. I was hoping she would say the lights were on for a while, but I would have to take whatever bit of light he gave me so I could hopefully form a plan.
“When does he come?” That wasn’t a yes or no question.
“A-a-around no-o-on I thi-i-ink,” she stuttered.
“Sorry, babe,” I whispered. “I’ll try to stick to yes or no.”
“It’s okay,” she barely whispered.
“I’m trying to make you feel comfortable, Tess.” At least as much as I could in a pitch-dark basement.
She tapped me twice.
“Yes, you’re comfortable?”
She tapped twice again. “It’s less s-s-scary with y-y-you here.”
I grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. “The same goes for you, babe. If I was here alone, I would be completely fucked.”
She didn’t pull her hand from mine. “Every h-h-hero needs a s-s-s-stut-t-t-tering sidek-k-kick, huh?” Her hand tensed in mine.
That was the most she had spoken at one time. “I’m hardly a hero, babe.”
She shifted toward me, and her shoulder pressed against mine. “I t-t-think you’re mine.”
I hoped so.