“No.”
“Why not?” she demanded.
“Because you’d have to mark every square inch of me,” he said.
Flash stared at him through narrowed eyes.
“Challenge accepted.”
Flash jumped on top of him and started biting.
* * *
IAN WOKE UP around midnight and instinctively reached over to Flash’s side of the bed. It was empty.
“Fuck.”
“Already?”
Ian smiled and sat up. Flash stood in the doorway to his bedroom.
“Where’d you go?” he asked. She was fully dressed—jeans, boots, coat, everything.
“Nowhere. Yet.”
“Are you leaving?”
“We are,” she said. “Get up and get dressed.”
Ian eyed her suspiciously.
“Where are you taking me?”
“You’ll see,” she said. “I think you’ll like it.”
“I don’t know about this.” Ian threw the covers off him and started gathering his clothes. “It’s midnight and you’re being mysterious. This is the beginning of a horror film.”
“It is.”
“I knew it. You’re going to murder me and dismember my body, aren’t you?”
“Would I do something like that?” she asked.
“Probably,” Ian said.
“You may have a point there.” She walked over to the bed while he was tugging his socks on. She bent and kissed him on the mouth. “I promise, I’m not going to murder you and dismember your body tonight. Now hurry up. I’ll meet you downstairs.”
“Thank you. Wait. What do you mean you won’t murder me ‘tonight?’” he called out as she walked out of the room. “Does that mean you won’t murder me ever or you just won’t murder me tonight?”
Flash didn’t answer.
He finished dressing and went downstairs. She handed him his heavy winter coat and gloves.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?” He pulled on his gloves while she yanked her red wool toque down over her ears.
“Out,” she said. “Out there.” Flash pointed at the patio door.
“Into the woods?” Ian pulled his gray beanie on and down over his ears.