evie

“Do you have to work the whole week I’m home?” I ask, pulling his eyes down to where I’m stretched out, head in his lap as he sips his beer in front of the television.

I’m comfortable, but restless.

Most people don’t mind that feeling, but I personally have always hated it.

“Kind of. I don’t have to go into the garage, but I’ve still gotta go in for my shifts at the bar,” he sighs, his thumb brushing over my stomach. “Why?”

“Just curious,” I shrug. “Was there anything you wanted to do while I’m here?”

“I guess I hadn’t really thought about it,” he admits. “I figured we’d just hang out here.”

“Oh…”

“What?” he glances down at me.

“Nothing,” I stifle an eye roll as I glance up at him from my spot on the couch, unable to keep from shaking my head and let out a long, low sigh.

I should just go to bed, I think as I check the screen on my phone. When I see the time, I can’t help but let out the low breath that comes from that sore spot between boredom and resignation.

“So, this is what rock bottom looks like, huh?” I deadpan, pulling his eyes to mine as he takes a long sip from his beer.

“What are you talking about?” he asks, his eyebrows quirked together at my theatrics.

“Ten fifteen on a Friday night and we’re already packin’ it in,” I shake my head. “Could we be more pathetic?”

“I believe you can do anything you set your mind to, baby,” he smirks down at me, barking out a laugh when I smack him playfully. “Well, what do you want to do?”

“I don’t know,” I shrug, sitting up and twisting to face him. “What do you wanna do?”

“I’m fine doing this, baby.”

“Really?” I ask, unable to keep the judgement from my gaze.

“Yeah,” he says, smirking again when he sees my look of disgust.

“So, that’s it?” I deflate. “You just wanna rot on the couch all week?”

“Well, what do you want to do?”

“Something… anything,” I admit. “We’ve been cooped up in the apartment since I got here, babe. I’m so bored, I’m on the verge of insanity.”

“Hate to tell ya, sweetheart, but that ship sailed long before you walked into my apartment,” he chuckles, shielding himself from another light smack. “Well, baby, gimme a direction. I asked if you wanted to do something when I got home and you told me no.”

“That’s not what I said,” I shake my head. “I said we had to be careful because Mason knows everyone and someone might see us and tell him we were together. I never said I didn’t want to do anything.”

“Okay, so you’re afraid to leave on the off chance that someone tells Mason, who I might add is at work and only hangs out with me and your mother,” he laughs. “You don’t want to hang out here, but you have no other suggestions and this is somehow all my fault?”

His eyes narrow in question at the same time I roll mine and stare up at the ceiling in defeat.

“Forget it,” I shake my head, lifting myself from the couch. “I don’t even care anymore.”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to bed.”

dash

“Evie…”

“It’s fine,” she cuts me off, making her way to the fridge for a bottle of water before she returns her eyes to mine with another sigh. “Seriously, it’s not a big deal.”

“Obviously it is,” I argue. “I left work early so I could hang out with you and instead, you’re getting all pissy and going to bed mad.”

“No, I’m not,” she says low as she shakes her head, making me arch an eyebrow. “I’m not mad, Dash. I promise.”

“Well, what are you then?” I ask, standing and joining her in the kitchen, reaching for a beer before leaning against the counter across from her. “You’re definitely something.”

“No, I’m not,” she lies, resting her head against the wall beside her. “I’m not anything.”

“Evie,” I start, holding her eyes. “Don’t lie to me and piss us both off, babe. Just say what you’ve got to say.”

“There’s nothing to say,” she shrugs. I watch her chew on her lip, not sure if she should say what she’s thinking before her blue eyes flash to mine for only a second, quickly moving back to where she’s fidgeting with the label on the water bottle. “I mean, I guess I just thought we’d have a little longer…”

“Longer? Longer for what? What’s that mean?”

“Nothing. It’s stup-”

“I don’t care if you think it’s stupid. Just tell me,” I cut her off, not just over this game, but eager to know what’s bothering her so suddenly.

She studies my features, biting on her thumbnail nervously before rolling her eyes and releasing a sigh.

“Before this,” she gestures around us to the quiet apartment. “I know it’s stupid, but I guess I just thought when we decided we were together, even though we’ve known each other most our lives, we’d still get that sweet spot, ya know?” she finally admits. “That couple of months when everything’s all crazy and intense. When it’s all new and you do crazy shit together and you’re so enraptured with each other that you’re all mushy and annoying and completely obnoxious, but in a sweet way because it’s exciting,” she continues, the small smile fading from her lips as she releases a sigh. “And I mean, I guess we had that. We do have that, Dash. I feel all those things for you and I know you feel them, too…” she trails off, shaking her head.

“But?”

“No buts,” she whispers, swallowing hard and glancing down at her hands. “I really am okay with it. Surprised a little, but it is what it is. We know how we feel and that’s really all that matters. We’ve known each other a really long time, most of my life and half of yours,” she reasons. “So of course it’s going to be different and different is good. We’re comfortable, secure, happy… all the things everyone wants,” she meets my eyes, making it impossible to miss the disappointment she’s trying so desperately to hide. “I just… I think I expected that other part would last a little while… be something big and… I don’t know, a little bit crazy.”

“Evie,” I start, but everything she’s said has taken the words from my lips and tossed them to the side. I reach for her, but she turns away and takes a step toward the hallway that will take her to my bedroom.

“I really am pretty tired,” she says as I meet her gaze just in time for her to swallow the emotion she’s fighting back. When she glances back at me, she’s wearing a small smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “If it’s alright, I think I’m gonna go to bed.”

“Of course. I mean, if that’s what you want,” I nod, bending to press my lips to hers and hating when she pulls away before I’m ready.

“Goodnight Dash,” she whispers, turning quickly to make her way down the hallway.

“Night.”

evie

“Baby, get out of bed.”

“What?” I ask, slightly disoriented as I glance up at where he’s standing over me. It doesn’t feel like I’ve been in here long, the promise of sleep only moments away when he’d woken me. “What time is it?”

“Time for you to get up,” he says, gently pulling the covers from my legs and reaching for me. “Come with me.”

In the next movement he pulls me up, resting his hand on my waist to steady me when I stumble in the darkness of his bedroom. I taste his breath on mine, the warmth of his chest helping me gain focus as my eyes begin to adjust and I see him as clearly as the night will allow. He stares down at me for a moment before his fingers entwine with mine and he gently tugs me down the hallway behind him.

“Dash,” I start, squinting and rubbing my eyes clear as the light hits me and we cross the living room. He pulls the sliding glass door open that leads to the balcony. “Baby, why are we going outside? I’m in my underwear.”

“I won’t let anyone see,” he promises as we step out onto the porch, the lights from the city twinkling in the distance. “But it’s midnight on a Friday night,” he says low. “And even though you don’t want to risk going out, you still deserve to be annoying,” he smirks as he glances over his shoulder at me. “You have been working toward it your entire life.”

His sarcastic jab makes me chuckle for a second before I meet his eyes in the darkness, still dancing in amusement at his own cleverness.

“I appreciate what you’re trying to do,” I start, biting down on my lower lip as I stare up at him. “But I told you I was fine.”

“I know, but you’re always whining about how I don’t listen to you,” he teases as he pulls me close, pressing his lips to my forehead as he rests his hands low on my waist as mine find their way to his chest. “I’ve gotta prove you wrong somehow, don’t I?”

“Nice,” I smirk at his quiet chuckle.

“Besides, what you said got me thinking,” he admits, glancing back out into the night before he returns his eyes to mine. “I kind of like the idea of being obnoxious with you.”

Glancing up as he pulls away and finds my gaze, he lifts one hand from my waist, gently taking my hand in his and returning it to his chest. The other stays in place on my hip, his palm slipping under my soft cotton tank and gently brushing my waist.

The breeze finds me, sending a slight chill over my skin. When I release a silent shiver, he pulls me closer and I savor in the feel of him surrounding me. A gentle sigh is leaving me when a quiet, melodic hum begins to leave his chest. It’s something familiar I can’t put my finger on right away. However, when he begins singing in a low rasp, I can’t help but feel my breathing catch slightly in surprise.

He begins in a whisper, the lyrics of ‘Fire’ by Bruce Springsteen filling the night as I meet his green eyes. I’d never paid much attention to the words before, but as they spring from his lips, I hang on each and every one.

I’m sure somehow, it was written just for this moment.

“Dash,” I manage, swallowing the lump of emotion in my throat. “What are you doing?”

“Something big… a little bit crazy,” he husks, pulling away and gently turning me in place before bringing him back to his chest and holding me closer, even tighter than before. “I might not always know what I’m doing, but if you think I’m not enraptured by you, you really are insane, Evie.”