Eden gouged her heel into the soft instep of her left foot. The pain momentarily revived her.

“This is so sad,” Naj murmured.

“Of course it’s sad. It’s French.”

Eden yawned, fighting the weights on her eyelids. How much time was left in this movie? With her luck, an hour at least. “I’m going to the bathroom.”

Naj frowned. “You just went.”

“It’s the soda.”

“You don’t drink soda.”

The girl was relentless. “I snuck some at home.”

Popcorn crunched under Eden’s feet as she stumbled past dirty looks and audible sighs of disgust. She cringed. Was she the only one who thought the film stank? She’d have to come up with a funny way to describe the experience, or her YouTube viewers would find something else to watch.

Reaching the aisle, she ducked her head and hurried for the door.

Safely in the lobby, she made for the first available bench and plunked down with a sigh of relief. How long could she stay out here? Five minutes? Ten would be pushing it.

The girl who sold her the ticket now swept the floor with an impossibly small…what? It didn’t have a motor, but when she passed the thing over a scrap of popcorn, it disappeared. Hmmmm. The girl caught her eye and smirked. “Guess you’re not a fan of foreign films?”

Scrunching her shoulders, Eden winced. “I tried to like it.”

“Well, don’t feel bad,” she said, pushing the broom thingy past her. “You couldn’t pay me to go in there.”

Eden’s phone buzzed against her skin, and she pulled it out of her bra.

Mom.

Again.

Don’t use the theater bathroom, read the text.

What was she supposed to do—pee herself?

“So you like foreign movies.”

Startled, Eden flashed her gaze upward. Darak stood over her, humor tipping the corners of his mouth. Her insides tingled in remembered pleasure, and she blushed. “What are you doing here?”

He lifted his chin, indicating the theater. “Seeing the movie.”

Duh. “I thought you were just passing through.”

“My meeting isn’t until Monday. I’m passing time.”

“So you came here.” Eden half laughed. “You must be pretty hard up.”

He frowned. “Hard up?”

“That movie sucks. Bad.”

“I thought it was just me,” he said, moving closer and causing the flutter in her stomach to escape into her chest.

“Naj is still in there. I think she actually likes it.” Eden shook her head. “Kind of made me want to jump off a cliff.”

“You said you wanted an adventure.”

“Hmmm. Maybe you’re on to something. I’ll have to move BASE jumping higher on my list.”

“List?”

“Bucket list. Seeing a foreign movie was number forty-one on mine. Such a waste of space.”

“What’s a bucket list?”

“You know. A list of a hundred things you want to do before you die.”

“Kind of morbid, don’t you think?”

“Everyone should have goals.” She shifted uncomfortably. “If I’m not happy after this one, I can always revise it.”

“What’s next on your list?”

“Not sure. I’m not going in any order.” The guy smelled buttery and delicious, or maybe that was the popcorn at the concession stand.

“Huh.” He nodded, seeming to mull that over. “Was I on it?”

She looked him up and down and huffed a laugh. “You’re kidding, right? I’m nowhere near that creative.”

He smiled, his chest expanding. “I was pretty good.”

“Whatever.” If she blushed any harder, her head would explode.

“Admit it. I made you come.”

“Darak!” Hunching her shoulders, she glanced around to see if anyone had heard him.

He snickered, and Eden wanted to kick him so badly that her foot twitched.

“What’s wrong with you? Go home.” But just him being there made her glow like moonlight and candles.

He leaned against the wall beside her and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m sorry about what I said the other night.”

“What do you mean?” Please don’t talk about coming.

“About other guys. Thinking about you with anyone else made me uncomfortable. Not that I thought you’d actually do it,” he rushed to add.

Eden’s toes pointed. He was jealous? “Whatever. Forget about it.”

“I mean, I…” He scratched the back of his head. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

She stared at him, her back rigid as a ruler as ecstasy bubbled up her spine. “Why?”

He shifted onto his other foot, his hands in his pockets. If he weren’t so stunning in every possible way, she would have thought he was nervous. He pulled in a breath and held it. “Want to go zip lining?” he burst out. “I looked it up. Bristol Mountain is supposed to have a decent one.”

Bristol Mountain? “I can’t. That’s like a hundred miles from here.”

“Seventy-five. Why not?”

“Because…because…” Her phone pinged. Mom again. Eden blew out a breath. She was sick of stuffing surprise notes in library books and calling it a life goal. Darak was hot, and he knew nothing about the sick Eden, the Eden that needed to be swaddled in silk padding. She was fine now, dang it. Why not escape, if only for a little while? “You know what? I will.”

“Excellent! Just give me your address and I’ll pick you up.”

“Ha! My parents would take one look at you and lock me in my tiny little apartment over their garage.” She’d have to come up with a better way.

“Seriously? You live over the garage? I thought that was just something people did in fiction.”

“Honestly, it was as far away as they’d let me go.”

“Why do you let them manage you like that?”

“They have their reasons.”

His look questioned her.

“Are you going to make me talk about depressing stuff? Because if you are, you can forget about tomorrow.”

He held his hands up. “I like happy.”

“Good.” She held out her hand. “Gimme your phone.”

“Why?”

“So I can give you my digits.”

“What digits?”

“Where are you from? Atlantis? My phone number, silly.”

He shifted uncomfortably. “It’s in my vehicle.”

“Then how are we supposed to…”

“I can meet you somewhere, say around ten in the morning.”

“Make it eleven. I’ll be outside Rite Aid at the Cayuga Mall.” She’d take an Uber if she had to.

“Where’s that?”

“Look it up on your phone.”

“Will do, little virgin,” he said before turning to leave.

Eden cringed.

He tossed a wicked smile over his shoulder as he sauntered out the door, and her stomach practically vibrated. A date! What was she thinking? He probably just thought she was an easy lay.

Dang. What if he wanted to do it again? Her insides flexed and quivered at the thought.

Another thought struck her, more horrible than the first. This was, like, a real date. What the heck could she possibly wear that would impress him?