She leans her forehead against my chest for a moment and then looks up again. "Okay, you're right. I'll try not to do it. I definitely won't move out—I can promise you that. This is just hard, ya know? It hurts hearing that you don't like me in that way. That's not exactly what I was hoping for in a husband."
"Do you think I liked hearing that you don't like the way I look? I have feelings too. I may joke and be sarcastic a lot, but I still was hoping that whoever I ended up with wouldn't be repulsed by me."
Her hands clutch the scarf that's still draped around my neck. "I'm sorry." Her voice is soft, almost inaudible. "And I'm not repulsed by you."
"You could prove it by giving me a kiss. Maybe." I move my hand to her chin and gently lift her head up. "You might actually like it."
"Close your eyes," she says. "I can't do it if you're looking at me like that."
"Are you twelve? Stop stalling and put your lips on me like you own me."
I close my eyes and wait. A few seconds go by and I feel her go up on her tiptoes. Her lips touch mine quickly, then they're gone.
My eyes fly open. "What the hell was that?"
"A kiss."
I laugh in her face. "That was not a kiss."
"Yeah, it was. Don't laugh at me."
"That was supposed to prove to me that you're not repulsed by me? If anything that proves you are."
"Talon, I am not. Not at all. I'm just kinda…shy, I guess. And not used to kissing on demand." Her eyes lower again, like she's afraid to make eye contact with me for too long.
And then it hits me. It's not that she's not attracted to me. It’s that she's too attracted to me and it's freaking her out. She's a jittery, nervous mess around me.
This changes everything.
This, I can have even more fun with.
* * *
"So, what do you want to do now?" I ask her as we're strolling back to the guesthouse after having dinner with Gram.
"Hmmm…" She ponders. "Anything?"