The Start of Time

Chapter 29

"Ouch!" I grumble under my breath when she yanks another hair out of my unruly eyebrow. "I know they're a mess, but please make sure you actually leave me with something. I'd look funny without my little caterpillars above my eyes."

"You're lucky thick eyebrows are back in." Stella giggles, plucking another hair so close to my eye that I swear it pulled my eyelid.

"I don't feel very lucky right now."

"Well, this mystery man you won't tell us about is going to feel very lucky." Gen sasses from her perch on the corner of my bed.

She's never been one to hold back what's on her mind, and not much slips by her. I still didn't expect her to be so blunt.

"Mystery man?" I force out a sarcastic laugh. "Where the hell did you get that idea from?"

"Why else would you get all dressed up on a Saturday?" Stella asks. "You're not hanging with us, and you're not going to a party or dinner with Kennedy, Declan, or us. Therefore, it's a date."

"Okay, and what if it is a date?"

"Then, we want to know all about him, and we want a play by play when it's over."

So demanding. She's almost as bad as Declan. Not that I can say much about being demanding after my little stunt yesterday.

"Gen, it's not that serious. I'm not even sure this is an actual date."

After spending months fighting feelings, we've pissed each other off, sported matching goofy grins, made each other jealous, kissed more times than we've watched movies (which is a lot), and hit the fucking home run. I'm the type of person who wouldn't even think about kissing a guy until the third date, and technically, we're not even dating at all.

"You're full of shit, and you know it. You're so happy that you've literally been glowing, and I'm pretty sure it's more than your cheap moisturizes."

"Yeah," Stella emphasizes softly. "Even Declan couldn't piss you off this week, and we all know how good he is at that."

Oh, Stella.

Poor, sweet, naive, unsuspecting Stella.

Of course he can't piss me off because he's the reason I'm smiling. He's also the reason desire pools deep within my core every time I think about tonight.

But Gen's constant inquiries about my deepest, darkest hidden secrets do a pretty sufficient job at dampening those feelings.

"At least tell us what he's like. You have to give me something. Literally anything."

No, because one wrong comment and you'll start your google search only to come up with Declan Ambrose Wilder as the answer.

"Okay, well. Let's see. He's a man. He's got really pretty eyes and a gorgeous smile. He has a good job and a good personality, too."

"Ah, let me guess," Gen says sarcastically. "He's got a dick, too."

"Yes. He does, in fact, have a penis."

"Give us something real." Stella whines. "Like what he really looks like or something he does that makes you smile."

"Okay, okay." I fill my lungs completely before sighing deeply. "If I must, I'll give you the disgusting romance stuff, okay. He makes me happy, and the way he says my name sometimes gives me butterflies. And he really does have the most gorgeous green eyes that stare deeply into mine just before our lips collide, but I don't kiss and tell."

"Aww, come on!"

"But he's also one of the only people who can frustrate the hell out of me and make me smile all at the same time, and even on bad days, I like who I am when we're together."