Gargoyle: Kinswoman

Part 7

He would do everything she said – as if! She was quite tempted to see just how far Bascun would go with his blatant lie, the knowledge of it filling her belly with warmth. She couldn't remember a single dog to be as loyal and now he, a grown up man with mind of his own was giving her such lies? Sit? Dance? Hop on one leg like the bride in that movie about a prince from Zamunda visiting America?

She was still staring, she realized, when she noticed him shifting his weight from one leg to another. Then her attention went on the old woman sleeping on the chair not far from where they stood and her libido took a dive. Veronica sighed.

"Sit." She ordered and decided if that's the liberty she was given over his actions, then she might as well put them in good use. She turned to search for the small basket she knew to be nearby that consisted the area maps. There had been times she and Robert had been a happy couple and they'd traveled a lot. Many of the maps from back then ended up at Isilia's place when they came to visit and tell her all about their conquests. Except the more personal type.

Bascun stared at her, dumbfounded, but moment later he knelt and really... sat... on the floor...

She burst out laughing, seeing him there in the perfect stance she'd seen in magazines – sitting on his heels, knees bent outwards, his back straight with his wings sprawled out behind him and his hands clasped behind his back, looking up at her with a blank look, as if he was confused what exactly she wanted. As was she as she stared at his perfect posture and magnificent body which his thin shirt clung to and the thighs that stretched his cargo pants all in the right places. She gulped, when she realized her mouth had gone dry and the heat in her body wasn't coming from an outer source.

She clutched the small basket tighter against her chest, when she took the wobbly step closer and bent to his face. God, she wanted to reward him with a kiss for offering her such gift while he had no idea, who she was. And wasn't that just reckless? She watched his own chin rise and meet her half way, as far as he could push without leaving his position, but right before their lips met, he turned his head and she only managed a quick peck on the corner of his eye.

She straightened, confused.

"We don't kiss on the mouth," he whispered hoarsely, a tremor of fear breaking his words, "sorry."

"Oh." She frowned, but she didn't think it was something he should be afraid to say, especially if he was in such games. Then again, maybe that's what got him scared. "Is it your personal rule?" She asked quietly, deciding it served no purpose to hide now.

He shook his head. "We kiss nobody on the mouth unless we are committed."

That seemed fair. Probably something related to their physiology then, she concluded, thinking on the peculiar ways some animals behaved and she realized she couldn't be mad at him for something so trivia. She giggled – mad at him? Not mad? Hadn't the boy offered her this in the first place, they wouldn't even be discussing this!

"It's too soon." She sighed, and beckoned him to get up. With regret roaming in her body, she watched him follow her command and she pointed at the chair by the kitchen table. But she couldn't help but feel lighter. It had uncoiled some of her problems that seemed to weight down on her since Selene disappeared and it had been too long since she felt calm and happy. She listened him getting up and decided not to focus on it.

"I thought we could check over some of the maps here, perhaps you can recognize some of the places. Or if you have a locator or something that helps you find them, then we can compare notes. Or if you tell me what we're looking for," she shrugged nonchalantly, but he got the message. He had to explain, what it was he exactly wanted or they would be in a dead end, was the message.