The Love I Need

Chapter 89

Saturday becomes another mindless day in front of the TV. Only this time, April made arrangements for Emily to spend the day at her friend Vera's, so we're not limited to kid shows and Disney.

Cal was reluctant to let her go but now that a few hours have passed and we're four episodes deep in a marathon of The Walking Dead, he seems okay with it.

It's a bit of an odd show to watch, with all the dying and sadness, when you're reeling from the death of a friend but there's no one overdosing, so at least there's that.

All three of them have checked in with me at some point, asking if I want to talk or if I need anything, but I don't want to do anything but sit and be with them. Theo and Cal spent some time talking in the backyard. They're in agreement that they're both overdue for an AA meeting but I have my suspicions that Theo won't go until I schedule myself a therapy appointment at a correlating time. He hardly lets me go to the bathroom without following after me.

We take a break from the marathon to eat some of the leftover pizza from last night. I don't have much of an appetite but I know it will worry Theo if I don't eat so I force down a slice.

Once I've placed the last bite in my mouth, Theo puts another slice on my plate. He continues talking to April about a particular intense moment from the show, so he completely misses the glare I give him. At least, that's how it seems at first until he places a hand on my thigh and then slips it down to give my knee a soft squeeze.

His silent insistence to eat more is understood but my stomach doesn't want to cooperate. It's not like I've done anything but sit around for the past thirty-six hours. Even on a normal day, I don't think I'd want another slice.

I reach for his wrist and pull back on his hand, slowly moving it from my knee further and further up my thigh. When his fingers reach the zipper of my jeans he shakes his wrist free and quickly pulls his hand back as if he's just been burned.

"Y-yeah, that was crazy," he replies to April about whatever scene she's talking about—I haven't been paying attention and I don't think Theo was at the end either—and then he takes a long drink from his glass of water. "You guys ready for the next episode?" He stands from his chair and picks up my plate to stack it on top of his, then picks up my untouched slice of pizza to take a bite.

When we're back in the living room, Cal sits in the recliner and pulls up the footrest. He leans forward to catch April around the waist and pulls her into his lap while Theo and I take a seat on the couch.

"Just wait until you see what happens next," Cal warns when Theo presses the play button on the remote. April elbows his side and tells him to stay quiet and Cal insists, "I'm not going to give away any spoilers. How about that surround sound, by the way? Feels like a frickin movie theatre in here."

Theo's arm comes up along the back of the couch behind my head. "It sounds great," he agrees. He toys with a strand of my hair before leaning closer and saying softly, "Don't mess with me, Princess. My control is dangerously close to slipping."

I tilt my head to the side to feel his beard tickle against my cheek and ask under my breath, "Promise?"

His chin rubs against my cheek and then his nose brushes against my temple and into my hair. He breathes in deeply. "Didn't I tell you before that I avoid bad girls? You'll be good, won't you? You're my good girl, after all. You'll like what I can do for my good girl... when the time is right."

Something mixed between a gasp and a whimper comes out of me. I glance at Cal and April but they're completely oblivious. Thank goodness for Cal's movie theatre sound set up.

Theo chuckles, and I whip my head back around to give him a dirty look for torturing me so deliciously. When he grins smugly in response, I sit up straighter and give his chest a shove, which only makes him chuckle louder.