Love and the Undead (gxg)

Chapter 12

I choke, so surprised that I drop the joint.

"Shit!" I exclaim.

Without hesitation, I jump down after it. I mean, there was like half a joint left; I don't play that wasteful crap. Even though it's not hard to find weed in abandoned houses nowadays, I'm still careful. I hit the ground with a dull thud and grab the joint up off the ground. Upon inspecting it, I see that there's nothing wrong with the thing except the cherry fell out so we'll have to re-light it. Now I look up at Iris, who is watching me mischievously. I stick my tongue out at her before placing the remains of the joint between my lips. I jump up to the branch and swing myself back over. Once I get comfortable, I grab my lighter from Iris's lap and re-light the joint. After I hit it, I hand it back to her and then bump her shoulder with mine.

"Definitely not firetruck."

She laughs, "I know, I just wanted to see you get embarrassed. It's very cute, because you usually look like such a hot hardass."

Then she realizes what she said and gives me a stern look. "You know what, you cheated."

I chuckle at her. Clearly the weed is doing it's job. "How's that?"

"You got me all high so that I'd tell you how I really feel about you." She hits the joint again and passes it back to me.

I freeze, sensing that what I say here could change anything.

"And how do you really feel about me?" I ask in a voice so low that it's almost a whisper.

She doesn't answer for so long that I think she's either so high that she forgot I asked a question or she's just plain refusing to answer. We pass the joint back and forth until it's so small we can barely hit it anymore.

Finally, she turns her head and looks me in the eye. "I feel a lot."

I raise my eyebrows, not really sure how to take that or how to respond. After a few seconds I decide to go with, "Is that a good thing?"

She sighs, turning away from me to look out over the lake. "I don't know."

"What do you mean? Talk to me, Iris."

Still avoiding my eyes she answers. "Fine. It's just that.." she pauses, and I decide that if she doesn't say anything this time then I won't push her. My intention has not, and will never be, to pressure her in any way. I want her to know, need her to know, that she is 100% safe with me.

She sets her jaw and then continues determinedly. "It's just that I've never done this before. I've never had romantic feelings for anyone. I've never been treated so nicely. I've never been so.." she sneaks a quick peek at me and then looks away again. "..sexually frustrated. I mean I just- I really want to be normal, you know? If someone else were in this situation they would just kiss you, and do the other-- they would do what they wanted to do. But I'm just so scared. I've never touched anyone really or been touched in any way that wasn't hurtful and I just don't know where to begin."

My mouth drops open, and I'm speechless. She wants to kiss me? And do "other stuff"??? The thought of her being scared to do anything with me makes me sad, so I try to reassure her.

"It's okay, I understand Iris. There's nothing to be afraid of, I'll prove it to you."

She looks at me with a sad smile and responds, "Thanks."

She looks down at my lips while I can't stop looking at her eyes. My mind is whirling, wondering what she's gonna do next. She looks back up and catches my eyes again before looking back down to my lips. She leans forward and then stops, pulling back again and sighing. She reaches a shaking hand out and rests her thumb gently on my bottom lip. My breath catches and I hold completely still, not wanting to make a move and ruin this moment.

"I really want..." She trails off.

Slowly, carefully, I reach up and grab her hand, kissing it like one might have done to a princess many years ago. I stay there for a few seconds, just breathing in the moment.

"What is it that you want?"

"You." comes her whispered reply.

Butterflies shoot through my stomach and settle warmly in my lower stomach at her words. I smile softly at her.

"I have an idea." I say.

- Next chapter soon -
Love,
Me