His Little Heir

Awkward Virgins

     He lingered in her doorway.

      Daya had mentioned she wanted to talk to him, but now, Leon's heart had made its way to his throat. She should be resting. Outside, though, the soft pitter patter of her feet met his ears.

     "Daya?

     She opened the door. Seeing her in pajamas was always a pleasant surprise, though, what she would select for the night wasn't as constant. Tonight, a sunny yellow, oversized top fell down to her knees and loose fitting shorts cuffed her waste.

     Daya's clothes reminded him of warm days in the summer. The lulling heat, ice pop kisses, lying skin to skin by the water, all of it played through her sleepy eyes.

      Leon would have to take her swimming one day. Maybe a poolside picnic would do them some good, married by then or not.

     "Hey."

     Leon leaned against the wall,"You sure you wanna do this now? You look a little tired."

     "I'm fine, can't sleep anyway." Daya let him in and shut the door, "I've got too much on my mind."

     She sat on the bed, taking a silk blanket around her. She patted the mattress indicating for him to sit.

     "Well, what is it?"

     "I'm worried about Austin. He hasn't answered my calls or anything, maybe I was too harsh?"

    
     Even gone, he was still putting her under stress. Just the sound of her ex's name made his body tense.

    
     Leon moved his hand to her back, "Daya, no. You made your choice, and he decided to be a brat about it rather than peacefully respect it. Screw him."

     "Maybe he's just stressed?"

     "You're stressed. If he cared about you, he would answer your calls because he knows that worrying... it isn't good for you right now."

     He watched the wheels turn within her. Daya looked at him, then to her phone, then back to him.

     "I-I guess I just feel guilty."

    "Why in the world would you feel guilty? You did what's best for your people, and he's throwing a tantrum about it. Not you."

     "Leon, it's... it's not that." She ran her fingers through her hair and twiddled her thumbs.

     "Then what is it, love?"

     Daya bit her lip, looking away from him. He hated watching her shy away like this. Leon wondered what it would be like to take a step inside her mind, what would he find there?

     "That. That right there."

     "What?"

     She rubbed her now clammy hands together, "Austin and I, well, we dated for four years, and even though I'm with you, he's still very special to me."

     "Is that all?"

      "No."

      Of course it couldn't be that easy. Leon searched her eyes for tears, and found nothing.

     
      He held her dangling hand and rubbed circles into it with his thumb. "Daya, you can tell me. I don't want any secrets between us."

      "I-I like you, a lot, but I'm just not used to this."

      "Austin never treated you like I do, huh?"