'Tis confusion!

Back to the mall.

As we drove back to the mall, I was still trying to convince myself this wasn't some elaborate dream. I pulled out my phone, went to Q's Facebook, and checked the photo he'd posted of the two of us, which by now had over two thousand likes. I took a screenshot of the picture, then uploaded it to my page and made it my profile pic. Once that was done, I went back to Q's page and poked around a bit. His most recent status read ' my body aches to breathe your breath, your words keep me alive <3'

I set my phone in my lap and stole a glance over at Q. He was drumming his fingertips on the steering wheel gently, softly humming a song. I listened for a moment, immediately recognized the tune, and began singing along softly. " When you hide, hide inside that body, just remember that, when I touch you, the more you shake...the more you give away..." Q broke into a grin. "You have a wonderful singing voice." I blushed. "Stop making me do that. I can feel the fire on my face." He laughed. "I'm serious." He reached over and brushed my arms. I felt goosebumps. He laughed again. "I'm sorry. I just love seeing the effect I have on you." I responded to that by scratching my nails softly down his thigh, then followed that up with a firm squeeze. I saw goosebumps rise on his bare arms. "Hey now," he said.

"You started it."

"I did, didn't I? I'll have to remember to finish it later."

"Horndog."

"Don't act like you don't like it," he teased. We pulled into the mall parking lot. "So, car first, or caffeine?"

"What do you think?"

"Caffeine?"

"Absolutely." We got out of the car, and I immediately started to shiver. It felt fifteen degrees colder than it had at the theater. Q glanced at me. "Hang on a second." He grabbed his hoodie from the backseat and passed it to me. It was the same one from the Zingy's run the previous night, so it smelled slightly of fried chicken. I giggled as I pulled it on. "I feel like wearing this will get me followed by hungry cats by the end of the night." 

Q laughed. "Well, you do smell pretty delicious."

I laughed. "Eh, well, at least I don't smell like a big piece of popcorn."

"Yeah, just like a big hot wing instead." Q wrapped his arms around me and nibbled my earlobe. "I could just eat you up right here," he teased.

"But then who would be your cuddle buddy?"

"Sal, duh." Q grinned and gestured towards the double doors ahead of us. "Shall we?"

"We shall." In we walked.

The mall was, inexplicably, even colder than outside. "It's gotta be sixty degrees out, and they have the ac on?" Q shook his head. "I know, it's crazy. Probably to keep the ice rink from melting." I laughed. "I bet that's it." Q wrapped his arm around me and pulled me closer to him. We headed to Starbucks and got caramel iced coffees. (of course. ) Q insisted on paying, yet again. 

"If you keep hanging out with me, you'll be broke by the end of the week," I informed him. "I don't want you to think of me as some sort of freeloader or something."

"Not my thinking at all," Q told me. "I just like doing nice things for nice people."

I jabbed him playfully with my elbow. "That's why you're sleeping with me, isn't it?" He scratched his beard. "Ah, yes. The mystery has been solved." He grabbed my hand. "Where to next? Ready to get your car and head on out?" 

"Sure."

"You have any plans for tonight?" Q asked me.

"None...You?" I asked.

"I might have something in the works...it does involve you, however. That's why I asked what you had going on."

"Brian, for you, I'd postpone a lot of things." I told him. "I can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve." We were back in the parking lot now. I led him to my car. "I guess I'll go home and veg for a bit until you're ready for me?"

Q nodded. "Perfect. Shouldn't be too long. I'd say nine o'clock. I'll text ya?"

I nodded. Q smiled, then pressed me up against the side of my car and delivered a long, slow kiss. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around his waist, savoring the feel of his lips against mine. He pulled back teasingly. "That's enough of that for now. I promise, you'll get some more later. But I do have to run." I nodded. "That's fine. I'll see ya later. Thanks for the lift back to my car." He smiled. "Don't mention it." He gave me one final kiss on the head, then headed to his car and drove away. With an ear to ear smile on my face, I did the same. All the way home I replayed the events of the last few days in my head. My entire world had been turned upside down, in the best way possible. I didn't stop smiling the entire way home.