Out of the Woods | ✓

13 | can you love a fool?

Watching a movie with Miles and Dayna evidently meant that Miles and Jensen were watching a second movie that Dayna had picked even though she fell asleep about a quarter of a way through it. She had decidedly placed a pillow on Miles about ten minutes into the movie, which Miles had given a questioning look but ultimately didn't say anything about, and it hadn't taken long after for her to be sprawled across him fast asleep.

            "Do you even want to watch this?" Miles asked softly, breaking a comfortable silence.

            When Jensen looked over at Miles, he was leaned on one of his fists, elbow on the back of his couch.

"I—uh." Jensen looked back at the screen, seeing Gwyneth Paltrow with a beard poorly glued to her face. "I mean I've seen it before."

            "I feel like there's a but coming."

            "But I haven't really been paying attention."

            "Do you know the part?" Miles asked in a decent British accent.

            "Every word," Jensen said in an equally decent British accent.

            Miles smiled. He had two different smiles, Jensen had noticed. There was the one the world knew—all teeth and lips that were stretched too wide. The kind that landed magazine covers and showed up when photographers said 'smile!' Then there was this one. Crinkles around his steel blue eyes, dimples beside his lips. More relaxed than the Miles Fox trademark smile that landed itself on red carpets.

            Jensen needed to stop staring at him. "Can... Why birds? For your..." Jensen ran her fingertips along her collarbone. She quickly shook her head and dropped her hand. "Actually, you don't have to tell me. It's probably personal."

            "You're allowed to ask questions," Miles said. He cleared his throat. Quietly, so that he didn't wake up Dayna. "I... I got them when I was seventeen when I got my first DUI. After a night in jail, I skipped school. Went to the parlour." Miles tugged at the collar of his shirt to reveal the tattoo again. "Hour or so later, birds." He shrugged as he let go of his shirt. "Liked the artist so much, I made a special trip home from NYU when I was twenty to get another one. After a couple nights in jail from... from, you know, another DUI. "

            "Can I see the second one?"

            "Are you asking me to drop my pants, Rhodes?"

            "I—What? No." Jensen felt her cheeks heat up. "I—No."

            Miles covered his mouth to fight his laughter. "You know." He let out a small snort to keep from laughing. "I know you don't know where it is, but the more you deny it, the more I think you read it somewhere and want me to drop my pants."

            "I—" Jensen dragged her hand down her face. "Please don't drop your pants."

            "Was my tattoo in Men's Health? Is that where you found out?"

            "Oh, God," Jensen said. "Miles—"

            "I'm kidding, Rhodes." Miles laughed. "I have a few roses on my thigh. Thought a bigger piece might convince me to... to, you know, stop getting DUIs."

            Jensen swallowed hard. "And... did it?"

            Miles bit his lip and looked down at Dayna for a moment. "I mean, I haven't had a DUI since the second time. So, I mostly think that's a win."

            Jensen shifted in her seat. Trying to find something to do with her hands, she twisted the stud in her nose.

            "Do you..." Miles started. He pressed his lips together again. "Have any tattoos?"