Page 29 of Gatsby's Starlet
“That you’ve got better taste than most people I know.”
That caught her off guard.
“Most people think it’s slow,” she said, quieter now.
“Most people are impatient.”
She tilted her head, studying me. “You’ve seen it more than once.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because you didn’t hesitate.” A small smile tugged at her mouth. “You knew what was talking about.”
I let out a breath that almost passed for a laugh. “Fair.”
She turned before I could say anything else, sliding the disc into the player like she didn’t want to linger on it too long. “Well… do you wanna watch it?”
I leaned back against the couch. “I’d watch anything with you.”
She glanced at me over her shoulder, something curious flickering there before she turned back to the screen.
A few minutes later we were on the couch, the soft flicker of black and white filling the room, and the movie started to fade into the background faster than it probably should have.
Evie shifted beside me, tucking her feet beneath herself, the quilt sliding slightly as she leaned back into the cushions.
“It’s better like this,” she said quietly after a minute.
I glanced over. “Like what?”
“Not having to explain why it matters,” she murmured, gesturing lightly toward the screen. “Watching it with someone who appreciates it.”
The movie kept playing, but it wasn’t the point anymore. It was the quiet. The shared space. The way neither of us felt the need to fill it. And then my attention drifted.
Not away.
Just… toward her.
The way she leaned into the corner of the couch. The quiet sound of her breathing. The faint scent of whatever she used when she shifted just a little closer beside me.
Eventually, she caught me. “You’re not watching the movie.”
“I am.”
“You’re not.”
I exhaled. “Alright. Maybe a little.”
Her smile softened. “Well… I’ll try not to overwhelm you.”
“Think I’m already in trouble.”
That earned me a look. We held each other’s gaze a second longer than we probably meant to. Something shifted.
“You know,” she said quietly, “for someone who spends his time around motorcycles and danger… you’re surprisingly calm.”
I tilted my head. “You saying bikers are usually worse company?”
“I’m saying,” she replied with a small smile, “I expected you to be a little more rough and intimidating.”
