Page 23 of Rune
“Dinner,” Sofia called.
I heard her feet retreating, then picked myself up off the ground, went into the bathroom to press a cold washcloth to my eyes and cheeks, then made my way downstairs.
Sofia was already on the couch, a heaping bowl of pasta perched on her lap as she held a much smaller bowl of salad, eating while watching one of the nonsense reality TV shows we watched together.
I grabbed my own plate and sat down next to her.
She reached over, gave my knee a squeeze, but said nothing as she got back to eating.
I picked at my food as my mind kept flashing back to sitting on that very couch a few hours ago, to a strong arm anchored around me. And despite everything, how good it felt to be held. Even if, objectively, he was forcibly holding me in place.
My sister was right about me sucking at relationships. Even when I let myself get into one, I was so scared of being seen as clingy or needy that I never got what I needed out of them. Like being held and comforted when I was upset. Like being held… period. In my past interactions with men, any kind of physical affection was only a lead-up to sex. And when it came with an expectation of something else, it really lost its appeal.
In quiet moments I’d never tell anyone else about, I didn’t fantasize about wedding rings and happily-ever-afters. I dreamed about a man who could sense I needed one… then just giving me a hug.
Finished with her food, Sofia’s arms went around me, giving me a one-sided hug.
“See? Who needs a man?” I asked as some of the tension slipped out of me.
“And I am here to remind you how unhealthy that is,” Sofia said with a little laugh as she retreated to her side of the couch. “I think you should call Rune.”
“Yeah, I won’t be doing that.”
Sofia shook her head.
“I like him for you.”
“You met him for twenty minutes.”
“And he was sweet and charming and Hamster approved of him. She’s not usually a fan of men. Remember how she used to glare at Marcus?”
“To be fair, I used to glare at Marcus too.”
“You’re so mean,” Sofia laughed. “But it wasn’t just Hammy and vibes. You guys looked so cute snuggled on the couch.”
If by ‘snuggled,’ she meant ‘held against my will,’ then sure.
“I hear you,” I told her. “But don’t get your heart too set on this, okay?”
Sofia let out an exaggerated sigh.
“Fineee.”
“I’m going to bed. I have that pain-in-the-ass client in the morning.”
“The one who makes you hand wash all his fabric grocery bags?”
“That’s the one.”
“Have fun with that. You can get a whole audiobook or two listened to.”
That was the plan: keep my mind and my body busy at the same time to stave off the anxiety and uncertainty that came with having some ‘one-percenter’ biker showing up at my house after I tried to shoot him.
Of course, that plan was shot to shit when I was on all fours in a client’s house, scrubbing the baseboards with a brush… and heard a man’s voice behind me.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Carmen
