“I wouldn’t let you choose between me and your family,” I murmured, knowing he would hear.
“Nina,” he said in that familiar frustrated tone, “you’re not listening to me. She knows how I feel about you, so you can stop worrying about Claire.”
I raised an eyebrow. “She might know how you feel about me, but one of these days she might over look it.”
“You’re the love of my life, Nina. There’s no overlooking that.” Jared spoke the words casual y, but my legs disappeared. I had to steady myself against the counter to keep from hitting the floor.
“You okay?” he asked, continuing his workout.
“Me? Er…yeah. I’m just fine. Perfectly fine. Why?” I sighed at my utter failure to fool him. Jared simply smiled with a knowing look, never slowing his repetitions.
Claire emerged from the bathroom in a hooded sweatshirt and sweat pants, her hair pul ed back into a wiry bun. She looked like a seventeen year old girl, for once. She fel into the couch, feet hanging over the arm, flipping through channels of the flat screen.
Once the dishes were finished I lingered in the kitchen, wiping down the counters over and over again. I decided to take my suitcase upstairs to organize my things as best I could, hanging my clothes in Jared’s closet and finding a place for my shampoo and toothbrush. It was fun playing house for the week, but it only took so long.
I stood in the middle of the room, feeling lost. Jared was stil deep in his workout, and with Claire on the couch I saw no point in enticing him upstairs. I decided to try Jared’s incredible tub to pass the time.
The steam danced above the surface of the water as I let my robe fal to the floor. I stepped in with both feet, stifling a moan. Once I was submerged to my neck, my body instantly relaxed. I loathed the communal showers of Andrews; I would miss more than just the tub when I returned.
“Nina? Did you grab a towel?” Jared said, his voice muffled through the door.
“No, I didn’t,” I said in a sing-song tone.
“I’l grab you one.”
Within moments, Jared’s arm poked through as he cracked open the door, extending a thick navy blue towel. I frowned.
“I can’t reach it,” I teased.
I heard Jared sigh before he opened the door just wide enough to get through, turning his head to the opposite direction. He was stil only in shorts and running shoes, dripping with sweat.
He took a few more steps in my direction, holding out the towel. The water sloshed as I raised my steaming arm to grab it, setting the towel beside me on the ledge.
“Thank you.”
Jared sighed and left the way he came, making sure not to open the door any wider than absolutely necessary.
I slid under the surface of the water to suppress the laughter. He was working as hard to preserve my chastity as I was to rid myself of it.
I remained in the tub until my feet and hands were sufficiently pruned. Wrapped in my robe, I climbed the wooden stairs, noticing Claire was no longer on the couch. When I reached the top, I heard the shower running.
I rifled through my things and chose a pink silk pajama set, and just when I buttoned the top of my shirt, Jared walked out of the bathroom in a pair of black cotton pajama pants.
“Where’s Claire?” I asked.
“She had to go out…training,” Jared explained, pul ing the first aid box out from under his bed.
I sat down and held my hand palm up for him to work with. “I thought you were finished with your training. What else could she possibly learn? And from whom?”
“You’re ful of questions tonight,” he said, working quickly to disinfect and redress my wound.
“And you’re evading them.”
“We have to acuminate our skil s when we….” he trailed off, his eyes darkening the way they had during our first date.
“What is it?” I asked, watching him place the last strip of tape on my hand.
“Can I ask you to do something for me?” he asked, closing his eyes.
“Anything. Except leave.”
Jared’s eyes popped open. “I don’t want you to leave. I’m asking you to wait.”
“Wait for what?”I grimaced. Jared had a knack for confusing me.
“Leave this one alone. For now.”
“What’s going on, Jared?”
“I promise to explain everything to you soon. But I’m just not ready to—,” he squirmed uncomfortably, “—can you wait?”
“If that’s what you want.”
Jared’s face instantly relaxed. “Thank you.”
“Can I ask just one thing?” I whispered, peeking up at the clouds reforming in Jared’s eyes. “I just…was wondering…wil you ever have to leave me? For training, I mean.”
Jared smiled once again, obviously relieved at my question. “No. I’m finished with my training. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”
“Poor me,” I teased.
I pul ed myself back to lean against the headboard and Jared lay on his stomach beside me. He hugged my legs to him and rested his head on my lap, and I happily ran my fingers through his damp hair.
“Are you running a fever?” I asked.
Jared looked up at me, puzzled. “I don’t get sick, Nina, remember?”
“I know, but you…you’re burning up,” I said, feeling his forehead.
“I run a little hotter than everyone else. It’s a constant thing.”
“How much hotter?” I asked, skeptical.
“Around one-oh-four usual y. I just got out of the shower, so I’m probably a little higher than that at the moment.”
I stared at him blankly; I had nothing else to say.
Jared chuckled at my speechlessness and let his head rest against my leg again. “It’s real y not a big deal. Claire runs about the same. It has to do with how our bodies handle the extra…abilities.”
“Abilities….” I repeated. Most of the time I had a handle on Jared being half-angel, but only when I tried not to think about it. The details made my head spin.
“I can’t imagine how it must be for you,” he said. “It’s hard enough getting to know someone when you start dating, and then you have to deal with your boyfriend spouting off unbelievable particulars al of the time.”
“Oh, it’s boyfriend, now, is it?”
Jared laughed and sat up, readying himself to pounce.
My mouth hung open, feigning shock. “Don’t you dare!”
He grabbed my legs and pul ed, sliding me underneath him. He playful y pinched my sides, tickling me as my laughter chimed through the loft.
“Okay! Okay. Boyfriend it is,” I giggled again.
Jared sighed in contentment at my words. “Everything I’ve ever wanted is right here in my arms.”
I couldn’t imagine why he looked at me that way. Six bil ion people in the world, and a man so perfect he was also half divine had chosen me. That fact alone was more than I deserved, but for him to say something so beautiful with that look in his eyes, I couldn’t help myself.
“I love you, Jared.” It didn’t seem like enough, but once the words tumbled from my mouth, his smile turned into pure elation, as if I’d given him the one thing he’d wanted his entire life. Before I could think to say anything else, his lips were on mine.
He kissed me differently this time; it was gentle, almost cautious. I wrapped both of my arms around his neck as he continued to work his warm lips softly against mine. He put so much emotion in these smal , slow, tender kisses that I found myself fighting tears. He kissed me like a happy ending.