“Don’t go,” she gasped when he pulled himself away whileclamping her hips down onto the counter.
“Oh, Becky,” he husked, pressing his forehead into hers.“You’re undeniable, you know that?” She could only shrug, feelingsomewhat embarrassed by her behaviour. “Baby, trust me, this willhappen soon enough. Just not right now.”
“Later, tonight?” she asked, feeling awkward anddesperate.
“Later… we’ll talk,” he said with a smile, sliding her forwardand helping her to the ground.
“Okay then, if you say so,” she said, standing at a loss as hegathered his things. At the last minute, he turned, looked at herand came back. He leaned in for a kiss and frowned at thedisappointment in her face.
“Please, don’t look at me that way,” he pleaded.
“What way?” Crispin asked, having just stepped into the kitchento refill his cup of coffee. “Go on, get out of here, Becky and Ihave plans.”
“We do?” she asked, surprised.
With that, Kellnodded and went on his way, leaving Becky alone in the house withCrispin. Well, not quite so alone, Keegan was around somewhere,probably downstairs in bed, sleeping in.
“Have a second cup with me?” Crispin offered, pouring them boththe last of the coffee from the pot.
“Sure, why not?” she said, following him into the front room.He was already decked out in his Victorian finery. That’s the thingwith Crispin, he always impeccably dressed, whether he hadsomewhere to go or not.
“Sit down next to me,” he suggested, catching her on the waytowards Kell’s chair.
“Oh, all right,” she said with a curious smile.
“Yes, I’ve missed our snuggles.” He held her mug as she satdown next to him on the couch, rather stiffly at first. While shemight be feeling better about her relationship with the Goths, shestill didn’t quite feel comfortable enough to resort to her oldcarefree ways. Just in case, Gracie’s assumptions werecorrect.
“Oh, come on. Lose the schoolgirl jitters and relax,” Crispinsaid, setting the mugs down on the coffee table. When she didn’t,he took a deep breath and let out an exasperated sigh. “Becky,you’re hurting my feelings.”
“Really?” she asked, confused. “How, exactly am I hurting yourfeelings?”
He sat backinto the corner of the couch with his hand tucked under his chin,his other arm, crossed over his waist, watching her. After a momentof uncomfortable silence, he sighed painfully. “Dormouse, you don’thave to tiptoe around the subject. Just talk to me.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Becky purposely averted her eyesfrom him and toyed with the sleeves of her shirt.
“Fuck this shit! I can’t stand it anymore,” he lamented,reaching out and grabbing her into his arms, pulling her so thatshe rested her weight against him in the same way that they used tosit and watch movies together.
“Crispin!” She struggled unsuccessfully against his unwaveringgrasp. He may be beautiful and graceful, but he was a force to bereckoned with in the strength department.
“Just shut it, you, and relax.” After a moment, she relented.He then reached over and grabbed up their coffee mugs. “Here youare.”
“You’re lucky I don’t spill this all over your fancy shirt!”she threatened with a frown.
“Oh, stop. Just humour me for a while, would you?”
“Why?”
“Why not?” he scoffed.
“Because, you know why.”
“No, I don’t know,” Crispin retorted.
“Yes, you do!”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake! Get over yourself,” he shouted andlaughed. “You might be all that, but I’m my own man. I’ll have youknow that I can control my urges.”
“Crispin, this isn’t funny,” she half-heartedly swatted him onthe chest.
“Oh, yes, it is,” he teased, dragging her closer and planting abig wet kiss on her cheek. “There, deal with that.” At the look onher face, he just about lost it with giddy laughter.
“Crispin, stop it!” she cried indignantly. While a part of herwas enjoying his attentions, her insecurities were running wild.Still not quite sure of her status in the house, she suddenly gotvery sad. Not at the kiss or his affectionate nature but ratherbecause she still was very confused about everything.
“Aw… no, not that,” he said frowning at the sight of the slighttremble on her lips. “Anything but that.” Plead as he may, it wastoo late. Becky was suddenly a blubbering mess.
Becky couldn’thelp it. She knew he hated it when she cried. He’d never had muchpatience for her weepy side. Yet Kelley was nowhere near andbesides, it was Crispin’s fault she was crying now.
“My poor little dormouse. I’ve hurt your feelings, haven’t I?”he crooned, taking her mug away from her again.
“You’re confusing me,” she cried, reluctantly giving into hisembrace.
“Let me un-confuse you, then,” he said in a soothing voice,wrapping his arms around her shoulders, his head resting on hers.“Gracie doesn’t know a damn thing about my feelings for you. You’remy sweet little dormouse. I care about you very much and I lovehaving you around. You make me laugh. You fill this house with yourwonderfully girlie ways, and you make my world a betterplace.”
She pulled upand stared down into his dove grey eyes for a moment. “What aboutall that other stuff?” she asked, absently playing with the ruffleson his collar.
“Not interested, sweetheart. I’ve told you before and I’ll tellyou again…”
“You’re not into vanilla.” She chuckled, cutting him off with ahearty laugh.
“Now you’ve got it! Finally, I thought I’d never get through toyou.” He laughed along with her, hugging her tight against hischest. “Doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a cuddle now and then.Understand?”
“Understood, you sweet, prickly Goth,” Becky said with a cheekysmile.
***
“Where are off to first?” she asked, happily buckling herselfup in Crispin’s vintage VW beetle.
“Well, see now that’s the thing,” Crispin said as he backed upout of the driveway. “I have no idea. I mean if we were in Toronto,we could hit the St. Lawrence Market, Queen St. and then maybe theEaton’s Centre, but Kingston is so…”
“Mundane?” she offered, finishing for him.
“I was going to say limited, but mundane suits just fine,” hesaid despondently. “Well, I suppose we could hit the strip mall bythe highway.”
“There are some nice little shops downtown,” Beckysuggested.
“Downtown? Kingston has a downtown?” Crispin repeatedsarcastically.
“Oh, stop it, you prickly Goth.” Becky laughed. “Of course,even I know that.”
After coffee,Crispin had expressed his wishes to go Christmas shopping forGracie. He was
