He stole my glass and took a drink before handing it back.

“The rest of our lives.  I like the sound of that.”

“Of course you do,” I said, moving away from him.  “Because you like how I smell.”

“And move,” he said.

I exaggerated my walk and heard him make a small, pained noise.

“Come on, big guy.  Let’s snuggle.”

He made it to the couch before I did.

Barely containing my smile, I curled up against his side and laid my head on his shoulder.  We watched the news like that for almost an hour.  Most of our faces were displayed, but our poster child remained Winifred.

“What’s everyone else saying about all of this?”

Carlos was quiet a moment before he answered.

“Bethi is freaking out.  Grey’s words, not mine.  Gabby is quietly watching the Urbat movement, which appears uncoordinated, and Michelle is on the phone with her lawyer, seeing what she can do to help Bethi.”

“Why’s Michelle trying to help Bethi?  They didn’t get a good image of her.”

“Bethi’s mom recognized her and called the station.  Bethi can’t reach her mom, now.”

My heart went out to Bethi.

“Let’s have them over for dinner.  We can order takeout.  Pizza.”

Carlos nodded.

A few minutes later, someone knocked on the door.

Carlos had just stood to answer it when it burst inward.  A sobbing Bethi flew toward me.

I caught her in my arms and held her tight, pulling away the worst of her emotions until she breathed normally again.

“You can hit me all night long,” Luke said.  “Thank you.”  His hair stood out in disarray like he’d been running his hands through it in frustration for the last hour.

“No problem,” I said over Bethi’s head.  I tried to ease away from her hug.  “Hey, what do we want on our pizzas?”

“Valium,” Bethi said.  “Lots of it.”

“Michelle has the connections to help find your mum,” Luke said.  “Trust her.”

Bethi nodded despondently.

“Could you manage to hug me for a while?” he said, still watching her.

Her lips twitched, and she finally loosened her hold on me.  My skin felt tight and my stomach full, as if I’d just eaten.

Carlos and I looked at each other as the other two went to sit at the breakfast bar and find pizza places in the phonebook.

“Want to go for a quick run?” he asked.

“Can we?”

“We don’t have a choice, do we?”

I shook my head.

Bethi looked up from the phonebook as I grabbed my jacket.

“I’m sorry, Isabelle.”

“Nah, don’t be.  I’ll get rid of this, then come back for seconds in a bit.”

She gave me a weak smile.

“And I like extra cheese on my pizza.  None of that deep dish crap, though.  I want the toppings to overpower the dough.”  I slipped on my shoes as I spoke.

“Got it,” she said.

*    *    *    *

Carlos and I ran for a long while.  My breath gusted out under the streetlights.  We wove our way through the streets, sticking to the nicer neighborhoods.  Whenever I found a quiet spot, I pushed out some of the emotion I carried.  We kept moving until a bakery’s display window had me slowing.

“Something catch your eye?” Carlos said.

I nodded and pointed, unable to speak normally.

He glanced at the decadent chocolate mousse tuxedo cake decorated with artistic dark and white chocolate shavings and drizzle.

When his gaze returned to me, I felt his love and his need to make me happy.

“All right.  Let’s go in.”

“I’ll stay out here.  My face was on TV more than yours, and with the bruise, I’m hard to miss.”

“Stay put.”

“Bring me cake, and I will.”

He nodded and stepped inside.  Through the glass, I watched him approach the counter.  I stepped back and turned away as he pointed to the cake in the window.  The woman looked down at the register as she said something to him.  Carlos frowned and said something back.  Too bad I couldn’t read lips.

A sliver of frustration poked my mind.  It wasn’t my own.  What could possibly frustrate Carlos?

He turned, without my cake in hand, and walked back out the door.

“Um, you’re missing something pretty important, buddy.”

“They take orders for their cakes.  They don’t have any premade.”

“That’s bull.”

More frustration crept in, and I realized just how much he’d wanted to get me that cake.

“It’s all right.  Cake’s overrated.  I would have ended up splitting my new stretchy jeans.”

Disappointment filed in with the frustration.

“You’re just a barrel of emotions tonight,” I said, stepping close to him and wrapping my arms around his waist.  “What else can we throw in there?  I know.  How about some anticipation?  You can chase me again.”

“No.”

I’d hoped he’d say yes.

“Why not?  Now that I bit you, I’m not a challenge?  It’s no fun anymore?”

“Oh, it’d be fun.”  He leaned forward and gently kissed my cheek.  “But I don’t want to risk any more damage.”

My heart melted just a bit.

“But what if I really, really wanted you to chase me back to the apartment?”

He took a slow breath.

“Not happening.”

“I think it just might.”  I stood on my tiptoes and moved my arms from his waist to around his neck.

His hands smoothed down my back, stopping just at the curve before my swerve.  I nipped his neck.

“I can feel your excitement,” I said against his skin.

He shuddered.

“Race you back,” I said a moment before I ducked out of his hold and bolted down the sidewalk.

Before I reached the garage door, Carlos caught me from behind, spun me, and backed me against the building.

Out of breath, I did nothing to deter him.  He pressed lightly against me so I felt his heart beating as he rested his forehead against mine.

“Do you know how much I like watching you run?” he said.  “You’re in my blood, Isabelle.  Without you, I would die.”

“Sweet words,” I said, “for a man who forgot my cake.  For a man who won’t kiss me because my bruised face scares him.”

He pulled back and frowned at me.

“Kiss me, Carlos.  Kiss me like you meant every word you said about not leaving me alone.  Ever.”

He growled lightly and lowered his head.  I closed my eyes, ready to feel without fear of hurting him.  His lips settled against mine, light and loving.  He kissed me until I shivered then reluctantly put some distance between us.

“Let’s go see if we have pizza waiting,” I said.

We walked into the garage and up the service steps together.  The quiet, emotionless hall worried me more than relieved me, though.  I impatiently waited for Carlos to open our door.  Inside was empty as I’d suspected.  We found a note on the breakfast bar along with an untouched pizza.

You took forever.

~Bethi

That girl needed help in a major way.  I just wasn’t sure that what I could do for her was helpful.  I wasn’t kidding when I’d told her I was like crack.  Hopefully, with the worst of her emotions gone for now, Luke would be able to comfort her.

Pushing aside my concern, I grabbed a lukewarm slice of pizza and took a big bite.

“So good.”

Carlos walked to the cupboard, removed two plates, and handed me one.

“How are we going to live together forever?  I’m such a slob compared to you.  Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you move my shoes and line them up next to the door.  They are at a perfect ninety degree angle to the wall.”

He smiled slightly.

“I like being the center of your storm.”

I tilted my head and studied him.  He really was the center to my storm.  He was everything I needed and more.  Giving me an out had been smart.  It had given me enough courage to grasp for something I’d never dreamed I’d have.  A future with someone I cared about.  A future that didn’t involve the need for long breaks.

He held my gaze as I settled my mind and let what I felt for him surge, hoping he’d feel it and understand without me having to say the words.