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Like I didn’t have to talk about the pup stuff…so wonderful.
“Something with good explosions?” That was always relaxing and he’d fall asleep as soon as we found just the right snuggle position. “Or we could watch one of those old asteroids blowing up the world ones, those are cute.”
His bark of laughter made me grin. “You are so weird.”
At least that was about my views on movies and not the rest of the stuff in my head. “You know I’m right.”
“I know you’re something.” The smile in his voice had me pushing him back so I could relax better too.
He wasn’t the only one who needed a nap.
I’d lost several years of my life when Eli had started knocking on our door, and several more when he’d managed to talk his way into the apartment. A nap wouldn’t ever get those years back, but it would make the rest of my day better.
“I’m the or something that’ll make fish for dinner if you’re not nicer.” That had him letting out a bark of laughter and giving me another hug.
“Fine. You’re fabulous. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Yep, fabulously confused…that was me.
But I’d worry about that after naptime.
Chapter 4
Leif
Ender was not as subtle as he thought he was.
“Don’t worry about it.” Doing my best to smile and not look like I suspected shenanigans at all, I glanced toward the trash. “I promise to get that tonight before bed like always.”
Like I’d been doing since we moved in.
The trash did not miraculously need to be taken out hours early, especially when it was half full, just like the laundry hadn’t needed to be done, and I hadn’t needed to go back to work. “We’re good and we have plenty of time to do nothing but watch the pups. Making sure I understand what you’re looking for is my top priority.”
He sighed before he caught it and plastered a fake smile on his face. “Thank you.”
If he thought chores or work would distract me from figuring all this shit out, he was crazy. I was not going to risk the wrath of Eli by admitting that I’d flaked out on watching the pups and questioning Ender.
That man would fucking kill me and we all knew it.
“Yes, thank you.” Ender looked like he was trying to give himself an internal pep talk, but it wasn’t working.
I’d have given anything to know what was going through his head, but I wasn’t sure he’d have given me an honest answer, so I didn’t ask. My plan was to get comfortable and start out with fairly simple questions where his needs weren’t at stake…then we could work up to the harder stuff.
“I’m going to drag the chair over so we can sit together. No need to try and be subtle anymore, but why don’t you turn off the main lights.” I didn’t think Eli would draw attention to us, but I wanted Ender to feel relaxed…and I wanted Eli to see that I was following directions.
If I was going to argue with him about something, it wouldn’t be about watching the pups.
I was sufficiently curious to push that on my own.
“I…” Ender’s gaze was bouncing around the living room and he even tried searching the small kitchen to see what he could find there.
Nothing.
“Yeah, it’s really clean.” There was nothing to find because I’d been incredibly productive. We’d played a similar game where he avoided anything he didn’t want to talk about—more than a few times, and this was nearly at the I’m getting naked for money level of insanity.
My beaming smile must’ve held a hint of stubbornness because he sighed again as his shoulders slouched in defeat, and he flicked the switch on the wall, slowly making his way in my direction. “Yeah, really clean.”
Since we both seemed to be in agreement that he couldn’t avoid it any longer, he actually came over and helped me pull the oversized chair in front of the window. Luckily for me, it was fucking huge and we wouldn’t have any problem looking down into the studio.
