31 #2
“I was gonna say invisibility to steal food, but now I just sound like an asshole compared to you.”
“No,” he said.
“No?”
“I’ve got you beat in the asshole department too.”
The corner of his mouth twitched, and she had to press her lips together to keep from smiling.
“Should we move on to the next question?” Winnie posed with a side wink to Khalani, like her secret master plan was working.
“Yes,” Khalani answered quickly, needing to move on and not focus on how Takeshi looked with those magnetic eyes and wind-tousled hair.
“What is your ideal date?”
“Like the time of year?” she frowned.
Takeshi chuckled. “Not many suitors in Apollo, Kanes?”
“I had suitors.”
“Name. One.”
“Dave Wimstrock.” She lifted her chin.
“Never heard of him.”
“Not surprising since you lived in Genesis most of your life. But Dave and I worked in the Food Distribution Center together.”
“And he took you on dates?” Takeshi asked, his voice sharper than before.
“Are you saying you believe me now?”
“Just answer the question.”
“I’m not entirely sure what a ‘date’ is,” she admitted, genuinely confused. If her cheeks were any redder, the sun wouldn’t have a place left to burn.
“Did he prepare warm meals for you, dance with you in secret, recite songs of his undying affection and love for you?” Winnie asked with both hands clasped tight to her heart, but her focus wasn’t on Khalani.
She was staring beyond the horizon with a lightness in her eyes, like she was imagining someone else from her past.
“No. We’d usually find a spare closet to fool around in,” she answered honestly.
Wasn’t that how it was supposed to be?
“He took advantage of your body without proving his affection?” Takeshi’s lethal gaze intensified. Like he wanted to change his superpower and make Dave Wimstrock appear in front of him right then and there, so he could kill him slowly.
“I wouldn’t say he took advantage, since I wanted it too,” she hedged.
“You wanted it,” he repeated in a flat voice.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because you’re smarter than letting some boy like Dave Wimstrock breathe the same air as you, much less touch you in a fucking closet.”
“Sorry. All I heard is that you think I’m smart.” She mirrored his laid-back position, trying to get into his head as much as he infiltrated hers.
“Don’t worry, Kanes.” He rolled his eyes, but his forearms tightened. “As soon as I start to think so, you prove me wrong.”
“Coming from someone who’d rather use his fists than his brain to problem-solve.”
“It’s much more efficient.”
Khalani turned to Winnie, who was still staring off into the distance with a coy smile.
“Winnie, you said this game was about equality, right? Doesn’t that mean Takeshi also has to answer the question?”
Winnie was immediately pulled out of her stupor and nodded vigorously. “You’re absolutely right, dear. What say you, Takeshi? What date would you take the love of your life on?”
“That wasn’t the original question,” he griped.
“Wasn’t it?” Winnie rubbed her chin. “Winnie can’t quite remember. She can ask something else.”
No.
The protest surged through Khalani’s mind, but she remained stiff and silent, not wanting to reveal how much she needed to hear his answer.
“It’s fine, Win. I’ll answer.” He turned to Khalani, the mirth leaving his expression, and she nearly fidgeted under his dark gaze.
“From the moment she woke up, I would see to her every need. A massage to start the day—”
“Wait,” Khalani interrupted. “Are we talking about a massage massage, or the kind that gets girls pregnant?”
“Which one do you think?”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“No. It’s mine.”
“Ugh, forget it. Just keep talking.” She flicked her hand, and he chuckled.
“I meant the kind that soothes muscle tension. But if she had deeper aches…I’m known to be very thorough.”
Khalani swallowed, reliving the one night in her bedroom a little too vividly. And with the way Takeshi’s lips curved, he knew exactly where her mind had wandered.
“After I ensure she’s fully satisfied, I would cook for her.
And if we lived on the surface, I’d set out blankets and pillows on a parked truck just like this.
After we ate, we’d stare at the stars and talk about anything.
Or nothing at all. But it wouldn’t stop me from telling her how much more beautiful she was than the moon. ”
“How romantic.” Winnie sighed, her eyes glistening.
Khalani could scarcely breathe as she leaned forward, forgetting the game entirely.
“Where did you get that idea?”
Takeshi frowned, taken aback by her question. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve lived in Apollo your entire life. If you don’t remember the past year, then you’ve never even seen a truck before. Where did this idea come from?” she pressed, hoping with everything inside of her that her intuition wasn’t wrong.
Takeshi froze, like he hadn’t questioned it either. “I don’t know. When I thought of being with someone, the scene just popped into my head. I’m lying down next to a girl and we’re looking up at the moon together.”
“Who is she? What does she look like?”
The blood leeched out of his face as his pupils dilated.
“I…I think her name is—agh!” He growled in pain, clutching the side of his head.
“Takeshi!” Khalani lurched toward him, grabbing his long, shuddering fingers. “What’s wrong?”
Takeshi just shook his head, and she nearly toppled over again when the vehicle slammed to a stop.
“We’re here!” Derek shouted.