Read Online Love is Darkness (A Valerie Dearborn Novel) by Caroline Hanson - Free Book Online
Authors: Caroline Hanson
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about the bad service and how he should get his money back.
She had no idea if it was actually funny, but it had been part of their bickering for so long that she thought it was hilarious.
The pizza came and they ate the whole thing. After the last bite, Val said, “Okay Jack. I want a favor.”
His hand froze above Park Place. “What is it?”
“It's a really big favor.”
Jack waited.
“I want to play the drinking game version of Monopoly. It's a weird night anyway. Can't we get drunk together once? You know, be young and stupid.” She tried to waggle her eyebrows, but feared she'd accomplished a sick-worm-dancing expression instead.
“I'm not that young, Val.” His superior tone got on her nerves and she made her hands into a mouthpiece shape and put them to her lips. “It's three years, Jack! You are only three years older than me!” He rubbed his hand across his eyes like he had a headache but she thought she saw a smile. She watch his hand, those long fingers and neat nails. He had a five o' clock shadow and he looked a little...rumpled? Perfect Jack being not so perfect was really sexy.
Don't. Think. That.
As he combed his fingers through his hair, Val waited, watching him think. “How about we do it on one condition?”
She was excited but then worried. Jack always got his pound of flesh. “What is it?”
Jack stood and went to the kitchen. Opening the cupboard, he pulled out a bottle of tequila and then grabbed something she couldn't see from a drawer, before coming back to the coffee table. In a smooth motion he was down on his knees, the bottle on the table and a... pager beside it.
“Go on.” Val chuckled uncomfortably.
Jack looked her in the eyes and her heart squeezed. “This is a pager. But it only does one thing. It goes to me. You have to promise me that you will carry it at all times and be prepared to use it if anything peculiar happens or you need help. I mean it, Val. I want us to test it every three months. A prearranged time where you push the button and we make sure it works. New batteries every three months as well.”
Okay, he was really serious, “Does it, by any chance, have a tracking device in it?”
A few moments passed where he wouldn’t look her in the face. Finally, he nodded. “Yeah, it does.”
She squeezed his hand and then pulled away. “You are a shitty negotiator. I totally accept. I would have taken it anyway, if you asked me. I'm not that heartless. I know you need to keep track of me. I get it and I love you for it.”
“Who are you?” He peered at her face. “You look like Val and speak like Val, what with all the swearing, but you are so reasonable.”
“Get the damned glasses.”
In no time they were back, settled down on the floor, backs against the couch, facing the T.V., a coffee table loaded with booze and Parker Brother's paraphernalia in front of them.
Jack settled down on the floor next to her, his body turned towards hers, their knees touching. His face was close enough that she could see the amber colored flecks in his gray eyes. The room was suddenly tense, the commercials intrusive to their little world before the couch. Now or never , Val thought and picked up the salt shaker.
“Give me your hand,” she said and felt a flutter in her stomach. Val stared at his dark jeans, his knee suddenly fascinating as she waited for him to do something. Either he’d agree and give her his hand, or he’d refuse. But she felt stupidly exposed now, like she’d stepped over a line or given her true feelings away. He had no expression. Perfect control. Who knew what the hell he was thinking? And why did she think that was so hot?
This was a lot like bungee jumping, she decided. She could dick around at the top of the bridge, looking at the view and crapping herself with fear, or she could just jump and feel the rush. That was how she was going to live
She had no idea if it was actually funny, but it had been part of their bickering for so long that she thought it was hilarious.
The pizza came and they ate the whole thing. After the last bite, Val said, “Okay Jack. I want a favor.”
His hand froze above Park Place. “What is it?”
“It's a really big favor.”
Jack waited.
“I want to play the drinking game version of Monopoly. It's a weird night anyway. Can't we get drunk together once? You know, be young and stupid.” She tried to waggle her eyebrows, but feared she'd accomplished a sick-worm-dancing expression instead.
“I'm not that young, Val.” His superior tone got on her nerves and she made her hands into a mouthpiece shape and put them to her lips. “It's three years, Jack! You are only three years older than me!” He rubbed his hand across his eyes like he had a headache but she thought she saw a smile. She watch his hand, those long fingers and neat nails. He had a five o' clock shadow and he looked a little...rumpled? Perfect Jack being not so perfect was really sexy.
Don't. Think. That.
As he combed his fingers through his hair, Val waited, watching him think. “How about we do it on one condition?”
She was excited but then worried. Jack always got his pound of flesh. “What is it?”
Jack stood and went to the kitchen. Opening the cupboard, he pulled out a bottle of tequila and then grabbed something she couldn't see from a drawer, before coming back to the coffee table. In a smooth motion he was down on his knees, the bottle on the table and a... pager beside it.
“Go on.” Val chuckled uncomfortably.
Jack looked her in the eyes and her heart squeezed. “This is a pager. But it only does one thing. It goes to me. You have to promise me that you will carry it at all times and be prepared to use it if anything peculiar happens or you need help. I mean it, Val. I want us to test it every three months. A prearranged time where you push the button and we make sure it works. New batteries every three months as well.”
Okay, he was really serious, “Does it, by any chance, have a tracking device in it?”
A few moments passed where he wouldn’t look her in the face. Finally, he nodded. “Yeah, it does.”
She squeezed his hand and then pulled away. “You are a shitty negotiator. I totally accept. I would have taken it anyway, if you asked me. I'm not that heartless. I know you need to keep track of me. I get it and I love you for it.”
“Who are you?” He peered at her face. “You look like Val and speak like Val, what with all the swearing, but you are so reasonable.”
“Get the damned glasses.”
In no time they were back, settled down on the floor, backs against the couch, facing the T.V., a coffee table loaded with booze and Parker Brother's paraphernalia in front of them.
Jack settled down on the floor next to her, his body turned towards hers, their knees touching. His face was close enough that she could see the amber colored flecks in his gray eyes. The room was suddenly tense, the commercials intrusive to their little world before the couch. Now or never , Val thought and picked up the salt shaker.
“Give me your hand,” she said and felt a flutter in her stomach. Val stared at his dark jeans, his knee suddenly fascinating as she waited for him to do something. Either he’d agree and give her his hand, or he’d refuse. But she felt stupidly exposed now, like she’d stepped over a line or given her true feelings away. He had no expression. Perfect control. Who knew what the hell he was thinking? And why did she think that was so hot?
This was a lot like bungee jumping, she decided. She could dick around at the top of the bridge, looking at the view and crapping herself with fear, or she could just jump and feel the rush. That was how she was going to live
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