“I don't know. I want to make something, too. Do something creative. I always thought I might write a book. Or, I don't know, take a painting class. But I get home and I'm just too exhausted and end up zoning out with a bowl of soup and The Walking Dead.”
“So don't go home. Go somewhere else. Comfort is the enemy.”
Lissa laughed and leaned sideways, her head on his arm. “You make it sound so easy.”
“That's the big secret. It is easy.”
“You only say that because you did it and it worked. Hindsight.”
His laughter rumbled against her, comfortable and comforting. “Exactly. I did it, and you can, too. Just don't leave this office. It wouldn't be any fun, going all day here without seeing you.”
They went silent for a moment, and Lissa had to still the trembling in her chest. She hadn't really bothered to think past the night, past the snowstorm, back to a world where people wore all of their clothes and nodded politely in the hall and went home before sunset. Arriving in the morning, hoping to see him in the parking lot or catch him in the break room—it gave her the same sort of flutters she'd had in high school when she was crushing on a guy. That will-he, won't-we, the passing smiles, the little notes, maybe a lunch hour spent outside on the benches by the lake once it warmed up. That was as far as she could think, but it painted a pretty picture that she didn't want to give up.
“Oh, I think I'll stick around. Although I was thinking of applying for that job in marketing. Writing copy and doing some graphic design.”
“Isn't that entry level?”
She shrugged. “Yeah, but I figure I could leave my work here every night. Nothing blows up because someone forgot to finish a sentence about cereal.”
“You should do it, then.”
Warmth bloomed in Lissa's chest. “Maybe I will.”
Mark sat up and pulled her into his lap, stroking her tangled hair back. “So what would your dream life be?”
Leaning back against his chest, Lissa sighed. “Something like what I have now, but with more adventures. I read all the books and comics and watch the movies, but it's pretty boring on my side of the screen.”
“No husband, house, labradoodle, 2.5 children?”
“Two-point-five children would be really messy. And so would a labradoodle. And I don't like cleaning. But...” How to say it without sounding totally desperate? “Everybody wants to find someone who makes them feel on fire, right?”
Mark laced his fingers through hers. “That's what they say.”
“You ever gotten close?”
He shrugged behind her. “Dated one girl for a couple of years, but it turned into work. A relationship might be work, but a person shouldn't be. She ended up marrying a buddy of mine. Turned into a total bridezilla. Ate Tokyo.”
“You're lucky you escaped that. I've never understood why some women get so upset over flowers and canapes. I'd rather get married on the beach.”
“Same here.” He said it so simply, but thrills shivered through her as Mark set his cheek against her hair. “You ever come close?”
“Not so much. I told you—I intimidate most nice boys. But I don't like bullies or blowhards. It's a fine line. All the books and movies have convinced me that only a superhero will do. And there are no superheroes.”
“I could go find a radioactive spider, if you think that would help.”
Lissa didn't know how to fill the awkward silence as he waited for her response, so she nuzzled up against him and said, “You could always just build a fancy robot suit. Radioactivity can be very dangerous.”
“My middle name is Dangerous.”
She looked up, her lips so close to his. “Mark Dangerous Ranger.”
“Just kidding. It's Edward.”
“Mine's Diana.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
And he kissed her, sweet and simple as that, as if they'd done it a thousand times. No tongue, no crashing, just warm lips and an arm cradling her shoulders. When Mark pulled away, his smile just about
“So don't go home. Go somewhere else. Comfort is the enemy.”
Lissa laughed and leaned sideways, her head on his arm. “You make it sound so easy.”
“That's the big secret. It is easy.”
“You only say that because you did it and it worked. Hindsight.”
His laughter rumbled against her, comfortable and comforting. “Exactly. I did it, and you can, too. Just don't leave this office. It wouldn't be any fun, going all day here without seeing you.”
They went silent for a moment, and Lissa had to still the trembling in her chest. She hadn't really bothered to think past the night, past the snowstorm, back to a world where people wore all of their clothes and nodded politely in the hall and went home before sunset. Arriving in the morning, hoping to see him in the parking lot or catch him in the break room—it gave her the same sort of flutters she'd had in high school when she was crushing on a guy. That will-he, won't-we, the passing smiles, the little notes, maybe a lunch hour spent outside on the benches by the lake once it warmed up. That was as far as she could think, but it painted a pretty picture that she didn't want to give up.
“Oh, I think I'll stick around. Although I was thinking of applying for that job in marketing. Writing copy and doing some graphic design.”
“Isn't that entry level?”
She shrugged. “Yeah, but I figure I could leave my work here every night. Nothing blows up because someone forgot to finish a sentence about cereal.”
“You should do it, then.”
Warmth bloomed in Lissa's chest. “Maybe I will.”
Mark sat up and pulled her into his lap, stroking her tangled hair back. “So what would your dream life be?”
Leaning back against his chest, Lissa sighed. “Something like what I have now, but with more adventures. I read all the books and comics and watch the movies, but it's pretty boring on my side of the screen.”
“No husband, house, labradoodle, 2.5 children?”
“Two-point-five children would be really messy. And so would a labradoodle. And I don't like cleaning. But...” How to say it without sounding totally desperate? “Everybody wants to find someone who makes them feel on fire, right?”
Mark laced his fingers through hers. “That's what they say.”
“You ever gotten close?”
He shrugged behind her. “Dated one girl for a couple of years, but it turned into work. A relationship might be work, but a person shouldn't be. She ended up marrying a buddy of mine. Turned into a total bridezilla. Ate Tokyo.”
“You're lucky you escaped that. I've never understood why some women get so upset over flowers and canapes. I'd rather get married on the beach.”
“Same here.” He said it so simply, but thrills shivered through her as Mark set his cheek against her hair. “You ever come close?”
“Not so much. I told you—I intimidate most nice boys. But I don't like bullies or blowhards. It's a fine line. All the books and movies have convinced me that only a superhero will do. And there are no superheroes.”
“I could go find a radioactive spider, if you think that would help.”
Lissa didn't know how to fill the awkward silence as he waited for her response, so she nuzzled up against him and said, “You could always just build a fancy robot suit. Radioactivity can be very dangerous.”
“My middle name is Dangerous.”
She looked up, her lips so close to his. “Mark Dangerous Ranger.”
“Just kidding. It's Edward.”
“Mine's Diana.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
And he kissed her, sweet and simple as that, as if they'd done it a thousand times. No tongue, no crashing, just warm lips and an arm cradling her shoulders. When Mark pulled away, his smile just about
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