Page 59 of Benga's Rise

I agree, so I don’t say anything, but nod.I want to see her smiling and comfortable like in the kitchen, but she looks shy and unsure right now.

“I think Juanita was right. It was a week of epiphanies.”

I smile. It seems as though it was. “Epiphany. It’s from a Greek word meaning reveal. A sudden moment of revelation. I had one a time or two.”

She laughs with the little crinkles making me smile. “I like to see you laugh.”

“That’s good because you’re a funny guy. I like that you’re not afraid to say what you’re thinking.”

“I like this, but I’d like it more if you were closer.”

That has her shaking her head, but she’s smiling.“I’d like to be closer, but I can’t make it happen without help.”

I lift her and swing her around so she’s on my lap. “I like you here better. Is your leg okay at that angle?”

Shit, she’s got pain in her eyes. “I’d like a pillow under it so the cast isn’t pulling it down.”

Moving quick, I get the pillow under her foot. “I like you comfortable.”

She laughs. “I like that you do and always make it happen.” That feels good.

“I’d like to kiss you now.”

I surprised her. “Oh.”

I shake my head. “You didn’t use the format.”

“I’d like for you to kiss me.” There’s that shy. It’s cute.

I do and fuck if it isn’t as good as I thought it would be. I need to slow down here. Somewhere along the way, my brain kicks in and I kiss around her mouth and her forehead. My arms tighten pulling her closer and her head hits my shoulder.

“I like that kissing you is as good as I thought it would be.”

Feeling the bounce in her body against my chest, I know she’s holding a laugh in. “I like you throwing all those lines at me.”

“I don’t do games. They aren’t lines.”

She laughs. “I like knowing that your lines are exactly what you’re thinking.”

I tighten my arms and kiss her head. “I like that you know me well enough to trust my words are real.”

“I do. Today was like a ton of bricks toppled over and I finally see light clearly and shining on me. I think you did that, but I don’t know how. It feels good. Almost as good as being right here, right now.”She got it. Thank fuck she got it.

“Thank you. And just so you know, light shining on you is the start of you and me. I’ll make sure you feel it always.”

“I believe you will.”

That feels good. I tell her making her smile.

We talk about my visit with Caelan. She’s happy I got to watch him because I like it. I don’t tell her, but it’s nice to share weird shit with her. I do too. We talk about weird shit until late and I carry her to her room, getting her a long shirt so she can change. I’ll be putting my shirts in that drawer. I don’t know where that came from, but it’s not mine. She pulls my shirt and I bend for her kiss. That feels good too. She laughs and pushes my chest when I tell her.

“Night, Raid.”

Kissing her head, I leave. I can’t say I’ve ever been close enough to anyone that I’ve kissed their head, but it seems natural, like kissing Caelan’s head. She didn’t give me shit over it, so I guess it’s okay.