Page 20 of Midnight Kiss
“Mike,” I said. “Glad you could make it. So, we’ve got some choices tonight. Mainly horror and like … fantasy, I guess?”
“Name ‘em,” he said, kicking the door shut and depositing the pizzas on the counter. His gaze was fixed on me, and he barely gave Morgan any attention.
Was she right?
I hesitated. “Morgan can tell you.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t sound so thrilled,” Morgan said, as she shoved a bag of popcorn into our microwave.
“No way,” Michael said, “I’m all ears. Fire away.”
“We have Twilight, Underworld, and Queen of the Damned.”
“I’m sensing a theme,” Michael said.
“You’re quick on the uptake,” Morgan said.
“I’m doing research for my book, and Morgan was kind enough to suggest we watch vampire movies.”
“Kind enough? You can’t keep me away from horror. Throw in some romance?” Morgan shimmied on the spot. “I’m all about it.” The microwave dinged, and he removed the bag. “And now, we’re set. Let’s do this!”
We piled onto the sofa, me between Morgan and Mike, and tucked into our pizza while we watched the first of the movies.
Mike was quiet, almost withdrawn, only talking to remark on how ridiculous it was that anyone might fall for a vampire. “I mean, the guy’s basically a murderer, and she’s just like ‘hell yeah, sign me up’?”
“It’s unrequited love,” Morgan said, “with a guy who’s, like, big and strong and… Oof, it’s so hot.”
“I agree with Morgan,” I replied. “It’s a fantasy, Mike. That’s the whole point.”
“Dumb fantasy if you ask me.”
“You just don’t want to be swept off your feet,” I said. “I like the idea that I might be.”
“Might be?” Morgan asked, pausing the movie to grab another beer. “Try have been swept off your feet.”
“Huh?” Mike frowned.
Morgan grinned like she’d just been handed the keys to a brand new car. “Emily went on a hot date with Alex the other night.”
Mike’s head swiveled toward me. “Alex? Wait, the guy who you met the other night?”
“Met?” Morgan asked. “I don’t think you can classify him saving her life as them ‘meeting’. He pretty much kicked a mugger’s ass to save her.”
“And you went on a date with him?” Mike asked. “You don’t even know him.”
“That’s how you get to know people,” Morgan replied. “By going out with them. You know, talking to them.”
Mike shifted over a little on the sofa, away from me, and angled his body so he could face me full-on. “You went on an actual date with the guy?”
“Yeah,” I said. “It was great. We ate out and went for a walk.”
“A walk in the cemetery.” Morgan clasped her hands together in front of herself. “So romantic.”
“I’m concerned about your sanity if you think walking in a cemetery is romantic,” Mike retorted.
“You’re, so, like … what’s the word for it?”