“By
the way, how are you settling in? Still in love with the apartment?” he teases,
arching one eyebrow, his voice loaded with humor.
I make a face. “What exactly are you hinting
at?” I ask, and he lets out a laugh, his eyes bright with amusement. He puts
his hands in his pockets, and relaxes, slouching his shoulders a little. “Is
this your way of asking me if I’ve experienced any paranormal activity?” The
sound of his laughter stirs something in my chest, a happy feeling I haven’t
felt in so long. I don’t miss the looks I’m getting from the women he was
talking to. Also, I just can’t miss the opportunity to tease him in return.
“Oh, yeah.
I haven’t had a chance to tell you. There’s a ghost who visits me every night.
I haven’t been getting much sleep but all in all…I can’t really complain,”
I tell him with a knowing look, and his face falls immediately.
He looks
pale, and I almost feel sorry I lied.
Almost.
“You’re
joking,” he tells me, jaw taut, a panicked look in his eyes.
“Not so
funny now, is it?” I quip and see him slowly regain the color that had gone
amiss from his cheeks. His eyes sparkle like emeralds as he recovers, and the
corner of his lips tilts into a grin that tells me he’ll make me pay for it.
I wouldn’t
be opposed to the idea, if it entails certain things.
He points a
finger at me and shakes his head in disbelief.
“That
wasn’t funny, Ines.”
“That was very funny and you know it.”
“Alright.
You got me. I’m going to stop teasing you now, okay?”
Oh, please don’t.
I shrug. “A
little teasing never hurt anybody, am I right?”
He nods
slowly, a small smile stretching across his face. His eyes linger on me, as if
trying to read me. I felt bold a moment ago, but now that he’s staring at me
with such intensity, I feel my cheeks redden and look down.