Ambrose checked his phone. “Ended call, huh? Someone needs to teach him some phone etiquette.” He put his phone away.
“Is he going to visit Isellta tonight?” Barbara asked.
“Who knows? But I’ll punch him if he doesn’t.” He looked up at her. “I don’t know how he can find the strength to stay away.”
Jeff barged in between them and subtly kicked Ambrose in the shin.
Ambrose snarled at him.
“Come on, Barbara. I don’t know where your car is. I need you to lead the way.”
“Sure.”
***
“What are you going to do, Robbie? Are you still going to wait for Sunday?”
Robin looked down at his phone.
Stay.
Go.
Run.
Run.
Run!
I want him.
I need him in my arms.
I need to feel him touch me, caress me.
I need him to whisper “I love you” in my ear.
I need to see his face, those big wings of his.
I need to physically touch him.
Isellta.
My ‘sellta.
“Robbie?”
It hurts. Needing him like this.
“It hurts, Mama. I never thought that somethin’ as simple as bein’ in love could hurt like this.”
She laid her hand on his arm. “Who says love is simple? I guess it is, in some ways. In other ways, it’s complicated. What are you going to do?”
He closed his eyes and he saw Maelin’s paintings.
Isellta sitting alone with that inquisitive look on his face.
Isellta lying in his lap, so calm and peaceful.
And, for one small moment, he thought he felt Isellta’s finger trace the line of his scar.
I need to go to him.
But.
If I do, somethin’ will go wrong.
Somethin’ bad will happen.
“I can’t go now. I gotta wait. Am’rose will pro’lly kill me, but I’m gonna wait.”
“Are you sure?”
He opened his eyes. “It’s all only one more day.”
***
Ambrose followed Jeff and Barbara out of the hospital, all the way out to her car. He kept his gaze fixed on her.
Barbara unlocked her car. “I guess you can put her in the back seat. It will give her a little bit more room to stretch out.” She opened the door for Jeff.
As Jeff got Sarah all situated, Ambrose folded his arms across his chest. “I’ve given it some thought and I’m not sorry after all.”
Barbara gave him a surprised look. “Sorry about…?”
“That kiss. You were right. We both needed that.” He smiled flirtatiously. “I just wish it had been a whole lot longer.”
She blushed.
“I wish I could kiss you now. Every single part of your face. Down your jaw. To your throat.”
Her blush deepened.
“Should I say more?”
“umm.” She grabbed the top of the open door. “I…”
He pressed his right hip against the side of the car. “I could go further if you wish.”
“Umm.” Her gaze ran down the front of his body. “It’s probably a bad idea.”
“Does that count as a yes or a no?”
She giggled. “And you always call me a brat. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.”
He grinned. “So, what? I’m a brat too?”
“No. Just a very naughty kitten.”
He laughed.
Jeff finally surfaced. “Okay. Break it up, both of you. Barbara, you get in your car. Vampire—”
“I have a name.”
“Sorry. Ambrose. You just back off.”
Ambrose looked at her. “I could come with you.”
Jeff and Barbara said, “NO.” in unison.
“Or not.”
ambroseandelsie 