Kiss and Tell(46)

As he walked by, he noticed her curled up on the couch, the credits to some movie rolling across the screen.



Quietly, he took the chocolate and movies into the kitchen.



“Oh great, you remembered to pick up some chocolate. Do you think you bought enough?” Jason teased. “Wow, you got the good stuff.” Jason reached for a dark chocolate and raspberry candy bar. He shot Seth a dirty look when his hand was smacked away.



“You don’t get any.”



“Wow, you have it bad. Now, do you want to tell me what’s going on? Why were you…whatever you were, earlier? And why did you just leave as though someone were trying to kill you?”



“It’s a long story.” Seth sighed.



“You’re in luck, I have all night.” Jason leaned on the counter and eyed the heap of chocolate, but didn’t reach for any.



“Well I don’t. I need you to take Willow back home.”



“Why?”



“Just do it, Jason,” he said irritably.



“Nope, not until you tell me why. She deserves to know too. She took a big chance with you. She risked her life for you. She was really worried, Seth, and you just left without saying a word.”



“She shouldn’t worry about me. And you shouldn’t come by for a while. It’s going to be rough around here.”



“Well aren’t you Mr. Cryptic,” Jason huffed.



“You have been hanging around Willow entirely too much.” Seth had to fight the surge of jealousy he felt at the thought of his Willow being with some other man.



“Wow, you rented movies, too. What did you get?” Before Seth could stop him, Jason grabbed the DVDs and frowned. “You got Nightmare on Elm Street? Only you could go into a video store and get a movie that has been around forever. Why didn’t you get something newer?”



“I want to see this one,” Seth told him simply, taking the movie from his hand.



“And just what made you have this sudden burning desire to watch this movie? You always refused to let me watch it when it was on cable. You said something about television and movies being nothing but a waste of time and told me to go read a book.” Jason sulked. “Do you know how many times I’ve had to listen to you talk about the days when there was no television? How people were excited if they learned how to read, or could find a book—any book—to read? More times than any man should have to, I’ll tell you that. Damn. Did my history teachers love it when I had to spend time with you.”



“That was different. You were a child and your parents trusted me to keep you safe. And I wish to watch it now.”



“Why?” Jason wouldn’t seem to let the subject drop, he seemed determined to get an answer.



“I want to hear a rhyme. Does it matter?”



“Wow, you woke up on the wrong side of the bed. You’d think after waking up with a beautiful woman naked and lying across you, your temper would improve,” Jason grumbled. “But no, you have to go and act worse than you did when she avoided you.”



“That was different.” Just how many times would he be allowed to get away with using that phrase in this conversation? “And how did you know she was lying across me?”



“I looked in on you two—just to make sure you were both in one piece. How is it different now?” Jason returned to the previous subject.



“It just is. Look, just take her home. I’ll call you when it’s safe to come around me again.” His heart broke as he lied to his friend, knowing it was perhaps the last time he would ever see him.



“Fine. I’ll go. But there are two things I won’t be doing.” He grabbed the jacket he’d kept in Seth’s closet for emergencies and began to put it on. “First, I won’t be waiting by the phone for your call.” Jason walked over to the elevator. “And second, I won’t be taking her anywhere. You want her gone, you tell her. She damn well deserves to hear this from you after what happened last night. To quote what you always tell me, ‘It’s your mess. You clean it up’.”



Climbing into the elevator, Jason shook his head as the doors closed.



Seth was left standing in the middle of the hall.



Now what am I supposed to do? He was tired after his ordeal the night before. Who knew feeling human sickness could be so tiring?



Looking over at the couch, he knew he couldn’t leave Willow there. The way she was sleeping would give her one hell of a neck cramp.



With a sigh, he picked her up and carried her back to the bedroom. In her sleep she moaned slightly and tried to snuggle closer to him.