"Dahlia, do you want anything else?" Xander asks.
"Just a gallon of water," I say jokingly. "My mouth feels like a desert in the middle of July."
He grins at me and starts to pour the liter of bottled water into a glass as River takes my giant pills, along with a knife from the tray, and comes over to the table.
"I'll take the whole bottle, please. No need for a glass."
Xander hands me the water as River cuts the pills in half.
"Stop looking like you're going to someone's funeral, Xander. I'm fine. You and Caleb really didn't have to drop everything to come up here when we're just going home tomorrow anyway."
"Will it make you feel better if I tell you I came for my brother?"
I take a huge sip of water and eye him before giving him a full smile. "Since I know you'd never admit you came for me, then yes it will."
He kisses me on the forehead. "Good night, Muse. If you weren't such a pain in my ass I might find you funny. I might even like you." I don't mind him calling me Muse since he repeatedly tells me the Wilde Ones' claim to fame is the song "Once in a Lifetime," which River wrote after meeting me that first time.
"I'll keep hoping and wishing for the day you say you love me."
He looks at me with all trace of humor gone. "I'm really glad you're okay, Dahlia. Good night. See you in a few hours."
Glancing over at River, he gives him a nod before closing the door. Our plan is to leave in the middle of the night to get home early enough for Xander to get to work. River comes to sit next to me and once I swallow the disgusting horse pills we share the tray of food and then fall asleep in each other's arms.
***
Moonlight cascades through the windows and the stars shine bright above us as Xander drives us home. Lying on River's lap, I am listening intently to him. He's strumming his fingers through my hair and singing along to "Losing My Religion," but his voice sounds sad, reminiscent of something almost. When the song finishes I reach my hand up to caress his cheek. "I love that song. I saw R.E.M. perform it at the Greek the year it came out."
He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. "I have a love/hate relationship with it myself."
Xander snickers from the front seat. "Yeah, more like it had a love/hate relationship with you."
Combing my fingers through his hair, I tug on a strand and he grins. "Why?" I ask.
He slouches a little more so I can rest my head on the tautness of his abs. His fingers tap my arm and he laughs. "When it hit the top five my dad decided I should learn to play the mandolin. He studied hit songs all the time trying to dissect them for what drove them to the top. He took note of anything different used in its production and 'Losing My Religion' was only the second hit song ever to feature a mandolin prominently."
Xander starts laughing so loud it surprises me. I don't think I've ever heard him laugh like that. River shakes his head. "Shut up, Xander."
River's eyes seem to dance in the moonlight at the memory and it thrills me to see him laugh when he mentions his father. He doesn't mention him often but on the rare occasion he does it's never with any sign of emotion. I'm glad he has happy memories of his dad, like I do. I have a sudden urge to kiss him and pull his head down closer to mine so I can press my lips against his. "Tell me," I whisper, tracing the outline of one of his perfectly defined pectorals.
"Don't laugh but you know the saying 'It's all in the wrist'?"
I nod.
"It's absolutely true. Subtle, nimble wrist movements are the key to playing the correct note on the mandolin and no matter how many times I tried, I just couldn't get it down."
"Tell her the rest," Xander interjects.
River rolls his eyes. "Okay, so my dad knew I was getting frustrated and tried teaching me by using the only other hit song featuring a mandolin."
Xander laughs loudly again. "Man, I can still picture it," he manages between snorts.
I move to sit up but River reaches out to stop me and continues, ignoring Xander. "My dad was teaching me how to play 'Maggie May,' so I watched some of Rod Stewart's music videos and Xander walked in when I was practicing Rod's walk from the 'Hot Legs' video. I had decided to give up my attempts at the mandolin and decided I'd rather move like Rod."
All three of us burst out in a chorus of laughter and the vision in my head is priceless. God, sometimes it feels like my heart will burst with love for River. Everything about him drives me wild but especially his sense of humor.