Worth It

“I am,” I lied.

Inside, I fell apart, not sure what was going on or what I was going to do about it.

“This is crazy,” City hissed through the darkened theater.

I just grinned as I popped a handful of popcorn into my mouth. “What? I’m having fun.” Without looking at her, I swung the popcorn tub her way, silently offering her some.

“Thanks.” She looked around the empty aisles as she dug her hand in. Then she leaned toward me and whispered, “We’re going to get caught.”

I leaned toward her as well, because I liked how good she smelled tonight. She’d put on some extra perfume that was driving me crazy. I swear it smelled like one of the wildflowers that grew in the woods, except better because this was layered on top of her natural scent.

“We won’t get caught,” I promised. “I’ll bet money no one else even comes into the theater with us.”

She turned to me, her breath brushing across my cheek. “Why’s that?”

“Because this movie’s about some doll who gets a soul, comes alive, and falls for some video store clerk.”

“Say what?”

I grinned and kept watching the opening credits.

City nudged me in the ribcage with her knuckle. “What the heck kind of movie did you pick for us?”

Something I wouldn’t feel the least bit distracted by when I made out with my girlfriend through the whole thing.

“I cannot believe you purposely picked out a bad movie for our very first date.”

Finally, I turned to her. Her brow was puckered with disappointment so I murmured, “Hey,” as I gently cupped her cheek. “I know the movie and date were my idea, but I don’t want us to get caught, either. That’s why I took every precaution possible to protect you from trouble. And this...” I hitched my chin toward the screen, “was the safest place in public I thought we could go. Besides, the movie’s not what I came to see.”

I could tell the exact moment I’d said the right thing. Her eyes changed, the bright blue turning a liquid azure as her breath caught. When she leaned toward me, I met her halfway, my lips catching hers and my fingers burrowing into her hair. We didn’t come up for air until the characters on the screen started talking...in Japanese.

“Oh my God!” Mouth falling open, City shook her head. “And it’s not even in English?”

I bit my lip. “Well...at least it has subtitles.”

She glanced at me incredulously. I cringed and bit my lip a little harder until we burst into simultaneous laughter.

The entire plot ended up being even worse than I’d originally thought. The “doll” ended up being a life-sized blow-up sex toy. And there were sex scenes. Lots of sex scenes. My grand plans to make out were doused by all the raunchy action happening on the screen. It was like watching a train wreck it was so bad, and both City and I could only gape in horror at some of the plot that went down.

“I am so sorry.” Absolutely mortified, I took her hand and slipped lower in my seat. “We can leave. Let’s leave.” I tried to urge her to follow me out of our seats, but she resisted.

“Are you crazy?” She yanked us back down as she continued to watch the movie. “This is my first movie date. Besides...I gotta see how this ends.”

So we ended up staying and watching the entire thing.

As we left the theater hand in hand a hundred and twenty-five minutes later, she leaned her head onto my shoulder and said, “You know, it really wasn’t that bad of a movie. Underneath all the sex and plastic, and you know, air blowing, it really did cover some deep, meaningful topics. Kind of makes me feel all introspective and think about what’s really important in life.”

I grinned as I shook my head. We stepped into the warm evening air and I led her toward a darker, empty street. Then I leaned into her, burying my face in her hair and inhaling her essence. “You always know how to find the bright side of everything, don’t you? I love that about you.”

She turned to me, her golden smile glittering with warmth. “Know what I love about you?” she murmured, brushing her nose against mine.

I batted mine back. “What?”

“How special you always make me feel.”

I coiled a piece of her red hair around my finger. “You are special.”

Shaking her head, she moved in closer, her breath fanning my lips. “Not to anyone else, I’m not.”

“Then no one else matters.” I kissed her softly, then a little deeper. Eventually, our lips parted and tongues brushed.