Kattar smiles, now, just slightly, but sincerely, and I feel a warmth like mild sunshine wash me in comfort, if only for an instant, even as I recognize that sly energy that I pretend not to.
“Fine, do you know what I really want?” He tilts his head with that same subtle smile, crossing his arms over his cable-knit chest.
“What?” I ask slowly, as I cram as much of the pretzel as I can manage into my mouth to try to avoid dropping any crumbs on his couch.
“The other half of that pretzel you’re eating.”
He grins roguishly, and before I can say anything in response, he leans forward across the cushions, and bites off the other half of my pretzel, with a sort of half-kiss that turns my whole face burning red.
“Get your own!” I bluster, embarrassed and flustered in a sort of butterfly-ish flutter as he re-steals the pretzel bag and plops back against his pillows on the opposite end of the couch, “Give me that back!”
“Not on your life,” he grins, placing one of the pretzels between his teeth teasingly. “If you want it, come and get it.”
