Chapter 19: Starstruck
The bathroom door opened, and Rebecca stepped out wearing her jeans and what was left of her sweater—except now it was tied around her waist like a makeshift belt, leaving her in just a black tank top that hugged her in ways Kaine hadn’t noticed under the loose sweater.
Kaine’s eyes bulged in surprise. She looked... different. Not just the obvious skin situation, but something about her whole presence had shifted. More confident, maybe. Or maybe it was just that the tank top showed off arms that were surprisingly toned for someone who claimed to spend her days making lasagna.
He turned to see Marcus looking in the same direction, the ghoul’s pale eyes fixed with that unblinking stare that made everyone uncomfortable.
"Marcus," Kaine said quickly, "close your eyes."
Marcus tilted his head but didn’t move. Rebecca noticed the exchange and laughed.
"It’s fine, really. I’m not that modest." She walked back to the stove like nothing had happened, stirring whatever she was cooking. "Besides, it’s just a shirt. You act like you’ve never seen a woman in a tank top before."
’Not one who looks like that,’ Kaine thought, then immediately tried to unthink it.
She served him a plate without asking, the smell making his stomach growl despite his discomfort with the whole situation. "So anyway, I was telling you about my ex-husband’s car obsession. Turned out he was spending our mortgage money on vintage Mustang parts while I was working two jobs to keep us afloat."
Kaine took a bite. It was actually good. Really good. "That’s rough."
"Men, right? They always have their priorities." She settled onto the couch next to him, closer than strictly necessary for casual conversation. "What about you? You seem like the strong, silent type. There’s got to be some tragic backstory that explains why you live like a monk."
"Not really."