Krey would have been angry at Francis if she didn't make Pip smile.
Pip pressed the book to his mouth with eyes that darted around the room.
Krey picked at the annoying splinter still stuck in his thumb. He watched Pip shift awkwardly on the couch.
Krey sat back against the cushions. He did his best to stay calm. On the inside, Krey was spinning faster than the earth.
Pip cleared his throat and glanced at Krey, who was already staring. Pip's eyes shot away as soon as their gaze connected.
Krey would have smiled if his heart wasn't trapped in a cell with no key. The silence stretched between them. Krey's nerves crawled to his heart and around his lungs and up to his throat. Time was running out. He had to win Pip's love while the human was still oblivious to what Krey was.
He mustered up the courage and said, "I do like you."
Pip smiled wide at his lap and whispered, "I-I think I like you too."