Chapter 9-P6

"It's not pity," he promised, smiling lightly, and she could see no deception in his eyes, which soothed her doubts. "If anything, you pity me," he added after a moment of silence, pursing his lips. "Why else would you still be here?" Marley blinked incredulously. "Because you're my friend, Aiden. Because I want to be." "I'm an asshole," he pointed out. "Agreed." Marley smiled, moving in front of him this time. She craned her head up to look at him, poking a finger above his heart. "But only on the outside." She let her hand fall. Aiden was rendered speechless as he stared at her, and she kind of liked that. Leaning away from him, she decided to copy his abrupt subject change move from earlier. "I enjoy certain documentary genres," she started thoughtfully, watching her fingers run along the surface of the water, that had calmed as the sky darkened. "And cake baking shows. I like Hell's Kitchen. I like Brain Games. I also like the Harry Potter ser