Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
“That sounds good. This feels a little like speed dating, the rate at which we’re knocking down complicated topics.” His hands rest on my hips, and he places a gentle kiss on my lips. “Are we okay?”
“We?”
“Yeah.”
My smile barely fits on my face. “We’re most definitely okay.”
Chapter Five
We get back to the guest house a little after eleven. It’s not exactly a late night, but I am usually in bed by now, wrapped in blankets and reading a romance novel. The initial high of being with someone is so beautiful. Like walking on clouds and feeling your heart take flight and all of those fanciful things. I had forgotten. Or at least I hadn’t made time to remember. Life gets busy, and years pass by without you realizing. Without you getting the things you want. And I have decided I would like to be in a relationship. With this man, if possible.
Dean is right, we’re speed dating. Part of it is the forced proximity of sharing the guest house. He’s right the heck there and will continue to be so each and every night, apparently. The only time we’re not around each other is when we’re at work. And when we’re at work, we’re probably both too busy to stop and think all of this through. Which brings us right back to being together and whoa. My heart is beating like a drum while my mind does its best to keep up. All of these hopes and dreams fill up my head at a dizzying rate.
“Thank you for coming out with me tonight,” he says in his smooth, deep voice.
“You’re very welcome. Thank you for asking me.”
“How about tomorrow night, if you don’t already have plans, you pick what we do?”
I smile. “That sounds great.”
“It’s a date,” he says and leans in for a kiss. This one is gentle and tame just like the other he gave me in the hallway back at the bar. There’s none of the smoldering heat from the middle of the night. We were all wet mouths and clutching hands then. This is sweet but perfunctory.
Though there’s always the chance I’m overthinking things. Again. It must be amazing to have some chill and be good at relationships and dating. Imagine the lack of worrying such a person would do. You could take up a new hobby with all of the time you’d save.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” he says and heads for his bedroom. When he reaches his door, he raises a hand in farewell.
I return the motion with a hesitant smile.
And then he is gone from view. The door is closed, and our date is over. It was a success, I think.
The house is quiet as can be, and outside, everything is dark. At this hour of night, it seems the whole world is asleep. Or holding its breath waiting for the next thing to happen. Tonight was fine. It was good. We went on a date and, apart from a hiccup, it was great. Said hiccup probably even strengthened our burgeoning relationship when you think about it. I am on the whole content with tonight’s events.
I wander into my bedroom, slipping off my shoes and stretching my toes. It’s not that I thought he would necessarily try to get into my pants on the first date. But those kisses were a little lackluster. Harsh but true. I know for a fact that he can do better. Instead, he took our heat level down a notch or two. Or three. The woman in the mirror has no answers. I take off my makeup and brush my teeth and change into pajamas. Not even comfortable fluffy socks can solve this quandary.
I lie on my bed in the dark for almost an hour. My brain won’t quiet down, and I don’t know what to do. Though in all honesty I do know what to do, I’m just not sure if I should do it. Making decisions like this can be a right bitch. My hands curl into fists, and it’s all so frustrating. Along with the button to turn the libido on and off, there definitely needs to be one for the brain. A little sleep mode switch behind the ear or something. How useful. I consider going the warm milk and cookie route. But I’m not really hungry, and sugar would probably not help. I can’t read for a while because my mind won’t focus on anything else. It is all Dean and me town up there. Too many thoughts and feelings going on. Not even a meditation app on my cell can calm me down. It’s like I’m in Oregon and sleep is in Maine. No joke. The other side of the country. And no, I am not being needlessly dramatic.
Much.
It takes me a good minute of standing in front of Dean’s bedroom door to work up the nerve to knock. Then I start out so softly he would need superpowers to have heard. Ugh. Me. Honestly. I give knocking a less timid attempt and then stand there to wait. If he hadn’t figured out I could be complicated and high maintenance now and then, he soon will. Which is probably for the best.