“Same, girl, same.” I pat my growling belly.
We order greasy food and are on our second beer by the time the food arrives.
“So tell me about this.” Nevah swipes her fry through her ketchup and motions toward me before biting the end off.
“Tell you about what?”
She props her chin on her fist. “You. The packaging. I’m trying to figure you out.”
“The packaging?”
“You look and dress like a surfer dude.”
“If I lived in California, I probably would be a surfer dude.”
“But you live in Long Island?”
“The Hamptons.”
“Oooh, fancy.”
“My brother and I manage a bunch of properties out there. You should come visit sometime if you’re ever out that way. It’s great there in the summer.”
“Is this you saying you want to see me again after this weekend?” She gives me the side-eye and brings her bottle to her lips, a slight smile turning up the corners of her mouth.
“Yeah, I guess I am. I mean, we’ll be sleeping together on a set of sheets covered in questionably impossible sex positions and you’ve already seen the goods—” I motion below the bar. “—seems like maybe we’re dating already.”
Nevah throws her head back and laughs. “You’re ridiculous.”
“But am I?” I turn so I’m facing her. “Usually a first date is coffee, or something short, right? An hour, two tops? Then you decide if you want to give the person a second shot. The next date is maybe dinner? A movie, which you can’t even talk through. We’ve been together for twelve solid hours and we’ve already dealt with a broken-down car, a flat tire, and a motel that’s grosser than a high school locker room. That’s like what? At least three or four dates worth of time together?”
Nevah cocks a brow. “Those would be pretty fail dates.”
“Obviously, actual dates with me would not include broken-down cars, flat tires, and crappy motels. What I’m saying is, we already know we’re compatible, especially under pressure. Neither of us lost our cool today, other than you kicking the flat, which I think was completely warranted because that tire was an asshole. I don’t know about you, but despite this day being a complete clusterfuck, I’ve had a lot of fun and it’s been because I’ve had great company. Doesn’t hurt that you’re a smokeshow either.”
“I’ve had a lot of fun today, too.” She bites her lip and ducks her head. “It’s kind of crazy that we even managed to cross paths, don’t you think?”
I’ve thought the same thing a hundred times. “Seems a lot like fate to me.”
“Do you really believe that?” Nevah regards me thoughtfully.
“Yeah, sure. Things always happen for a reason. Just like we’ve been at the same events before, in the same room, feet away from each other, but we’ve never been introduced, probably because the timing wasn’t right. In fact, I know that’s the case because you were at the Mills hospital fundraiser last year and I asked my sister about you.”
“What did you want to know about me?” Cosy mentioned that while I was at the vending machine, but I didn’t press for information then. Might as well get it from the source.
“If you were available. I don’t know if you’re aware, but you’re stunning. Anyway, my sister told me that I wasn’t allowed to talk to you unless I was sober, which I was not at the time.”
“That was probably some sage advice.”
“I agree.” I clink my beer against hers. “To second chances at making first impressions.”
We finish our beers, pay the tab, and head back to the motel. Nevah is flirty, arm threaded through mine, cheek resting on my biceps as we navigate the uneven sidewalk. We make a stop at the 7-Eleven to load up on better snacks, including a six-pack of those powdered donuts that are equally horrible and delicious.
The motel is quiet when we return. Despite the rough start to our day, and the bad luck, this has probably been the most fun I’ve had with a member of the opposite sex in a long time. Generally, my relationships don’t have much in the way of longevity, so the fact that I’ve spent an entire day with the same woman, not having sex, says a lot. And possibly not a lot of good things.
After we dump our treats onto the table, we stand in the middle of the room and stare at the tent for several seconds. The chill, easy vibe is suddenly rife with new tension.
“Uh, I’m going to get ready for bed.” Nevah grabs her bag and disappears into the bathroom.
I really don’t know what to expect tonight.
I should probably not expect sex. At all. Even though I’m pretty sure I would like the sex. Okay, I’m more than pretty sure. My dick, which has been in a state of semi-arousal all day long, would definitely like the sex.