“I know somewhere else we can walk to tomorrow.”
I want to lie and tell him I’m working tomorrow, but obviously he’ll know, plus I’m not one to lie. I keep my lips sealed, letting him continue.
“There’s a good little coffee shop up the way. They have desserts that I know you’ll like.”
“How do you kn
ow what I’ll like, or if I even like sweets?” I fold my arms across my chest.
“I’ve seen you sneaking bites of peach cobbler during your shift.”
I want to yell at him for watching me so closely, but before I can a smile creases my lips. “Yeah, it’s pretty good. The diner has a good one.”
“I know a better one.”
“Since when do you eat sweets?”
“I don’t, but you do, so I did some checking.”
“Seems you do a lot of checking.”
“You can see for yourself tomorrow. I’ll get the check, you just have to show up.”
I pause, knowing I should get out a bit but also that I’m dead tired from working sixteen hours every day so far at the diner.
“Let’s see what time I wake up and how I feel about it then.”
“You know where to find me.”
“Yeah, I know where to find you.”
And with that he slides inside his apartment and I hear the lock fasten, letting me know I can remove my keys and do the same, which I do.
I plop down on the futon, which doubles as my bed, and think about how hardened I’ve become. Something about being in the diner makes me feel good, bubbly and happy, even though I’m an introvert. Maybe it’s because I spend the rest of my time alone with my Kindle in my lap.
I pay ten bucks a month for a Kindle Unlimited service that allows me to read about all the possessive heroes from some of my favorite authors, like Lena Little, but here I won’t actually go on a real date with a real possessive hunk. If that’s not irony I don’t know what is.
But I can decide tomorrow, although there’s one more decision for tonight that’s already been made for me.
I take out my phone and cancel the timer on the email so it won’t send at all.
He’s right, I need to keep my guard up, but so far so good. I’m alive, and being with him makes me feel exactly that more than anything I can imagine in recent memory, despite my somewhat bratty behavior.
I’m a brat and he’s already used the word rules.
I’m not sure what’s going on, and I didn’t even remember to get his name, but tomorrow I’ll know more. Because I know there's no way I can’t accept his invitation for coffee and pastries. How can I resist?
The question is, will I be able to resist him?
6
Daniel
I hear a light rapping of knuckles on wood and shoot out of my seat like a cannon, racing to the door. I was showered and ready for the at six this morning and have just been doing light exercise, to avoid sweating, interspersed with pacing my apartment.
Until now.
“Hey, Little Peaches,” I say, pulling the door open wide to get a good look at my woman.