The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. Kyle blinks at me and I flush. But, suddenly, I don’t want to back down.
“Could be what?” Kyle asks, confused.
“Your girlfriend,” I say, and his eyes go wide. “I could be that.”
We stare at each other, neither of us knowing what to say. In the end, I break the silence first. I snort and then burst into laughter.
“Oh my god, look at us!” I exclaim, giggling. “We’re acting like a pair of teenagers!”
Kyle laughs too, shaking his head. “You’re right. This shouldn’t be so difficult. We’ve had sex. We’ve watched movies together. You made me fucking breakfast and I made you coffee and popcorn. Aren’t we already in a relationship?”
I laugh harder. “You’re right! Shit, we’re idiots!”
I’m laughing so hard that tears are coming to my eyes. Because I can’t believe the two of us. I can suddenly understand why Jacqui is so exasperated. I’ve known Kyle for a week and, in that time, I’ve been so drawn to him that it was painful to send him away. Should that be a good enough foundation for a relationship?
Maybe it isn’t. But it’s good enough for us, right now.
Finally, we calm down. It’s hard to believe how ridiculous we’ve been, dancing around each o
ther like we have no idea what to do next.
“So, if you’re my girlfriend, we should probably go on an actual date,” Kyle finally says, grinning at me. “Not that poker parties and movies on the couch aren’t nice, but…I’d like to take you out to dinner?”
“You asked before I could,” I say, chuckling. “Actually, Jacqui challenged me to go on a date with you. Said I needed to go on an actual date and get to know you a little better before I made any decisions about our relationship.”
“Sounds like she knows what she’s talking about,” Kyle says.
He smiles at me. It’s soft and fond, and reminds me, oddly, of the smile he wore when he was talking about Ethan and Lily. I flush and clear my throat.
“Let’s meet back here in a couple of hours?” I ask. If we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it tonight. “We can find somewhere to go.”
“I’ll figure something out,” Kyle promises. “Do you mind if I bring my bike around and park it here? We can walk to the bus from here.”
An odd sort of recklessness comes over me then. I need to get to know Kyle. That means appreciating and understanding the things that he likes.
“No, we’ll ride your motorbike,” I decide.
He shoots me a look. “Are you sure?”
“Positive,” I say, looking him in the eye. “Don’t forget to bring me a helmet.”
The smile he gives me, this time, is giddy, and it washes away some of the doubts that I still have. I draw in a deep breath. I don’t know what tonight is going to bring, but I’m determined to see this through.
Chapter Twenty-One
Allison
I’m a bundle of nerves by the time Kyle arrives back, the engine’s roar announcing his arrival. I almost messaged Kyle four times to tell him that I’ve changed my mind.
But, no, I promised I would do this. I might hate it, and I might never do it again, but I need to experience life with Kyle at least once. His motorbike is his only form of transport, so I would need to get used to it being around if we pursue a relationship.
Admittedly, that doesn’t mean I need to get on it. But if I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it properly. My stubborn streak has won out here.
Keeping in mind that I’ll be riding a motorbike, I dressed in jeans and a nice jacket. When he pulls up beside me, I unclench my hands as he flips up his visor.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asks.
“I’m sure,” I say with a nod. “Do you have a helmet?”