Invigorated by the finish line, I jump around at my front door, fists in the air, in that classic Rocky Balboa style.
He chuckles. “You’ll be ready for that marathon in no time, with that kind of enthusiasm.”
“Halfmarathon.”
He opens the front door for me and Junie lunges for him. He pets her head as she presses her front paws against his rock-hard body. I’m envious that my dog gets to touch him more than I do.
“Hey, girl. Don’t go acting like you wanted to join us,” he says. “You were sound asleep when we left.”
“And I’m starting to think that Junie made the right choice.”
“You’re working tonight, I’m betting?” he asks as I rehydrate with a tall glass of water.
“Yeah. The Fourth of July weekend is pretty busy.”
“Imagine so. Want me to stay home with Junie during the fireworks? I know lots of dogs don’t like the sound of them.”
My heart positively warms at his thoughtfulness. “But don’t you want to see them?”
He shrugs. “You’ve seen one firework, you’ve seen them all. I’d rather make sure you’re okay, girl,” he directs to Junie, and I feel myself melting into my floor.
Hey, Soldier! Pucker up!
Oh, if I had just one more chance to be in his arms, I wouldn’t let it pass by.
“Don’t forget you promised me a coffee after this,” I remind him, “We should have a little lull around two in the afternoon.” It’s pathetic how desperate I am to spend more time with him.
The grin he offers me is delicious. “So, I’ve finally tricked you into going on a coffee date with me.”
My brow furrows. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, last time you shot me down. Remember? Now I’ve learned I just have to break you down with a good run first.”
I cock my head, slightly annoyed at the memory of the day I got summarily rejected by him. “Well, for the record, you weren’t asking me on adateback then.”
He snorts. “Of course I was.”
Statue-still, I stand in the middle of my kitchen and give him a blank stare for a few beats, letting his words sink in. “You said you just wanted to pick my brain for information.”
“Can’t you tell when a guy is saving face?” he scoffs, reaching into the refrigerator and pulling out the orange juice.
“Wait a sec. What do you mean,saving face?” I force out the words, feeling breathless as I do, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I just ran a whopping twenty minutes solid, a new record for me.
He shrugs, pouring himself a glass. “I was just pissed when you said you didn’t date military guys because I figured you were—well, like my ex was.”
I cringe. “Don’t lump me in with that crowd.”
“I wouldn’t now that I know you better.”
He bends slightly to put the orange juice back on the low shelf of the refrigerator, and as always, my eyes soak up the sight of the way his muscles look as he moves. They’re so pronounced, those muscles. And I can’t help wondering what they would feel like under the pads of my hungry fingertips.
So tempting…
And even more tempting as his words settle into me.
“So wait a sec.” I nearly stammer it, as reality strikes—an unexpected reality. A reality that makes my already raging hormones snowball into something unmanageable. “You were actually asking me on a date?”
“Well, yeah.” His brow rises a little at my confusion as he drinks his juice.