“That was delicious. Thank you for dinner.” I see she’s eaten all of her food; Michelle could definitely hang with my family; she eats faster than Lincoln and me combined.
I finish chewing my last bite before replying, “You’re welcome. It wasn’t much, but it sure beats waiting at a restaurant when you’re starving. You want to drive around some more, or will you turn into a pumpkin if I don’t have you home by midnight?”
“Me?” She points to herself. “Turn into a pumpkin? No way. I may fall asleep on you, though, and I’m warning you, I flail around like a fish out of water when I’m sleeping.” Michelle’s cheeks blossom with color. I’m not sure if she wanted to admit that to me just yet, but I love that she did.
“Got it, so basically, if we ever share a bed, I should be prepared to be shoved off of it at some point?” I ask jokingly.
“Shoved, kicked, hit, punched. It’s why I don’t have the dog I want right now. I’m too scared he or she will want to sleep with me, and I’ll hurt it while I’m asleep.”
“Nah, I think if someone were in bed with you and you felt safe, everything would be okay.” I hop off the tailgate, leaving her there with my parting words while I take care of the trash. When I come back, her head is cocked to the side, as if she’s mulling over what I said.
“You really think so?”
“Absolutely,” I respond, moving back between her legs. Grasping her hips, I allow Michelle to slide down the length of my body.
“Well then, how do you feel about going to the animal shelter this weekend? Maybe just to look around.”
“I think we can make that happen.” This time, I don’t let her open her passenger door; I do it for her.
“Thank you for an amazing evening,” she tells me as she takes her seat.
“The pleasure is all mine,” I say to her before we head out for the evening to take our drive around Vegas, not wanting our night to end in the least. My hand travels to hers on the center console, and we hold hands the whole time we drive around.
6
Michelle
It wasn’t easy saying goodnight to Devon last night. I hated it, if I’m being honest, but he had to work today, and this is my first official day off. So, I did what most people would do—I slept in. I mean, I really slept in. I roll over and look at the numbers blazing on my alarm clock and see that it’s well past one o’clock in the afternoon.
The sun is shining through the curtains, and I groan as I get out of bed. My hair is a rumpled mess from sleep, so I try to run my fingers through it. I fall back on the bed, a smile on my face, and I scream out my happiness. I mean, full-on scream, legs kicking, arms flailing in happiness. My lips are still tingling from the kiss he gave me last night, and his taste was toe-curling, leaving my heart beating out of my chest in the most amazing way. I swear I felt it consume my soul. It takes me a few minutes to compose myself. This time I get out bed and attempt to start my day of doing nothing. Well, except for the chai tea latte that is calling my name.
My thoughts wander back to Devon and talking about if I had a dog in my life. He made me think it could happen, that is until I woke up this morning. The sheets are a tangled mess, my comforter is on the floor, and the pillows are strewn everywhere. I’m not so sure if Devon’s idea is good, after all.
I walk through my house, my one goal in mind the kitchen. I kicked coffee years ago, after drinking so much of it, it landed me in the hospital. My heart was racing out of my chest. I couldn’t calm it down. When Laura saw me leaning up against the wall of the shop, she called my parents, and they rushed me to the hospital. I was having heart palpitations and had no idea drinking so much coffee every day was making it worse. My veins were so full of coffee they pretty much were filled with bean water.
It scared the life out of not only myself but my parents as well. I promised I would quit coffee but bargained with drinking just one hot cup of tea a day. So, that’s what I’ve been doing, and now I only go to my cardiologist once a year to get a check-up just in case. Over the past two years, I’ve gotten the all-clear. I could even have more than the one cup I’ve allowed myself. I won’t get over the look in my father’s eyes, not to mention my mother; there’s no way I’ll do that again.