“That’s why you feel so strongly about helping your sister now, isn’t it? You feel…guilty?”
“I have every reason to feel that way.”
Penny placed her hand on his cheek a second time and turned his face toward her. Her lips were inches from his, and she whispered, “Thank you.” She was thanking him for a lot of things all at the same time. For standing up for her against that jerk in the lounge. For telling her about his sister. And for being the type of man who stood up for women when situations got tough. Penny searched his eyes for a few moments longer before closing her own and softly capturing his lips.
She tasted her own lip gloss as she gently coaxed his lips open with hers. She felt his arm move down her back and snake around her waist as the fingers on his other hand wove themselves into the back of her short hair. The kiss was tender and long. Almost slow and methodical. When a few moments passed, Penny was unsure she would be able to breathe any longer. She pulled back reluctantly but kept her position wrapped in his arms.
“What was that?” he asked with a tremor in his voice.
“A soft kiss,” she replied.
Chapter Eighteen
Penny wasn’t sure what to make of it when Geo suggested, via text, that they take a break from writing articles together. The pair had grown close, and perhaps he was afraid that both were about to admit that. Penny knew it wasn’t a good time. In the midst of dating other people and giving advice about various ways to meet a significant other? It would be hard to stay on the dating track if she was tied down, right? She needed to find someone to meet her goals, but could that someone be Geo? It wasn’t possible. If he succeeded in his goals, he was as good as gone.
She also wondered if he was afraid of how much he had shown her. He’d been soft and vulnerable the last time they spoke, and she’d also seen a silly side to him. But his idea to focus the articles on the dangers of dating strangers and leaving public places with someone you didn’t really know was a good one, and she ran with it.
…
Dating Dangers
By Penny Coyne
I’ve had a lot of fun experimenting in the dating world—many singles do. It’s been intriguing to see the different ways people go about trying to find love. While I can’t say that I’ve found complete success as of yet, I do see potential in many forms of dating. But I’ve also learned a lot as well.
This week, I went to the bars to meet men in the conventional way. Perhaps it feels old-fashioned to some, with all of the technology and apps on dating today. But many people still do it, and one night, I was one of them. My experience was like many other women’s as well. Is it possible to meet a nice guy out at the bars? Sure, but there are also a lot of dangers as well.
When I went to a nice local lounge, I was approached by a man who seemed nice enough at first. But he had had too many drinks, and it quickly became apparent that he was willing to push things farther than I was comfortable with. My comfort was of no concern to him, and before I knew it, I was in a position that I certainly did not want to be in. While I know how to handle myself and could have gotten out of my station, squeezed against the bar on a stool with this too-forward man making unwanted advances, another man stepped in and stood up for me.
It was nice to see that in a bar filled with singles, there were men who took notice of women’s plight and were willing to take a stand against someone else when they recognized that the woman wasn’t into the situation. However, use this as a cautionary tale. There isn’t always going to be a man to step in. Women, these things might not always happen in a busy lounge where it’s easy enough to squeeze out of a corner. While dating can be a lot of fun and it’s the only way to find “the one,” it can also be dangerous.
After my own experience in the bars this week, I went back out and spoke to other women and found that my own situation was not uncommon. There were women who went through similar things on a regular basis in their effort to find someone. I also found several women who had gone through much worse.
So, women, I want to caution you. When something like this happens to you, first and foremost, it is not your fault. You did not “ask for it,” no matter what you said or did. No means no, and when you tell someone to back off, they should. Second, ladies, I want to make sure you have a shield against these kinds of men. Do your best to avoid situations that could put you in true danger. I met a man in a busy lounge who was only going to get so far in public. But what if I had followed a seemingly nice man to the street? Who knows what would have happened there? Keep things public. Tell friends where you’re going. Have someone check in with you at a certain time. There are endless tips, and it’s my true hope that you will use any and all of them to keep yourself safe.
Good men are out there. You can certainly find one. But there are also predators around every corner, and the last thing I want for any of you is for you to run into one of them unprepared.
…
Show Some Respect
By Geo Monais
The dating world can be harsh. Guys, when you go out to the bars with friends, specifically looking for ladies, there are women out there looking for you as well. But it doesn’t matter how much you drink or what people around you are acting like, you need to keep a level head.
This week, I was tasked with heading to the bars to look for women. I never got around to asking anyone on a date myself because I was too caught up in the actions around me. I saw men treating women like pieces of meat. Guys propositioning women who wanted no part in their play. And people downright making fools of themselves.
I think it’s time we take this whole dating thing and turn it on its head. Remember the olden days when men had to court ladies? Those days are long past, but there’s something wrong about going to a bar, throwing down a line, and expecting a woman to fall at your feet, too.
Women should be more careful today because there’s no telling who you might meet. There are some real gentlemen out there, but you won’t find one if you don’t demand respect from the men you run across. You are worth more than your weight in gold, ladies. You deserve the best.
And men, it only makes sense that we treat women as such. They deserve more than sloppy lines and drool on a late night. What about sincerity? Compliments? And true conversation? It’s not about the one-night stand; it’s about meeting someone who truly makes you happy. How are you going to find that if you act like a Neanderthal?
I know dating works. I have enough friends and family members who have met people, married, and lived happily ever after. But after what I witnessed this week, it’s hard for me to understand how dating has taken such a turn. We need to start respecting each other more and put ourselves in the other person’s shoes, even if they are high heels.
Ladies, understand that there are good guys out there. We aren’t all jerks looking for one thing. But it might take time to find us because we tend to hide amongst those who are more outgoing and give the rest of us a bad name.
And men, it’s all about R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Treat others with it and receive it yourself. It’s that simple.
…
Penny leaned over her coffee table as she described the events that surrounded the last few weeks to her sister. She’d invited Nickel over for an emergency gab session. Nic was the closest in age and in personality, and she was always there for Penny and vice versa. She knew Dime would tell her things she didn’t want to hear while Nic would deal with the situation with more finesse. And Q was so wrapped up in her own life, it was sometimes hard to relate to her situation.
“So you and George have kissed on several occasions.” Nic nodded, trying to take it all in.
Penny had told her they’d kissed, but looking back on it now, she hadn’t gone into depth about the emotion behind the moments. How did she describe something like that?
“And you’ve been working together behind-the-scenes on these articl
es. At least some of them.”
Penny nodded. “Did you see the show this morning?”
“Of course! You were on it! It was a lot more subdued this time.”
“It was. Geo and I didn’t work together this time, but we both had important things to say about dating and the dangers that can come from it.”
“The show was a lot more serious than the dating debacle from last time around.” Nic rolled her eyes. “Have you heard from…Ken, was it?”
It was Penny’s turn to roll her eyes. “Um, no, and I’d better not. I gave him a false phone number.”
Nic nodded. “He was how I pictured the bearded man from your date.”
“I know, right? They could have been brothers.”
“And Geo said he was just your type.” Nic laughed. “He’s totally fallen for you, you know.”
Penny frowned. “You really think so?”
“I know so! The guy carries you out of a restaurant to save you from a bearded slob, he acts weird about your dates, sets you up with someone he knows you won’t like, and then, he saves you from a drooler in the lounge—is that the Geo you know?”
“Well, not really.” Penny thought back to how he’d acted when he first started at the magazine, her equal. They’d worked well together, and while that hadn’t lasted long, she saw glimpses of the George she knew now from back then. He’d turned himself into Geo to get what he wanted, and the worst part was, it worked.
“From everything you’ve told me about George and everything I’ve heard about Geo, those two guys are different people.”
“How do I tell them apart?” Penny asked. She was ready to admit to herself, if not her sister, that she was falling for George. But Geo? She was scared of his self-assured cockiness.
Nic shrugged. “That’s all part of the game.”
“Game?”
Nic grabbed Penny’s hand across the table. “Oh, Penny, I’m so excited for you.”
“Why? I’m a mess. I’m confused and torn, and I have no idea what I’m doing.”
Nic leaned over and placed her hand over her sister’s hand on the couch. “No, you’re in love. Or at least you’re headed in that direction. You’re feeling things you’ve never felt before. You may have hated Geo in the past, but you liked George when you worked together…for a while, at least. And now? You don’t even know what to say about it. I can’t say that I know what love feels like, either. I might not recognize it right away, but I’m pretty sure about one thing.”
“What’s that?” Penny wasn’t certain she wanted to hear the answer.
“The way your eyes change when you talk about George. Sure, Geo’s still in the picture, but until you go for it with George, he might not have the confidence to get rid of Geo for good. You bring the best out in him. That much is obvious from what you’ve said. Take a risk. What’s the worst that can happen?”
Penny hugged her sister. She was right. Penny had already seen the worst in the dating world; between the drunken slob and the bearded soup-eater, she’d had her fair share of bad experiences. She knew what Nic had hit on was true. Now she just had to figure out what to do about it.
…
Geo pushed his nephew on the swing. “Higher, Uncle G, higher!”
He gave him an underdog and then kicked his sister lightly as she sat on the swing next to them, sipping what smelled like a brand new cup of coffee. “Where’s mine?” he asked.
“I drank it in the car. Sorry.”
Geo shook his head. “Thanks for nothing.”
“Hey, I read your latest article. It was good.”
Geo moved back behind the swing so he could continue pushing. He was glad he couldn’t see his sister’s face.
“Thanks.” They shared a lot together over the years, but the last thing he wanted to do was bring up old, bad memories for her.
Geo pushed the swing a few more times, and his nephew giggled with glee.
“I read Penny’s article, too.”
“She made some good points.” Geo had missed writing with her, but his emotions were too tied up and his confusion was too deep. He was falling for her. Hard. But if he wanted to make the past up to his sister, he needed the job in New York so he could fund her charity. That would mean leaving Penny behind. She didn’t deserve to have her heart broken.
“You were the one, right?” Maggie asked.
“What do you mean?”
“The guy who stepped in on her situation at the lounge?”
Geo sighed. His sister was nothing if not perceptive. “That was me,” he said in a quiet voice.
“I know you’d do that for any woman, Geo,” Maggie glanced back and caught his eye briefly, “but I’m fairly certain you’d do it more times for Penny.”
“What are you talking about?”
“She’s special to you.” His sister stopped her swing so she was facing Geo. “She means more.”
Geo ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah, well, there’s only one more week of this dating stuff. Tonight, I go to dark dating.”
“Dark dating, huh?” His sister let it go…for now, anyway. “What does one wear to a date completely in the dark?”
Geo shrugged. “It probably doesn’t matter.” He was talking about what he should wear, but also about how his feelings for Penny had grown over the past few weeks.
Chapter Nineteen
Penny couldn’t believe she hadn’t heard more about Dark Dating before her own adventure was about to take off. It was a new thing in St. Louis, and its rising popularity gained attention all across the city. And while she’d seen billboards and commercials, she couldn’t admit to knowing much more about it than its name and the fact that it took place in the dark. But Penny had other concerns on her mind as well besides groping around in the dark. Her heart was pulling her in a certain direction, and she didn’t know if she could deny it any longer.
When Penny first arrived at Dark Dating, she was met by a man dressed all in black. He’d ushered her into what she could best describe as a phone booth that had black carpet on all four sides. The man told her one door led to the sidewalk where he stood and the other into the Dark Dating room. She was not to enter the room until she received further instructions. She supposed this was their way of keeping any of the daters from seeing one another before the dark part began. But she wondered how those who might be claustrophobic withstood this before-dating time.
Penny tapped her foot and gave herself a chance to review everything that had happened in the past few weeks. She wondered how things would have been different had she not run into Geo at Speed Dating in the first place. Maybe she would have ended up enduring her bearded date longer and she would have had to have found a way out of Ben the grabber’s grip herself. She was a strong woman. She could have handled herself. But it was also nice to have Geo come in and save her… On the other hand, she wouldn’t feel like she’d received her first kiss.
Sure, Penny had shared kisses with men before. But her kisses with Geo were like no other. They made her feel like she’d truly been kissed to her depth. There was passion there unlike anything she had ever known. She knew he was doing Dark Dating this week as well, but would it be tonight? She had no idea, but she intended to find out and settle this thing between them once and for all.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a crackly voice sounded through a speaker in the roof that Penny was just now noticing. “Welcome to Dark Dating. We hope you’ll enjoy your experience. We want to go over a few rules and pieces of information before we get started. First, we will remove the men from their pods and seat them in a line of chairs in the room. Ladies, the men will be able to see nothing. Not each other, not us, and not you. Keep in mind that there are staff members on hand in the room wearing night vision goggles. They’ll guide the men and will be there to help anyone who has any needs during the event. Men, if you need anything,
just stand up from your chair and the staff members will come to you and usher you out or see what you need. Ladies, if you need something, wave your hand above your head and we’ll come to you as well. Once the men are seated, the staff will come to the ladies in their pods one by one. Ladies, you will be seated in chairs across from the men. You will then explore their faces, shoulders, anything above the belt with your hands. This will help you get to know their features without actually seeing anything. Once you’ve had a chance to meet each man with your hands, you can choose one man to get to know better. Tell us which man, number one through ten, you liked the best, and he will be escorted to a small room off to the side, which will also be in the dark. There, the two of you can talk, but no one can speak before that time. Understood?”
Penny nodded, though she assumed no one could see her. This might take a while if every woman had her chance at the men one at a time.
“Ladies, there is a panel on the wall to your left under the carpet. You can switch on some music, listen to an audiobook, or find another source of entertainment while you wait your turn. Once a woman takes a man into the other room, a new woman can start the process. The couple only has five minutes in the dark together before the man must return for the next round. At the end of the event, we’ll give you further instructions as to how we will proceed. With that, let’s begin.”
Penny searched the wall and found a piece of carpet that lifted and revealed a small touchscreen panel with a number of options. She started some soft music and leaned her head against the wall. This could be a long night.
…
Geo was left in the dark, on a hard chair. He heard other men shifting around him, but he had no idea where they were. They said dark, but this was beyond dark. He couldn’t see so much as a hand in front of his face. He heard feet shuffling off to his left and the noise of a chair scooting a bit. The first woman must be in the room. He didn’t know how he felt about this. It was a bit creepy, really. He supposed there were employees lurking somewhere nearby, watching every move, but he certainly couldn’t see them.
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