“Isaac and I are going to a movie tonight.” She whispers to me as she hoists her backpack onto the table.
“What?” I say, excitedly. “How did this happen?” I’m standing next to her, eagerly awaiting the details.
“I don’t know,” she says as she puts her arms in her backpack and follows me down the aisle to the exit. “We were talking, about who knows what, and he mentioned wanting to see a movie that was coming out this week. You know, that new movie about World War II?”
“Yes, it totally looks like one you guys would like.”
“So, he asked if I wanted to go see it with him!”
“That’s so exciting! I’m really happy for you, Maria,” I say.
“I’ll be sure to call you after and fill you in on all of the details.”
“I would expect nothing less,” I say. We push the doors open and head out of the building. The frigid wind blasts us as soon as we push outside. There has been a stretch of below zero temperatures that make it horribly uncomfortable walking around campus between classes.
“What about you? Are you getting together with Nate tonight?” she asks.
We link arms and giggle.
“Not tonight, actually. He has some really rich clients and they pay him extra to deliver their bikes once he restores them. He’ll be on the road tonight.”
“Aw, bummer. It’s still good to have a night to yourself every now and again, though.”
“Yeah, I suppose.” The only problem is that I don’t want a night to myself. After one taste of Nate, I’m hooked. I want to be with him all the time. My body is already craving him again. I know him more intimately from these past few days together than I ever thought possible.
“Or maybe not,” she says. She stops at the top of the steps leading down to the street. I look at her, confused, until she points and my eyes follow what she’s focused on. “I guess someone didn’t want to wait either.”
I break out in a huge grin as Nate walks up the steps toward us. Without hesitation, he leans in and kisses me when he reaches us. My body responds to his nearness immediately. My blood starts flowing faster through my body, pooling in the intimate places where I already ache for his touch.
“Hey, I’m Nate.” He reaches out to shake Maria’s hand and smiles handsomely. I’m disappointed in myself that these polite behaviors surprise me. I should be over this stereotypical view of how guys that look like him behave.
Maria is flushed but eagerly reaches out to take his hand. “We were just talking about you,” she says.
Nate continues to smile in that sweetly seductive way of his and chuckles. “Good things, I hope.”
“Of course,” I quickly add as he links fingers with me. “I was disappointed that I wasn’t going to get to see you tonight. But here you are.”
“Yeah, I wanted to see you too.” We’re looking at each other in that way that makes other people feel uncomfortable, even though we aren’t doing anything inappropriate. “Are you busy or can I steal you away for a quick dinner?”
“Oh,” I say, pleasantly surprised.
“Of course you can,” Maria says before I have a chance to answer. “Italian is her favorite.” She winks at me heads down the steps. “I’ll call you later,” she calls over her shoulder.
“Italian?” he asks, bringing our intertwined fingers to his mouth. A tremble passes through my body and a seductive smile passes over his lips. I can’t play it cool with him, no matter how hard I try. My body is always betraying me, letting him know how much I want him.
I nod my head in agreement and we quickly take off down the steps together. It’s too cold to linger for too long outside. As soon as we’re warming up inside of his truck I suggest my favorite Italian spot.
“There’s a really good authentic Italian restaurant about fifteen minutes from here.”
“Perfect. Just tell me where to go,” he says, pulling out into traffic.
“This is a nice surprise.” I say after we’ve been driving for a few minutes.
“I wasn’t sure what time I’d get back tonight and I needed to see you.”
His confession makes me feel warm and tingly inside. It’s reassuring to know that I’m not the only one feeling swept away by this new found romance.
The drive isn’t long but I still feel nervous that I’m going to sound like an idiot when we talk. Obviously he likes my body so the insecurity must be what he’ll think of the rest of me.
The restaurant is a small hole in the wall type of place but their Italian food is as authentic as it comes. It’s the kind of food that’ll put you in a food coma for the rest of the night, but it’s well worth it.
The hostess leads us back to a cozy booth in the corner. The lights are dim with small candles casting a romantic glow around each table. It’s silly but I’m nervous because this is technically our first date…which doesn’t sound the best considering we’ve had sex multiple times.
I already know exactly what I’m going to order, so I spend my time looking blankly over the menu while I try to think about the things I’d really like to find out about Nate. There’s so much we don’t know about each other and while I enjoy living in a sex filled fog of ignorance, I know myself well enough to know that it isn’t an issue of when I fall, but how far.
“Can I ask you a question?” We’ve just placed our drink order so while I wait for my wine to arrive I stick with a safe question.
“Of course,” he says, grabbing a chunk of bread out of the basket.
“How old are you?”
He laughs while buttering his bread. “That’s easy enough,” he says, tearing off a piece and popping it into his mouth. “Twenty-eight.”
“When’s your birthday?” I ask smiling.
“February 13th.” He’s giving me a challenging smile. I can tell he’s enjoying our little question and answer session and the sparkle in his eyes is all the encouragement I need to keep going.
“How about the motorcycle shop? Did you start it up by yourself?”
“I did. My dad was always into classic motorcycles. I remember when I was little, he’d always be out in the garage rebuilding something or fixing something. I’d always hang out with him, usually just hand him tools or things he’d need. As I got older he started teaching me about what he was doing and it stuck.”
“Besides, I’m good with my hands. And it’s very satisfying to work on something until it’s as good as new again. Hunting down some of the parts I need is fun too.”
“Your dad must be proud of you…following in his footsteps and all.”
“I think he would be. He passed away when I was fourteen.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. That must have been really hard.”
“Yeah, it was really hard, especially on my mom. Not only did she lose her husband but then she had a son who started acting like a jerk. I was getting in trouble all the time. I didn’t make things easy.”
“Are you still close with your mom?”
“Yeah, definitely. She lives in town, still works at the hospital as a receptionist. She still invites me over for dinner every week.”
“That’s adorable.”
“Thanks. You’re probably the first person that has ever called me adorable, but I like it.”
The waitress comes back with our drinks and takes our order for dinner. The classic lasagna with garlic bread is my go-to dish. Nate tries the sampler plate. It has three of their most popular dishes all on one plate.
As soon as she walks away he turns toward me and says, “now it’s your turn.”
“Uh-oh,” I say as I sample my glass of wine. It’s a crisp, fruity white and I take an even bigger sip when the first one goes down so smoothly.
“You told me you’re studying finance.”
“Yes.”
“How long until you graduate?”
“This is my last semester.” I can’t hide the excitement behind that answer.
“What do you want to do when you graduate?”
> “Oh man, I’m not really sure yet. I know I should be thinking about that, planning ahead, but I’ve been so busy with school and work…I don’t know. I guess I just figured I’d worry about it when the time comes.”
“You can come work the books for me at the shop. Then I don’t have to admire you from afar, I can gaze at your beautiful face all day long.”
I’m waiting to feel the heat flash up my neck and face but strangely, it doesn’t. For the first time I don’t feel embarrassed, I’m confident. I don’t doubt that he wants to be here with me and it’s so easy to be with him. Our impromptu date is confirming what I already know I want…him.
“What’s all this talk of admiring me from afar?”
“I noticed you right away when you started working next door. How could I not?”
“The fact that you knew I existed before a few days ago surprises me for sure. I didn’t think you had a clue who I was.”
“I didn’t want to scare you away. I’m not like these college boys you’re use to. I’m rough around the edges, not very polished. But…I can’t get you out of my head. So I said ‘fuck it’ and took a chance.”
“Well I’m glad you did. I’ve enjoyed watching you work next door for four years. You’ve been more of a distant fantasy though. I never thought our paths would ever cross…and even if they did, I figured you most likely had a girlfriend.”
“Seems things worked out for us after all.”
“I’d say so.” I don’t know if it’s our conversation or the wine that has me so relaxed but I throw caution to the wind and ask, “do you want to come over when you get back into town tonight?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Leaning toward me he catches my lips in a quick but sensual kiss. Sparks of desire ignite in my body making me wish we were alone in the restaurant.
“Here’s my spare key.” I unzip the small side pocket in my purse and pull out my spare. Sliding it across the table, he wraps his hand around mine. We both feel the significance of this small act. It’s a declaration of commitment and trust without any words.
After a minute he takes the key and clips it onto his own key ring. Then he takes my hand again, linking his fingers with mine. We stay that way even when the waitress finally brings our food.
Chapter 11
I work late and close the flower shop by myself all the time. Kristi has always been accommodating when it comes to school so I’m always willing to be the one to work nights. It’s hard this time of year, though. It gets dark so damn early and it seems like it’s always cold.
After Valentine’s Day, things slow down significantly. So most of my nights are spent doing my homework behind the counter, stopping to help the occasional customer who drops in.
Tonight is no different but I’m restless for nine o’clock to roll around so I can head home. I can’t wait to be with Nate again. I know I shouldn’t let myself feel so out of control when it comes to him, but I can’t help it. I’m completely consumed by him. And knowing that he’ll be slipping into my apartment tonight sends chills of excitement through my body.
In fact, I’m totally distracted by my thoughts of Nate when I close the shop for the night and walk to my car. Seconds after locking my door, someone knocks on my window making me jump a freaking foot.
I’m thankful for my OCD tendency to lock the door behind me as I look out the window at the sketchy guy standing there. I can’t help it, I panic. Shuffling with my keys, I quickly put the key in the ignition and start my car. In the worst-timed case of deja-vu ever, the engine coughs and sputters before dying.
Oh my God, this can’t be happening, I say to myself.
With impatience the guy outside my window knocks on the glass again.
Deciding to treat this situation like I’m ripping off a Band-aid, I crack the window. “What do you need?” I ask.
“I work next door, with Nate. He asked me to check on you…make sure you get home okay.”
“Really?” I’m touched by his thoughtfulness but it doesn’t put me at ease that I’m out here alone with a guy I’ve never met. Nate looks hard on the outside but I know there’s a playfulness about him. And at the touch of a smile on his face, his eyes soften and show what a good heart he has. I’m not getting that vibe from this guy.
“Looks like you could use a ride,” he says.
I can’t believe I’m in this spot again. I should have been responsible and replaced my car battery when this happened last time. Now I’m stuck, at the mercy of this guy I don’t know.
“Can you help me try to jump it again?” I ask. I might sound a bit desperate but I’m not jumping at the idea of getting in this guy’s car. He might be Nate’s friend but he looks like a creep.
“Sounds to me like you’re gonna need a new battery. It’ll be easiest if I just drive you home.”
Okay, think.
“Okay, I’ll be there in just a minute.”
He walks back to his car and I pull out my cell and quickly call Nate. He doesn’t answer but I leave him a message, filling him in on my current situation. Then for good measure I call Isaac. I know he’s out with Maria but hopefully they’ll get back to me as soon as the movie’s over.
Grabbing my things, I climb out of my car before I can think about it anymore. As soon as I open his car door, there’s an overwhelming stench of stale cigarettes mixed with the nauseating scent of a cheap air freshener.
I pull the seat belt over and clip it. “I’m Leah, by the way,” I say.
“Yeah, I know,” he says with a slight chuckle, implying that I’m stating the obvious.
“And you are?” I ask, my question dripping with my annoyance.
“Boyd.” He pulls the car to the road and looks at me for the next direction.
“Take a left.” He guns it and I quickly grab the door handle, cursing under my breath. I can’t believe I got in the car with this guy. I’m saying a silent prayer of thanks that my apartment isn’t very far away when he slams on the brakes for the stop sign in front of us.
“Jesus,” I say. He laughs but I’m failing to see what’s so funny. We could easily hit a patch of ice and go sliding off the road into a street lamp. “Keep going straight.”
He’s driving way too fast, but if I look at it positively, I’ll get home that much faster and this whole experience will be over.
“You’re hot,” he says. My utter confusion and dislike for this guy is clear to see on my face. I know I’m looking at him like he has two heads but thankfully he has his eyes on the road. “I can see what Nate likes about you.”
Ugh. What do I even say to that?
“Thank you?” From that simple comment he has managed to make me feel even more uncomfortable, which I didn’t realize was even possible. Shifting the conversation to safer ground I say, “How long have you and Nate known each other?”
He does that weird chuckle again before he answers. There’s something about his demeanor that’s making the warning bells go off in my mind right now. Has he been drinking?
“Ah, I’m just helping my buddy out. I just met Nate a few weeks ago. I was working tonight so I’m the lucky guy that gets to take care of you.”
Take care of me tonight? That’s a weird way to put it.
“Okay.” I can’t believe that Nate would ask this guy to help me out. Not only does this creep have me on edge, but now I’m starting to second-guess Nate and what I think I know about him. My thoughts are starting to spiral, a familiar feeling for me. I try to hold the panic at bay by focusing on getting home. “You’re going to take the next right,” I say.
“Got it.” He takes the corner barely slowing down. The momentum of the car sends me to the middle, my seat belt engaging and holding my hips in place. “Sorry ‘bout that.” He’s way too close and now I can smell the alcohol on his breath. Quickly righting myself in my seat, I shake my head and look out the window.
“So, what do you help out with at the shop?” I need the reassurance of a neutral, normal conversatio
n until I can get the hell out of this car.
“I’ve been answering phones, working behind the counter. Stupid shit like that.” He’s digging in his back pocket while steering with one hand. My stomach drops when he pulls out a pack of cigarettes. He can’t wait five more minutes for me to get out of the car?
Steering the wheel with his knee, he attempts to light his cigarette using both hands. I’m on the ready to grab the wheel if we start to swerve into the other lane when the flame catches and he inhales a deep breath.
Within seconds the car is consumed with a plume of cigarette smoke. He cracks the window a moment later and there’s a gush of cold air that helps to clear some of the smoke. I know it’s the least of my worries right now, but I’m going to need a shower and I’m going to have to wash all of my clothes to get this smell off of me.
“It’s the next left and then my apartment will be down a few blocks on the right.”
“Uh-hum,” he says, taking another puff of his cigarette.
I’ve never been so happy to see the familiar driveway and building appear in front of us. “That’s it right there,” I say, pointing to the driveway. “You can just pull over right here and I’ll jump out.”
“I’ll pull in.” The thought of him knowing exactly what building I live in makes my skin crawl. I could have him pull over and I could walk around the back and make my way over to my building. He wouldn’t see me and this nightmare would be over.
“Right here,” I say, pointing to the closest building. My hand is on the seat belt ready to take it off the moment he stops.
He pulls over, putting the car into park.
“I’ll walk you in,” he says.
“No. I got it from here.”
I take off my seatbelt, grab my bag and have my hand on the door when he says, “Don’t you wanna invite me in?”
I pause and look back at him. “No,” I say forcefully so there’s no way he could misinterpret how I feel. “I’m with Nate,” I add for good measure.
My Virgin Valentine: A Valentine's Day Novella Page 6