by B. N. Hale
“If I didn’t care where I was going, it wouldn’t matter what I do in the present.”
“Are you quoting Alice in Wonderland?”
She smiled. “Doesn’t mean it’s not true.”
“It’s certainly true,” he replied. “And so is your analysis of the average male psyche.”
“Can you explain it to me?” she asked.
He smiled. “As an average male you would think I could explain the male mind—but sadly I cannot. Maybe it’s the culture or maybe it’s their parents.”
“So how do I find a good one—oh master Yoda.”
He laughed and reclined onto the blanket. “Same way I hope to find a good one. Keep dating until I find her.”
She snorted. “That’s easy for you to say. You get to do the asking.”
“You can ask as easily as I can,” he said, “and it appears you do quite well.” Unwilling to pull his arms free of the blankets, he used his chin to point to the stadium.
“Really?” she asked, sweeping the dark bleachers with her eyes. “It’s not too much?” Her tone was abruptly nervous.
He laughed. “Don’t use this on just anyone. But if the guy is interested, it will certainly catch his attention.”
“So you’ve met your match?” she pressed.
He sat up and looked at her. “What are you insinuating?”
“A game,” she said, sitting up to meet his gaze.
With moonlight reflecting off her hair and sparkling in her eyes, she was stunningly beautiful, and the surge of attraction surprised him. He’d felt it on their first date and controlled it, but this time it was stronger, compelling him to lean closer.
He swallowed and held himself in check. Kate was beautiful, smart, and talented like many of those he’d asked out—but there was something intangible about her that commanded attention.
He fleetingly wondered if it was her willingness to ask him on a date, or perhaps her openness. The date she’d planned was as crafty as any he’d put together, and to be on the receiving end was more fun than he’d anticipated. Regardless of the reason, the prospect of more time with Kate instilled a yearning that could not be denied.
“What’s the game?” he asked cautiously.
Her eyes sparkled. “It’s more like a challenge than a game.”
“I’m up for a challenge,” he said warily. “As long as it doesn’t get me arrested.”
Her eyes glowed in the night. “Then I’m issuing a dating challenge.”
Chapter 5
“You’re throwing down a gauntlet?” he asked.
“Every two weeks,” she said. “We take turns who does the asking, and we each try to top the other.”
He laughed, surprised and intrigued. “You want to do a dating challenge . . . with me.”
“Is the veteran afraid of an upstart rookie?”
“Never,” he said, and took a sip of his orange soda. The taste hit his tongue where he’d just eaten a cookie, and he grimaced.
She grinned at his expression. “Do you accept?”
“Just how many dates are you suggesting?” he asked, already planning what he would do for the next date.
She shrugged. “Does it matter? We quit whenever you concede defeat.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
She sniffed, feigning disapproval. “I guess you’re not up to the challenge.”
“I never said that,” he said. “Count me in. But who are the judges?”
“The blondes?”
“Too biased,” he replied.
She snorted. “They would be more likely to support you than me. It took hours to get them on my side. For modern, progressive feminists, they’re surprisingly traditional when it comes to dating.”
“What does that mean?”
“They thought you should ask me out again.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Why did you decide to ask me out?” It was the question that had burned since the moment he’d received the note from Ember, but he managed to keep his voice merely curious.
“The first date was fun,” she said, suddenly hesitant. “And I didn’t want to sit around waiting on you.”
He noticed the evasive tinge to her tone and realized she wasn’t revealing the whole truth. The juvenile part of him exulted in the prospect that she was more attracted to him than she let on, but he quashed it with the killer of passion, logic.
“This is one of the best dates I’ve ever had,” he said sincerely. “You should consider a career change.”
“Dating doesn’t pay the bills,” she lamented.
She shivered and wrapped the blanket tighter about her shoulders, the chill having finally breached the barrier. The relative heat from earlier had long since given way to the nightly chill. Both realized at the same time that it was getting late and set about cleaning up the blanket and desserts.
“Oh,” she said. “We need to take a picture.”
“Ember?”
She grunted in irritation. “All the blondes, actually. I swear they’re like mother hens.”
“It will make them happy,” Reed said, and leaned in to the picture.
With moonlight lighting their faces and the stadium in the background, the picture showed the uprights over his shoulder. As the flash blinded him he sensed the beginning of a trend. He blinked to restore his vision and reached down to collect the things, but just as he picked up the folded blanket a faint click echoed in the stadium.
They both paused and looked at each other before scanning the dark recesses of the stadium. There was no sign of movement, only an odd rushing sound, like air being pushed by water down a tube . . .
“The sprinklers!” he shouted.
They bolted for the sideline as water shot into view, the sprinklers rising like vengeful rodents to spray water across the field. They dodged sprays, dancing across the field like players evading a tackle.
They laughed as they ran, the air growing more frigid with each near miss. But in the darkness of the stadium it was impossible to see them all, and he got blasted twenty feet from freedom. She burst into a triumphant laugh, the sound cut off as she took one in the side.
Sputtering, they dodged the last sprinklers and made it to safety, where they both shivered and laughed. Their clothes, the treats, even the blankets, all were soaked. Now freezing, they left wet footprints as they made their way back to the car.
“Do you lose points for the sprinklers?” he asked, his teeth chattering. “Or gain points?”
“Lose points for the lack of planning,” she said, her voice distorted by her shivering, “but I think I gain points for spontaneity.”
“I’ll concede that,” he said.
The car came to life and they huddled in it until the engine warmed enough to blast heat through the vents. Only when they were warm did she turn on the lights and pull out of the lot. He cast a look back and grinned.
“You know, I’ll never be able to go to a game without thinking of this night.”
“Mission accomplished,” she said.
“You know, you’ve thrown down a gauntlet,” he said. “But I’m not going to take it easy on you.”
“Oh?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “What do you intend?”
“To win,” he said.
“And what will be your prize?”
You.
He opened his mouth to say the word, but it lodged in his throat. What’s wrong with me? he thought. After hundreds of dates where he’d always managed to keep himself in control, here he was, losing it.
He threw her a sideways glance. Her hair was wet as was her clothing, her skin glistening with moisture that had yet to evaporate. Again he felt the surge of attraction and again suppressed it.
“I think this is the part where most guys say they would buy you dinner,” he said, forcing a laugh to hide his consternation.
For the first time he considered that accepting this challenge could be dangerous. His attraction was evident, and if he had to guess, she was a
ttracted to him as well. Could they go on such dates and keep those emotions in check?
But he couldn’t back out now. If he did, it would be tantamount to conceding defeat. No, he was committed. But he would have to be very cautious or risk their relationship proceeding farther than he wanted.
“One thing,” he asked. “If we’re really going to do this challenge of yours, you need to understand—”
“I know,” she cut in. “We aren’t dating exclusively. I expect you’ll continue to ask other girls out, and if someone asks me on a date, I’ll likely accept.”
She smiled, but the expression was at odds with the hint of irritation in her voice. He would have liked to go into detail, but felt a rare sense of trepidation. If she had asked him to date exclusively, he would have said no, and he didn’t want their time to end so quickly, not when it showed such promise.
For a brief moment he considered admitting how much he liked her. He’d dated girls he was attracted to in the past, but the fun of dating always superseded the spark of desire. He’d never said anything because it wouldn’t have mattered. Now he found himself uncertain.
“Back to your car?” she asked.
He shook his head. “It doesn’t have heat. I’ll have Jackson help me pick it up tomorrow.”
Evidently in an effort to steer the conversation back to lighter topics, Kate asked about his roommate, and the conversation shifted to Jackson. The city passed in a blur as they worked their way back to his house, where she parked and laughed nervously.
“I’ve never walked a guy to his door before.”
“I’ve never been walked to my door before.”
“Protocol?” she asked.
“I find a hug is usually best,” he replied.
She got out of the car and came around to open his door. He shivered as the cold air cut into his wet clothes, and they walked briskly to the door. When they reached it he turned and stepped into the embrace. The contact was warm and comfortable. She too seemed to feel it and her arms tightened around his back. Although he wanted to pull away, he lingered for an extra moment.
“Is it weird if I say you’re warm?” he asked.
She laughed into his shoulder. “Strangely, not the weirdest compliment I’ve received.”
“Which would be?”
“Your elbows are very pointy.”
He grimaced. “That’s terrible. A guy actually said that to you?”
“In the seventh grade,” she said.
“Are they?”
“Of course not.” She stepped back and showed him her elbow. “See for yourself.”
“They’re nice elbows,” he said with a grin. “Any more bad compliments?”
“Loads, unfortunately.”
“Then it appears we have our game for next time,” he said. “Tales of our worst dates.”
“Now I know I’ll win,” she said.
She began to shiver again, and he frowned. He wanted to spend more time with her, but it was late, and he’d never asked a girl to stay after a date. She smiled knowingly and took a step towards her car.
“I had a nice time,” he said.
She grinned and lowered her voice. “I’ll call you.”
“Will you really?” he asked, attempting a girl’s voice.
“Nope,” she said, laughing as she retreated to the warmth of her car. “I’ll shoot you a vague text in a few days that has you wondering about my intentions.”
He snorted a laugh. Then she shut the door and a moment later the car pulled out of the driveway. Although he was freezing, he remained on the porch until she drove away, wondering if he was in over his head.
Chapter 6
When Kate’s car was gone Reed stepped to his door and unlocked it. He swung it open and found Jackson and Shelby rising from the couch where they’d been watching a movie. Both bore expressions of intense curiosity.
“How’d it go?” they asked in unison.
“You expect me to dish on the details?” Reed asked.
“You said you would,” Shelby said. “And why are you wet?”
“Nothing happened,” Reed said. “But she said she’d call.”
While his girlfriend laughed, Jackson scowled. “Don’t give me that. You date like a machine, and when you finally meet your match all you can say is she’ll call?”
Reed divested himself of his wet jacket and hung it on the hook. “She issued a challenge.”
“What sort of challenge?” Shelby asked.
“We trade off planning dates and see if we can top each other,” he said.
“A dating challenge?” his roommate asked, his voice rising in disbelief.
A slow smile spread on Jackson’s face, prompting Shelby to crow in delight. “She must like you,” she said.
“It sounds fun,” Reed said evasively.
“Liar,” Shelby pounced. “You do like her.”
“We got drenched in the sprinklers at the stadium,” he said. “I’m going to take a shower.”
“You can’t evade the question forever,” Jackson said.
“Yes I can,” he called as he left the living room behind.
He heard them fall to speculation as he grabbed a towel and went into the bathroom. He turned on the hot water and stripped before stepping into the shower. After the freezing water and the night air, the hot water was blissful, and for several moments he simply relished the heat. Then his thoughts turned to Kate.
As he considered the challenge and its ramifications he settled on two conclusions. First, the next few months were going to be tremendous fun. And second, dating Kate was dangerous, for his rules and for him.
He stayed in the shower until the water began to cool, an unfortunately brief period in their aged house. Then he stepped out and wrapped a towel around his body. Wiping the moisture off the mirror, he stared at his reflection.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked aloud.
He grinned, realizing the better question would be, how much do I really like this girl? As he stared at his reflection a wry smile spread on his face, the answer coming as quickly as the question.
Too much.
His smile widened. “Let the challenge begin.”
Excerpt from Volume 3
“I expected Reed to call.” Ember complained.
Kate sighed. “It’s only been a week, and the challenge is for every two weeks.”
“He still should have called,” Ember said tersely.
Kate sat with her roommates at the kitchen table. Brittney had cooked her famous Bold Chili Enchiladas, a tradition for Thursdays, and only Marta was absent. Their fourth roommate would be home any minute from work. No one missed Brittney’s cooking.
“I agree with Ember,” Brittney said, poking her head into the kitchen doorway. “He should have called.”
“We aren’t dating exclusively,” Kate said in exasperation. “He doesn’t have to call me every day.”
Ember folded her arms. “Not dating exclusively is just code for the guy to—,”
“Ember,” Kate said sharply. “We both know he’s not like that.”
“He’s still a guy,” Brittney said from behind the stove. “And two dates is not enough to know a guy.”
Kate looked away, annoyed that she’d begun to agree with her roommates. She’d told Reed they were not exclusive, but she’d hoped he would call. Or was she expecting too much from him? Was he just like her roommates said?
She liked him more than she’d told her roommates and secretly hoped the dating challenge would lead to a relationship. At least that’s what she thought. Not calling for a week after their second date did not bode well—even if they were not exclusive.
The door burst open and Marta rushed in. “Did he call?”
“No,” Ember said, drawing out the syllable to insert a world of disdain.
Marta hung her purse and joined them at the table. “He should have called.”
Kate grunted sourly. “Do we even know what to expect? Reed isn�
��t like a normal guy.”
“True,” Marta said. “But he hasn’t even talked to me in class.”
Kate’s eyes narrowed. “I used his roommate against him,” she said. “Any chance you have turned against me?”
There was a chorus of protests, but Kate leaned back and folded her arms, skewering each of them with a look. Her roommates were her closest friends, but she knew they would lie in an instant if they thought it would be for her benefit.
“Honestly,” Brittney said, standing in the doorway to the kitchen with her hands on her hips. “How can you not trust us?”
Kate leveled a finger at her. “You set me up on a Valentine’s Day blind date,” she said, “and didn’t tell me until half an hour before he arrived so I couldn’t escape.”
“It worked, didn’t it?” Ember said airily.
“Exactly,” Kate pounced. “You would bribe the dean if you thought it would make me happy.”
“Perhaps not the dean,” Marta said. “But certainly a professor.”
“So you do know something,” Kate said, leaning in.
Ember shook her head. “We honestly don’t. I’d be the first to join a plan against you, but he hasn’t given me the opportunity.”
The disappointment on her face was too real to be feigned. Ember wanted to be involved, to plot Kate’s romance to the utmost detail, but Reed had not included her. Ember’s irritation at being equally in the dark was comforting, and Kate leaned back in her chair.
“Would you tell me if he tried to use you?” she asked.
“Of course!” Marta exclaimed.
“No,” Ember said with a smug smile.
“Whose side are you on?” Brittney asked.
“Kate’s love life,” Ember said emphatically, causing them all to laugh.
“How close is dinner?” Marta asked. “I had to skip lunch so I’m starving.”
“You can’t rush perfection,” Brittney said with a pointed look at Kate. Then she smiled. “But it’s ready now.”
She disappeared and a moment later returned with a steaming pan. She placed it on the pad at the center of the table amidst a round of praise, and then served them all. Kate dug in and savored the combination of flavors unique to Brittney’s cooking.