“Come here,” he said as he gently grabbed my hand.
His touch was powerful for me. I would do almost anything he asked to continue feeling his skin and mine together. The power of our bodies together couldn’t compare to any other man I’d been with. It wasn’t possible that I loved this guy; I hardly knew him, I had no future with him. But his touch resonated through my body and simulated what I imagined love felt like. I flashed back to the tenderness of his touch while we were in his bed. My whole body wanted more and was fighting with my brain and all the logical excuses I was making for why Kevin and I could never happen.
“I thought we were walking?” I asked.
“Let’s sit and get to know each other,” he said as he pulled me over to a grassy area where families and couples had gathered to enjoy the day. “I’m not in a hurry, are you?”
Yes, I need to get away from you before I say or do something stupid.
“No, we can sit,” I surrendered and went with him.
“I know we met under really odd circumstances, and you probably think I’m the kind of guy who takes women home all the time. But I do want to get to know you. I like how I feel around you, and I’d love to just talk if that’s okay with you?”
He smiled at me, and for a moment I forgot all my trepidations about being there with him. It was easy to be around Kevin; I was comfortable, relaxed, and as much like myself as I could be, considering I’d started this whole thing with a lie. At that moment, I was me, so all I could do was try and move forward with our date in honesty.
“Sure, let’s talk. I hear you are going to be retiring soon, is that true? You seem a little young to be retiring.”
“I’m selling my company. Not exactly retirement, though. I’m going to spend more time mentoring and helping small businesses. I feel like I’ve done what I wanted to accomplish with my company, and it’s time to move on.”
“That seems like something a young silicon valley CEO might say,” I teased him.
“Yeah, it does, doesn’t it.” He laughed. “But it’s true. When you take money out of the equation, and you are genuinely choosing your activities based on what you like to do, life gets more complicated than I’d ever imagined it could be.”
Taking money out of the equation didn’t really seem like an option for most people in this world. We had to work. We had to make money to pay the bills. Only hippies and vagabonds seemed like they could go about a normal life without worrying about money. I’d never even imagined that an executive would have a similar thought process.
My whole life centered around working hard and trying to earn enough money so I could live in a decent neighborhood. I didn’t even care if I had a nice apartment, all I hoped for was to be able to walk home from the train and not feel like I was in the middle of a war zone. The idea of actually having money enough to live in a nice home was so far beyond what I could imagine, and living like Kevin did wasn’t even part of the most elaborate fantasies I’d had.
“Okay, so what do you like to do besides work? Well, I know you like the ballet, well sort of.” I laughed and tried to keep the conversation on him to avoid having to talk about myself or my career.
“I do like the ballet. Especially now that I know I can come and watch you dance. My sister passed away in a car accident as a teenager. She spent every waking moment in dance class or practicing her dance moves in her room. I tried to play it off like the ballet was only important to her, but because it was important to her, I really do find a lot of value in it as well. If that makes sense?”
“Yeah, it does.”
“So what have you heard about me since the last time we talked? What are the horrible rumors your friends have been telling you, and is that why you’re pushing me away? I’m ready to defend myself,” he said with a smirk.
“I’m not pushing you away,” I protested, although he was right. That was exactly what I was doing.
“I’m a ladies’ man. Did they show you pictures of my dates? Was there a tabloid story about me and a model? Come on. Tell me what’s scared you off. I promise I’m not a horrible guy.”
“No, nothing like that.” I laughed.
“I spend my money recklessly and don’t help people who are less fortunate. Did your friends show you that plane I bought a few years ago,” Kevin rolled his eyes at the memory. “It was a bad idea; I knew nothing about planes or how much they cost to keep them up.”
“No, they didn’t say anything like that.” I giggled.
“Then it’s my hideous appearance?” he asked as he purposely made an ugly face at me. “I’m not always this hideous. I clean up real nice.”
“No,” I said, still laughing. “My friends actually like you a lot. They told me to be nice to you.”
“Oh, yes!” he said dramatically. “Okay, so what is it? I’m just not your type? It’s okay; you can tell me. I can handle it.” He pushed his chin out like I was going to knock him around or something like that. “My mom lied to me, didn’t she? I’m not the most handsome guy in San Francisco.”
I couldn’t stop laughing. There was nothing wrong with Kevin. Obviously, he was handsome, and even all sweaty, his light brown hair looked perfectly styled as we sat in the grass with the wind blowing on us from the water. His blue eyes matched the color of the sky, and he had a little bit of a scruffy beard starting to grow which made it look like he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days. Kevin was perfection; there wasn’t a single thing I could point to and say that I didn’t like.
“I’m probably not your type,” I finally managed to say.
“How do you know?”
“Umm, because I do. I’m not going to go into it, but I just know I’m not going to be your type, so this all seems like a bit of a waste of both of our time. I just don’t want to waste your time.”
“Okay,” Kevin said as he stood up. “I guess I’ll get going then,” he turned and started to walk away.
My heart sank so quickly that I felt dizzy. What had I done? How had I turned such a perfect guy against me so fast? But this was what was going to happen, eventually. It was better that he left now than after he found out I’d been lying to him this whole time and pretending to be someone I wasn’t.
Then he suddenly turned around and plopped himself onto the ground next to me. He laid on his side with one hand on his head and the other touching my bare thigh. He shook his head and was laughing to himself as he looked up at me.
“What?” I asked.
“Did you really think I was the kind of guy who gave up quickly when he wants something? I like to make my decisions based on facts. So far, I know for a fact that I like being around you. I also know for a fact that you like being around me. So I think I’ll stay and risk letting us both get to know each other.”
“You know for a fact that I like being around you?” I asked as I crossed my arms and looked at him defiantly. He couldn’t possibly know that for a fact.
“Yes, I do.”
“What if I said I don’t like being around you?” I stubbornly protested.
“That would a lie.”
“Kevin Fox, you are a little full of yourself. It is possible that a woman can be around you and not fall head over heels in love with you.”
“You are right. It is possible. But I see the way you look at me,” he said as his hand played with my thigh. “I’ve heard the way you moan when I touch you.”
He gazed intently at me, and I felt my body warm as his fingers moved over my thigh. It was the truth. Everything he was saying was absolutely true, and I wasn’t sure I could hide it. Yes, everything started as a lie. Yes, I really should have told him right then and there that I wasn’t a dancer at all. But I lost myself in that moment. I lost myself in the desire to have this man.
“Have you always had these perceptive powers?” I asked.
“Only when it really matters to me,” he said and pulled me down so I was lying with him in the grass. “I like you, Jenna. I’m not playing games. I’m just being ho
nest and trying to get to know you. Let me take you on a real date, right now.”
“Right now?” I asked as I looked down at our workout clothes.
“Yes, right now. I’m not interested in putting this off another second. Let’s walk into town and find a place for dinner.”
“A casual place.” I laughed.
“Yes,” he said and leaned in and kissed me. “Did you say yes?”
“Yes,” I replied as I kissed him back.
Time slowed as we stayed in our embrace and enjoyed the comfort of each other’s lips. He tasted like a mix of breath mint and bubble gum, which seemed a little odd for someone of his age. Was he eating bubble gum then decided to eat a breath mint?
His lips were soft and firm as they pressed against mine. He pulled on my hip to move me closer to him, and I obliged by reducing the distance between us to only a few inches. As he wrapped his arms around me, I cuddled even closer until our bodies were pressed right up against each other.
Everyone around us disappeared, and it was just the two of us. The wind even seemed to die down, and the sun warmed up even more the longer we stayed there together. I had to figure out a plan, though; if I was going to agree to a date with him, then I couldn’t lie anymore. From this point forward, I had to try and tell the truth. I couldn’t keep seeing him and telling lies. Maybe I could just avoid talking about dancing?
“Now that’s more like it,” Kevin said as his hand lightly touched my face. “Should we walk into town?”
“Yes, do you have any idea where you are taking me?”
“Yep,” he said as he stood up and then pulled my arms so I was standing with him.
San Francisco was one of those towns that you really got a workout from if you were walking around. The ups and downs of the hills were enough to tire anyone out. As we walked into town, I had a permanent smile on my face, yet I was so nervous about agreeing to spend more time with him. I honestly didn’t know how this was going to work out. I had no idea what was to come, but the feelings I had around him weren’t anything I could deny.
Chapter 8
Kevin
Taking a girl jogging and then out to dinner while still in our workout clothes wasn’t exactly my best dating game. But Jenna seemed skittish about hanging out with me, and I was afraid if I gave her too much space, she wouldn’t agree to see me again. She already looked like she was ready to run in the opposite direction at any moment.
“How does Super Duper Burgers sound?” I asked as I let my hand grab onto hers while we were walking from the waterfront into town.
It was a perfect day for a walk, although I did enjoy watching Jenna running. Her perfect formed ass was a pleasant surprise in her tight black leggings and tank top that barely hit her waist. Most dancers I knew didn’t have curves like hers; it was a huge reason I’d never ended up dating a dancer before. I liked my women with curves in all the right places.
My attraction to Jenna was about more than just her figure, though. She had a calmness about her that most women just didn’t have around me. Plus, the fact that she didn’t seem to care who I was or how much money I had, that was an amazing feeling. I loved that she was pretending to be uninterested in me, yet everything about her body language was telling me that she wanted me right then and there.
Obviously, I couldn’t avoid people hearing all the dirt about my past or looking up the mistakes I’d made that were well documented. But from what I could tell so far, Jenna didn’t seem to care about any of that. She had some other trepidation about what was going on between the two of us, though, something that was holding her back, and I was determined to figure out what it was.
“That sounds like a good option. Is the nearest one on Market Street?”
“Yeah, I think so. It’s a bit of a hike, but we can stop off anywhere else if you’d like and rest. Are you in a hurry? Any specific time we need to be done by?”
“No, I like that one. It’s in a great neighborhood, and they always give out extra fries. It’s perfect. Let’s go for it,” she said as she smiled back at me. “I don’t have anything going on today. My life is rather boring.”
Her smile radiated warmth and gentleness. Even thought she seemed to have a lot of unease at first, she was warming up to me and had even been holding my hand for the last twenty minutes or so while we were walking.
“I seriously doubt your life is boring. But we can talk about that more another day,” I said as we continued walking into town. “Should we walk through the Palace of Fine Arts?” I asked as I pointed to the beautiful gardens in front of us.
“Yeah, I haven’t been there in ages. Probably since I was in high school.”
“That doesn’t seem that it was very long ago,” I said with a wink.
“I’m not that young. I just turned twenty-four,” she protested as if that was old, and twenty-four was an age that I would identify as old. It was hard not to laugh at her, but she was serious, so I tried to keep a straight face.
“Yeah, that isn’t a good argument. You were in high school, what … six years ago? I’m sorry, but if it’s less than double digits, you are losing this battle.”
“Fine, it wasn’t that long ago,” she gave in and laughed. “I just feel really old for my age. Most of my friends are going out partying and staying out all weekend; meanwhile, I’m home eating Ramon noodles and watching HGTV.”
“I remember those days fondly. Plus, I bet since you’re at the studio all day long dancing, it’s probably exhausting, and you just want to put your feet up,” I added. “I couldn’t imagine working out all day long. I enjoy my time at the gym, but at some point, I’m done and want to sit at my desk and get the work finished for the day.”
I remembered my sister always rubbing her feet after she had been at a full evening of dance class. The shoes she had to wear were impossibly uncomfortable. I could only imagine what life must be like for someone who was dancing all day every day. Jenna’s feet must hurt her all the time. I made a mental note to give her a foot massage the first chance I got.
As the thought crossed my mind, I felt like a total idiot for suggesting we go for a long walk through the city. Jenna had just finished a whole day of dancing; she had agreed to go for a run with me, and now I was basically dragging her four miles into the city for a mediocre hamburger. I felt like a giant ass.
“Yeah, being on my feet all day can get tiring,” she started to say and then seemed to be searching for what she wanted to say next. “But I enjoy being in the studio, and I love my job,” she added.
“I’m sorry for suggesting that we walk to dinner. I can get us a car. It was insensitive of me. I totally forgot how much damage you dancers were doing to your feet.”
“No, I’m fine. Walking is okay. Look at these comfortable shoes I have on.” She laughed and pointed to her Nike’s.
“I remember my sister had some ballet shoes that had this hard flat part on the end of them. What are those called? Do you wear those a lot? I can’t even imagine trying to dance on your tiptoes like that. It must be so hard,” I said as I tried to find some common ground to talk with Jenna.
My words seemed to ramble on a little, and my normal confidence when talking to women just wasn’t there that afternoon. Jenna threw me off my game. She made me feel unsteady in an incredible and totally new way.
“They are called pointe shoes. Basically, they are supposed to make dancers appear weightless. I don’t actually dance in them much anymore. Like our dance for the fundraiser, we often do contemporary routines where we use normal ballet shoes or go barefoot.”
“So you’re okay with walking? Your feet don’t hurt? I really am fine with getting us a ride,” I said.
“Yeah, I’m capable of walking,” she said with a smile. “So tell me more about your upcoming retirement. What else are you going to do with yourself?” Jenna clearly didn’t want to keep talking about dancing, her feet or walking, and I welcomed the change of subject.
“I’m planning a big chari
ty fundraiser and thinking about starting my own organization. I just don’t know which area I’d like to concentrate my efforts on. I love the arts, but I really do enjoy helping kids, the homeless, veterans, I mean the list goes on and on. I want to do as much good as possible.”
“Why do you have to choose?” she asked as we walked into the outside theater area of the Palace of Fine Arts.
Because it was such a nice day out, there were a lot of people who had a similar idea to walk through the Palace. The monument was such a beautiful place to be, and I honestly couldn’t have planned a more perfect place to sit and talk with Jenna. We grabbed a bench next to the building, and she finally released my hand as we watched the people walking by.
Her fingers sat on my leg, and I tried not to reach over and grab them again. There was a constant pull from inside of me to get closer and closer to Jenna. It didn’t matter that we had just been holding hands. It didn’t matter that she was only inches away from me and had her hand on my leg; I wanted more. I consistently wanted more and more of Jenna.
There was a couple in their wedding attire who were in the midst of a photo shoot. Both Jenna and I gazed over at them in silence as we watched their interaction for a moment. I couldn’t imagine ever being that in love with someone. I knew it happened to people; I just had no experience with that sort of thing myself. Their eyes locked onto one another as if not a single other person existed in the entire universe. It was moving to watch the young couple and how much in love they were.
“I’m not sure why I have to pick a specific cause.” I laughed as I thought about it. “I guess I could think of my own organization that maybe helped lots of different people. I was going to do a big event over New Year’s Eve, but I think I’d like to do something sooner.”
“What sort of event were you going to have?” she asked as she turned to look at me, her eyes lit up with excitement.
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