“Probably because you’re about to have your ass handed to you.”
“Speaking of asses…wasn’t I supposed to get to touch your butt? I vividly remember that conversation.”
He throws me a look. “Remember how we couldn’t kiss because we’d get carried away? There will be no butt touches tonight.”
“But…”—I wink—“on our next date, right?”
He rolls his eyes and cocks his head toward the games. “Get over here so I can beat your ass at pinball already.”
“Did you have a good time tonight?”
“That coffee was orgasmic. Everything else paled in comparison.”
“I sure know how to break out the panty-melters.”
“What? Those dimples?”
Zach pauses on the sidewalk. “Did you just call my dimples panty-melters?”
“Did you just say panty-melters not once, but twice?”
“I can do that.” He bends toward me. “Because dimples.”
Playfully shoving him away, I laugh. “How can you be so cute, yet so exhausting?”
“Ah, you think I’m cute. I’ve been called cute before…but that relationship didn’t end so well.”
“No? What happened?”
He hisses. “Isn’t it a big no-no to talk about your exes on the first date?”
“I asked, so I think it’s okay. Besides, this doesn’t really feel like a first date to me. We’ve been talking for what, three or so weeks now? I feel like we’re beyond first date yet not quite at second date, if that makes any sense.”
“It does, in a weird sort of way. I must admit though, I was nervous to meet you…worried that what I had built up in my head wouldn’t match.”
“And?”
“Better. So much better.”
I don’t even try to hide my grin. “Your ex—I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”
He thinks on this a moment before inhaling a deep breath. “So, my last, and only real girlfriend…slash fiancée, left me because I gave up my ‘fortune’.”
I hold my hand up. “Pause. Your what?”
“Fortune, if that’s what you want to call it.”
“Care to explain?”
“I formed a company in college, did some good with it, and then sold it for…well, let’s just say it was a large sum. Sure, I took home a ton of money by selling it, but I would have earned more by keeping ownership. She was rather perturbed over all of it. Then when I donated a decent chunk, paid off hers and my brother’s student loans because I’m a nice guy, and bought a car that wasn’t ‘family friendly’ even though ‘that’s where we were headed’, she left. I never understood it. I think she just liked my money and what it could do for her.”
I stand there, mouth open, shock pouring out of me. “You mean to tell me because you did good things with your money from your company, she bailed?”
“And because I was suddenly an ‘everyday man’ with a nine-to-five, I wasn’t good enough for her. Funny, considering she had no problem with me paying off her loans or dating me when I wouldn’t leave my pigsty of a dorm room for days at a time because I was too wrapped up in code or the latest video game.” He shrugs. “That company changed her and it changed me, we just changed in different ways.”
I shake my head and continue our leisurely stroll. “You said you were engaged?”
“It was brief, but yes. Luckily we hadn’t begun planning anything yet.”
We keep a leisurely pace in silence for about a block. I don’t know what to say. I could say ‘sorry’, but that always feels like an empty word in situations like these. I could tell him I think she’s the most insane woman alive to up and leave him, but I don’t know her or her story. She could have had other things going she wasn’t ready to explain. I can’t judge what I don’t know.
“Now that I’ve killed the conversation…” Zach trails off. “You promised to tell me yours.”
“There’s not much to it. We were better as friends than anything else, and we finally decided to be honest and own up to it. It was amicable and we’re still friends.”
“I’m glad you have closure with him.”
“I hate that you don’t with her. I can’t believe she just dumped you without a solid reason.”
“She liked the money part of me.”
“That’s sad.”
He sighs. “It’s a part of life.”
“Do you think you’d still be together if you hadn’t sold the company?”
“Probably not. There was no…”
“Fireworks?”
He glances down at me. “Fireworks. It was more like those popping snappers you were entertained with as a child, fun for the briefest of moments.”
“When you put it like that…”
“It sounds sad? I know. So, I’m happy we traveled down the path we did. Everything worked out as it should have.”
“Are you always so optimistic?”
“Nah. I have my fair share of ‘woe is me’ days.” He shrugs. “But I try to, ya know, keep myself cheery and all that.”
“I like that. Reminds me of my Zoe.”
“Ah, the butt-toucher.”
I laugh. “That’d be her. She’s a wild one but so much fun.”
“I could tell.” Zach chuckles as I yawn in the middle of him talking. “Two coffees weren’t enough?”
“I had a late night last night. We did a midnight showing and I was one of the closers. I took a quick nap after my last class, but I had this date with a cute nerdy guy so I had to get up.”
“Yeah? And how did that go?”
I shrug. “I’ve had better.”
“Admit it, this is the coolest date you’ve ever been on.”
“I don’t know… My first date was at a theme park. That one is hard to top.”
“A theme park? Pssh. I can rent you an entire theme park.”
“You cannot.”
He winks. “I’ll never tell.”
I roll my eyes and pull him back down the sidewalk. “Come on, Romeo. Take me home before I fall asleep and snore or something.”
Eleven
“Delia.”
Shake.
“Deeeeeelia.”
Shake.
“DELIA!”
I shoot up with alarm zinging through me. “EARTHQUAKE!”
A boisterous guffaw fills the space and I survey the area, discovering I’m inside Zach’s car.
Crap. I must have fallen asleep.
“Did I snore?” I ask.
His only response is a laugh.
“Shit. That is so not first date material.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you’ve only had a nap today? Or that you had to work late last night? We could have rescheduled.”
I shrug. “I was excited to meet you.”
“So excited you fell asleep, right?”
“Oh hush.” I glance out the window. “Well, I guess this is me.”
“Stay there. I’ll grab your door for you.”
“Such a gentleman.”
As he exits the car, I check myself in the visor mirror, making sure I don’t look like complete shit after my snoozefest.
“Milady,” he says, opening the door and extending his hand toward me.
He helps me out, but doesn’t back up.
I’m crowded between him and his fancy car, and I can’t imagine a better place to be right now.
Zach smiles down at me, his grin almost wolfish. “Did you have a good first date, Delia?”
“It wasn’t terrible.”
“I’ll take that. Plus, you’ve already agreed to a second date with me. There’s no backing out now.”
“No, I guess not.”
We’re standing so close together that if I were to move an inch, I’d be brushing against him. I want to be brushing against him.
I take a step forward, and he doesn’t move back. In fact, Zach swoops his arms around me and pushes us back until I’m snug against his car, one hand settled on my waist and
the other curved around the nape of my neck. His touch is gentle and heavy all at once.
His green eyes bore into me and I can’t pull my gaze from his. It’s so…hot. My head is swimming and my body feels like I’m standing only inches away from a roaring fire.
Though the night air is cool, I’m breaking a sweat, and I know Zach can feel it.
His lips tilt up at the corner and that fucking dimple pokes through again.
“I’m going to kiss you now, Delia.”
And then his mouth is on mine.
This kiss is everything I’ve been missing in my life.
Those fireworks I didn’t have before?
They explode into the night sky the moment Zach lays his lips to mine.
He’s gentle at first, but our soft kisses turn firm and we’re grabbing at one another like we’ll never touch again. He slides his hand around until he’s cradling my face. I press into him, into the kiss, into…whatever the hell this is.
Our tongues continue to dance to a song only they know, and I couldn’t even begin to count the minutes we stay wrapped up in one another.
Somewhere along the way, our kisses turn sweeter. We finally pull our lips apart and suck in deep breaths of air.
Zach rests his head against mine and I gently lay a palm to his chest, dying to see if his heart is beating as wildly as mine.
“Where did you come from?”
“The Midwest.”
“Huh?”
“You asked where I came from. I’m from the Midwest.”
He laughs, and I feel the sound rumble in his chest. “Rhetorical question, Delia.”
“Oh.”
I can feel him shake his head. “What am I going to do with you?” He presses a kiss to my forehead. “Another rhetorical question, by the way.”
“Too bad. I had a really good answer.”
He meets my eyes and tilts his head in interest, his eyes dancing with mischief. “Yeah? And what is that?”
I wink. “Guess you’ll never know.”
“Tease.”
“Guilty,” I whisper before placing my lips on his again.
The kiss is brief this time and before I know it, Zach is escorting me up the stairs to my apartment door.
Leaning against it, I turn his way.
“I was really nervous to meet you, ya know. We were total strangers and then we bonded through weird text exchanges. I was crushing on you hard and formed this image of you inside my head. I was so scared you wouldn’t live up to it, that the fun I’ve had texting you wouldn’t translate in real life.”
Zach’s watching me intently, and I realize I’m spilling all my secrets to him, word vomiting all over the poor guy.
And I don’t give one single damn.
“But you, we…it was everything I hoped it would be.” He’s still staring at me, his eyes full of delight and a crooked grin stretched across his face. “So, uh, thanks…for everything.”
His grin grows as he steps into me, placing a gentle kiss on my mouth.
“Thank you, Delia. For not being totally lame. For laughing at my horrible jokes. For falling asleep on me. For being…well, everything I wanted you to be.”
My cheeks flush red and I lean into Zach for another kiss.
Our lips lock, and we’re falling.
Thud.
We smack to the ground and I wheeze as Zach’s weight comes crashing down on me.
“Okay, you two are cute as fuck. Want me to leave so you can bang?”
“Ow! What the hell, Zoe?” I push at Zach’s heavy form. “Get off me, I can’t breathe.”
He pushes himself up until he’s hovering over me. “Did you just call me fat?”
“What? No! Did you drink the same Kool-Aid as this freak over here”—I point to Zoe—“who decided it’d be fun to open the door so I fall right on my ass?”
Zach pretends to be offended. “Kool-Aid is the devil’s drink. It was strictly Tang in my house.”
“You are so 90s,” I complain, pushing at him.
He snickers and moves until he’s sitting beside me. I pull myself up, shooting daggers between Zoe and Zach.
“I have to say, you two sound like a cheesy teen kid show. Zoe and Zach, The Asshole Hour.”
The two fist-bump and I sigh.
“Don’t be jealous, D. We’re just cooler than you.”
“Cool my ass.”
“How is it, by the way? Your ass.”
“Her ass is great,” Zach chimes in.
Zoe laughs. “Oh, I like this one. Let’s keep him.”
“We’re not keeping anyone, especially not him.”
“You liar. You already signed on for a second date.”
“We’ll see about that,” I grumble.
“A second date already? You hussy!”
“Go away, Zoe!”
“Fine. You two go back to making out or whatever. Zach, it was great to meet you. Delia, I’ll be in my room waiting for your recap of the evening. I’m dying to know if he’s a great kisser.”
“He is,” Zach answers.
I blush.
Zoe pats his shoulder. “I can see that.”
“Zoe!”
She holds her hands up in innocence, backing down the hallway. “I’m going, I’m going!”
As soon as her bedroom door closes, I turn to Zach.
“I don’t even think it’s possible to apologize for her.”
Zach shrugs. “Don’t bother. She reminds me of Robbie. Those two would get along great.”
We sit in silence for a few moments before we finally pull ourselves off the floor.
“Before Zoe rudely interrupted us, I was going to ask if you wanted to come inside.”
“Delia, you fell asleep in my car. You need to rest.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “I am so glad you said that. I was only trying to be polite. I’m exhausted, and now my ass hurts.”
He raises his brows. “You never cease to entertain.”
“You just spoke all weird and I think you’re trying to go nerd on me. So, run along now.”
In a flash, he crosses the short distance between us, recreating the pose we held for so long outside. With one hand on my hip and the other cradling my face, Zach gently presses a kiss against my lips.
“Good night, Delia,” he whispers, his lips grazing against mine.
“Good night, Zach.”
He disappears out the door, leaving me standing there wanting more.
More kisses.
More touches.
More of him.
Me: I forgot to give you your penis potholders!
* * *
Zach: Why are you not sleeping?
* * *
Zach: Also, I’ll grab them later—on our second date. ;-)
* * *
Me: Well I had to let Zoe know if you were a good kisser or not.
* * *
Zach: And?
* * *
Me: You were decent.
* * *
Me: Omg. I can’t even pretend otherwise.
* * *
Zach: That good, huh?
* * *
Me: Let’s just say Zoe isn’t the only reason I’m not sleeping.
* * *
Zach: Why, Delia, are you telling me I got you all hot and bothered earlier and now you can’t sleep because you’re, dare I say, HORNY?
* * *
Me: ZACHARY HASTINGS! You CANNOT say that to people!
* * *
Me: But…yes.
* * *
Me: Also, my ass hurts.
* * *
Zach: FROM BEING HORNY? What are you putting in it?
* * *
Zach: Oh wait, you mean from the fall. My bad.
* * *
Me: I am not afraid to take back that yes to a second date. *taps foot*
* * *
Zach: You are so full of shit. You want to kiss me again too badly for you to do that.
* * *
M
e: GRUMBLE GRUMBLE
* * *
Zach: My god, Delia, go to BED!
* * *
Me: Yeah, yeah. Fine.
* * *
Me: But, Zach?
* * *
Zach: Yeah?
* * *
Me: I really can’t wait to kiss you again.
* * *
Zach: I know. ;-)
* * *
Me: Moment. Ruined. Good night.
* * *
Zach: LOLOLOLOLOL
“I lied to Zach.”
Zoe spins around, coffee pot in hand, the delicious goodness sloshing around inside. “What!” Her screech is so loud that I cover my ears.
“Quiet!”
“You quiet, you liar. What in the hell did you lie about, Delia?”
“Wellllll…”
“You know I hate it when you do that shit. Out with it,” she interrupts.
“Rawr. Fine. So remember last night when you were all ‘come to my room to tell me all the juicy details’ and then I went to your room and you were fast asleep so I tried to wake you but you sleep like the dead?”
“I didn’t know you tried to wake me, but please continue.”
“Well about an hour or so after Zach left, I texted him about something and he was all, ‘Why are you still up?’ I told him I was talking to you.”
“Mhmm, and then.”
“I wasn’t talking to you, Zoe.”
“I know this.”
“I couldn’t sleep. I was too…wound up, if you know what I mean.”
“I think I do.”
“I was wound up. I had to…let off a little steam, if you will.”
“Hmm…” She sets the coffee pot down and folds her arms over her chest. “You’ll have to be more specific.”
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