began to roll a small ball. “Bring us into this century.” A small smile appeared on his lips as he repeated the words I’d said so often to him. I might be lacking in the technical department of my personal life but I knew it could be a huge asset to the restaurant, and I’d been pushing my parents to look into it.
I tried to conceal my surprise. “That’s great, Daddy.”
A horn honked outside and I looked out the window and saw Chase’s huge SUV in my driveway. “That’s Chase. I have to go.”
My father frowned. In high school he had insisted that any boy who wanted a date should come to the door and pick me up like a gentleman. Chase always abided by that rule, apparently until now. My dad’s reaction stirred up my own lingering irritation about Chase’s insistence on tonight’s date, but I put on a smile as I kissed Annabelle goodbye and headed out.
Two hours later, Chase and I were finishing up dessert in a back booth at a little Italian restaurant in Odessa. My bad mood from earlier had mostly vanished with the help of a glass of wine and copious amounts of cheese. I’d actually enjoyed myself, even though my prediction of the conversation leaning toward the auto dealership proved true.
Still, I smiled when Chase came around and slid into my side of the booth. He put an arm around me and I leaned into him.
“So… what do you want to do now?” he asked in a low voice.
Go home and put on my pajamas , I thought immediately, stifling a yawn. I didn’t know what my problem was or why I couldn’t muster up some enthusiasm for this date, but I hoped it wasn’t too evident to Chase.
He pulled his arm tighter around me and started nuzzling my neck, sliding his other hand up my leg to the top of my thigh. The restaurant was mostly deserted but I still didn’t feel right about this level of PDA while other people were eating. I tried to pull away a little bit, hating the look of disappointment on his face but at the same time not caring enough to remedy it.
“I’m pretty tired,” I said apologetically.
“C’mon babe,” Chase whispered in my ear. “We can go for a drive, take a little detour on our way back.” His hand slid farther up my leg.
Because I was waffling and he was an obviously attractive male, my body responded automatically to his touch, softening and stirring at the same time. Even though the idea of a cramped, quick fuck in the back of Chase’s SUV left a lot to be desired, I almost caved. But then my brain fought through the fuzz, reminding me to take it slow, there was no hurry, and that I’d decided I needed to actually love the next person I slept with.
And I just wasn’t there yet with Chase.
“Sorry.” I gently pushed his hand back down to my knee and reached around him for the check.
“Okay, okay.” Chase sighed heavily and grabbed the bill from my hand. “No, babe, my treat.” He kissed me on the cheek and retreated to his side of the booth.
* * *
After Chase dropped me off and I put on my much-anticipated tank top and pajama bottoms, I paced the kitchen for a few minutes while I reviewed the evening. Annabelle was fast asleep, my parents had gone to help close the diner, and I usually did my best thinking late at night when the cicadas’ song died and everything was still.
Chase wanted more. At the restaurant, I was proud of myself for standing my ground, for not going through the motions of something I didn’t really want to do just to please him. Now I was second-guessing myself. What was I holding out for? A down-on-one-knee proposal? I wasn’t exactly a virginal school girl anymore, but I hadn’t been out with anyone else for more than a casual meal in more than three years. Maybe this was how dating in your twenties worked. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed.
I blurted it all out immediately after Heather picked up the phone. “Am I ridiculous? He’s good, right? Chase? Good for me? For Annabelle?”
“Avery? It’s kinda late. Are you
I tried to conceal my surprise. “That’s great, Daddy.”
A horn honked outside and I looked out the window and saw Chase’s huge SUV in my driveway. “That’s Chase. I have to go.”
My father frowned. In high school he had insisted that any boy who wanted a date should come to the door and pick me up like a gentleman. Chase always abided by that rule, apparently until now. My dad’s reaction stirred up my own lingering irritation about Chase’s insistence on tonight’s date, but I put on a smile as I kissed Annabelle goodbye and headed out.
Two hours later, Chase and I were finishing up dessert in a back booth at a little Italian restaurant in Odessa. My bad mood from earlier had mostly vanished with the help of a glass of wine and copious amounts of cheese. I’d actually enjoyed myself, even though my prediction of the conversation leaning toward the auto dealership proved true.
Still, I smiled when Chase came around and slid into my side of the booth. He put an arm around me and I leaned into him.
“So… what do you want to do now?” he asked in a low voice.
Go home and put on my pajamas , I thought immediately, stifling a yawn. I didn’t know what my problem was or why I couldn’t muster up some enthusiasm for this date, but I hoped it wasn’t too evident to Chase.
He pulled his arm tighter around me and started nuzzling my neck, sliding his other hand up my leg to the top of my thigh. The restaurant was mostly deserted but I still didn’t feel right about this level of PDA while other people were eating. I tried to pull away a little bit, hating the look of disappointment on his face but at the same time not caring enough to remedy it.
“I’m pretty tired,” I said apologetically.
“C’mon babe,” Chase whispered in my ear. “We can go for a drive, take a little detour on our way back.” His hand slid farther up my leg.
Because I was waffling and he was an obviously attractive male, my body responded automatically to his touch, softening and stirring at the same time. Even though the idea of a cramped, quick fuck in the back of Chase’s SUV left a lot to be desired, I almost caved. But then my brain fought through the fuzz, reminding me to take it slow, there was no hurry, and that I’d decided I needed to actually love the next person I slept with.
And I just wasn’t there yet with Chase.
“Sorry.” I gently pushed his hand back down to my knee and reached around him for the check.
“Okay, okay.” Chase sighed heavily and grabbed the bill from my hand. “No, babe, my treat.” He kissed me on the cheek and retreated to his side of the booth.
* * *
After Chase dropped me off and I put on my much-anticipated tank top and pajama bottoms, I paced the kitchen for a few minutes while I reviewed the evening. Annabelle was fast asleep, my parents had gone to help close the diner, and I usually did my best thinking late at night when the cicadas’ song died and everything was still.
Chase wanted more. At the restaurant, I was proud of myself for standing my ground, for not going through the motions of something I didn’t really want to do just to please him. Now I was second-guessing myself. What was I holding out for? A down-on-one-knee proposal? I wasn’t exactly a virginal school girl anymore, but I hadn’t been out with anyone else for more than a casual meal in more than three years. Maybe this was how dating in your twenties worked. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed.
I blurted it all out immediately after Heather picked up the phone. “Am I ridiculous? He’s good, right? Chase? Good for me? For Annabelle?”
“Avery? It’s kinda late. Are you
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