Read Online Next to Me by AnnaLisa Grant - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: AnnaLisa Grant
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too.
“I’m not working tomorrow,” I tell him, still smiling. “Oh, but wait. I can’t.”
“Why not?” Disappointment coats these two little words.
“Um…I have a date.” I watch for his reaction, not sure what he’ll say or do. He doesn’t say anything, but sits back against the seat. “It’s one of the doctors at the hospital. I agreed to the date the other night, before I saw you at the coffee shop. He’s kind of been asking me out for a while, so I’ll feel bad if I back out.” Why did you tell him that?
“I understand, Jenna.” He takes a deep breath and lets out a rush of air. “This is just our first, uh, second date. I don’t have any expectations.”
I cock my head to the side, questioning his statement. I don’t believe him. I think he felt the connection between us as much as I did. That kiss he planted on me said as much.
“Ok,” he says, giving in to my questioning look. “I have an expectation, well…more of a hope. I didn’t want to say anything after our whole conversation about what I did to meet you. I don’t want to scare you off, Jenna.”
“I don’t think you’re going to scare me off,” I say quietly. I want to tell him about the connection I felt so he knows the lengths he went to get to know me weren’t in vain. That right now I really wish I wasn’t going out with Adam Fisher tomorrow night. That, in fact, I wish tonight would never end so I didn’t have to eventually say goodnight to Landon. But it’s too soon and saying any of those things will only paint me as some desperate chick that doesn’t have a clue what she’s doing.
“I like you, Jenna…a lot.” Landon caresses the back of my hand with his fingers. That same shiver I got earlier returns and makes me smile.
“That’s $15.70,” the cabbie says as he stops in front of my building. Landon gives him a twenty and tells him to keep the change.
We make our way upstairs to my apartment and stop outside the door, standing silently. I examine his face and notice a small scar above his right eye and make a mental note to ask him about it sometime because something in me wants to know everything about him. I suddenly become very aware of just how unfair that would be since he’ll never get close enough to know everything about me. No one ever will. But at least I’m finally willing to let someone into the world of Jenna Rockwell.
“Do you want to come in…maybe continue this conversation?” I ask with a hint of coyness.
“I would love to come in,” he says, running his fingers down my arm
again.
I turn and unlock the door, trying to be as quiet as possible. It’s after midnight and Spring is going to be in bed already. We enter the living room and I reach to turn on the table lamp so it won’t be too bright.
“Can I get you something to drink? A glass of wine maybe?” I set my purse on the kitchen table and turn around face Landon.
“I’m good,” he says with the sexiest smile.
“Ok…” I move to the couch and sit sideways, tucking my leg under the other one. I take my heels off and set them next to the end table. Within seconds, Landon is facing me, mirroring my posture. He rests his arm across the back of the couch and plays with a lock of my hair while we sit close.
“Earlier you said that it had been a while. What did you mean?” Landon takes my hand and moves it to his leg while holding it. I lose concentration for a moment with a brief vision of all the places my hand could travel within seconds.
“Oh, that…it’s nothing. It’s a little embarrassing,” I begin. Landon lowers his chin and looks at me over his nose. “Fine. It’s been a really long time since I’ve been kissed like that.”
“I’m sure your idea of a really long time really isn’t that long at all.”
“Oh, Landon, you don’t want to know…” I start, but Landon gives me that look again, convincing me to divulge my pathetic dating history. “Truth be known…I’ve never been
“I’m not working tomorrow,” I tell him, still smiling. “Oh, but wait. I can’t.”
“Why not?” Disappointment coats these two little words.
“Um…I have a date.” I watch for his reaction, not sure what he’ll say or do. He doesn’t say anything, but sits back against the seat. “It’s one of the doctors at the hospital. I agreed to the date the other night, before I saw you at the coffee shop. He’s kind of been asking me out for a while, so I’ll feel bad if I back out.” Why did you tell him that?
“I understand, Jenna.” He takes a deep breath and lets out a rush of air. “This is just our first, uh, second date. I don’t have any expectations.”
I cock my head to the side, questioning his statement. I don’t believe him. I think he felt the connection between us as much as I did. That kiss he planted on me said as much.
“Ok,” he says, giving in to my questioning look. “I have an expectation, well…more of a hope. I didn’t want to say anything after our whole conversation about what I did to meet you. I don’t want to scare you off, Jenna.”
“I don’t think you’re going to scare me off,” I say quietly. I want to tell him about the connection I felt so he knows the lengths he went to get to know me weren’t in vain. That right now I really wish I wasn’t going out with Adam Fisher tomorrow night. That, in fact, I wish tonight would never end so I didn’t have to eventually say goodnight to Landon. But it’s too soon and saying any of those things will only paint me as some desperate chick that doesn’t have a clue what she’s doing.
“I like you, Jenna…a lot.” Landon caresses the back of my hand with his fingers. That same shiver I got earlier returns and makes me smile.
“That’s $15.70,” the cabbie says as he stops in front of my building. Landon gives him a twenty and tells him to keep the change.
We make our way upstairs to my apartment and stop outside the door, standing silently. I examine his face and notice a small scar above his right eye and make a mental note to ask him about it sometime because something in me wants to know everything about him. I suddenly become very aware of just how unfair that would be since he’ll never get close enough to know everything about me. No one ever will. But at least I’m finally willing to let someone into the world of Jenna Rockwell.
“Do you want to come in…maybe continue this conversation?” I ask with a hint of coyness.
“I would love to come in,” he says, running his fingers down my arm
again.
I turn and unlock the door, trying to be as quiet as possible. It’s after midnight and Spring is going to be in bed already. We enter the living room and I reach to turn on the table lamp so it won’t be too bright.
“Can I get you something to drink? A glass of wine maybe?” I set my purse on the kitchen table and turn around face Landon.
“I’m good,” he says with the sexiest smile.
“Ok…” I move to the couch and sit sideways, tucking my leg under the other one. I take my heels off and set them next to the end table. Within seconds, Landon is facing me, mirroring my posture. He rests his arm across the back of the couch and plays with a lock of my hair while we sit close.
“Earlier you said that it had been a while. What did you mean?” Landon takes my hand and moves it to his leg while holding it. I lose concentration for a moment with a brief vision of all the places my hand could travel within seconds.
“Oh, that…it’s nothing. It’s a little embarrassing,” I begin. Landon lowers his chin and looks at me over his nose. “Fine. It’s been a really long time since I’ve been kissed like that.”
“I’m sure your idea of a really long time really isn’t that long at all.”
“Oh, Landon, you don’t want to know…” I start, but Landon gives me that look again, convincing me to divulge my pathetic dating history. “Truth be known…I’ve never been
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