That wasn't what Jake expected to hear from Catherine after their stilted conversation at lunch.
"Pardon?" He needed to know for sure.
"I want you to kiss me," she repeated, confirming what he'd heard the first time.
"Now?" he asked gently. "Or just as a general notification of something we should do?"
"Now." The word sounded forced, and she made no move toward him to aid in the kissing process.
Instead, he moved until he came to a stop in front of her. "What made you decide now is the time?"
"The photo call is tomorrow. If we do this now and it’s awkward, we can go our separate ways rather than be trapped in the cottage for the rest of the evening."
"Why are you so certain it will be awkward to the point we'd feel trapped?"
She still didn't look at him. "It's not something I have much experience with."
"What makes you think I do?" Jake had a hard time containing a smile.
She lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug. "I don't know. Most people our ages have a lot more experience than I do."
"I've had my share of girlfriends, I guess." Jake sat on the conference table near her. "Five or six anyway. Maybe one more if you count the girl I said I was going to marry when I was seven."
That made her smile just as he intended. "I'm a little disappointed I'm not the first girl you planned to marry. Should I be worried she may come back and try to claim you for herself?"
Jake shook his head as he laughed. "Doubtful. I haven't seen her since I was eight. She probably doesn't even remember me."
"I find that unlikely, but I'm glad I won't have to fight her for your affections." She finally glanced up at him, a mischievous look on her face.
He reached out and took her hand. "I'm the only one who has any say in where my affections lie."
She still didn't look directly at him. "That's good to know."
Jake stood and tugged lightly on Catherine's hand until she stood in front of him.
"Hey." He crooked his finger under her chin. "It's you and me. I've never dated anyone seriously. I never even considered marrying anyone else. Not really."
"Not really?"
He shook his head. "Just the same way you might contemplate any new relationship. If you go on a first date and the other person has some trait you simply can't handle, it can end there. Maybe they slurp their soup or crack their knuckles. Maybe they smack their gum. It could even be something physical they can't control.”
Could he find an example that wouldn't make him sound like a cad? Probably not. Best not to even try. "Everyone has preferences. That doesn't mean you absolutely will end up with someone who meets that criteria. Lots of people don't, but it canbe part of why you have contact with someone in the first place."
A cheeky grin crossed her face. "Or you literally run into her then make her laugh until she falls in love with you whether you're her type or not.”
Jake laughed. "That's one way it could happen. My point is that I considered marrying a couple of other people in the 'could I stand characteristic x or annoying habit y.’ If I thought I could or if I didn't see any glaring issues, I might ask her out again."
"Might?"
He pulled her a little closer.
"Might. Sometimes there's no specific thing you can point to, but it's just not clicking." He brushed a bit of hair off of her face. "And sometimes there's no reason you should click with someone, but you do." He leaned in close enough to whisper in her ear. "It's chemistry."
Something he'd felt with her since they ran into each other, and she helped him find the archives.
He cradled the side of her face in his hand. "It's something undefinable, inexplicable. There's no one reason why some people have chemistry and others don't."
Catherine's eyes were bright with unshed tears. "You think we have chemistry?"
