Chapter 15
Lincoln
Whatthefuckwasthat? Talk about shitty timing. I was about to kiss her—technically, Iwaskissing her—and it’s suddenly dinner time?
Who’s out to get me and why?
Did Gram see us? Was it an inappropriate location? Sure, we were alone in the dining room, but would somebody think it was wrong because there are kids around? Even if not directly in the room.
But now I can’t get my heart to beat at a steady pace and my palms are sweaty.
These sorts of things aren’t supposed to turn out like this. I’m not supposed to go on a blind date from an app and be developing feelings for and kissing somebody I just met a few hours ago.
Right?
Oristhat how these things work?
I haven’t the foggiest idea, but something tells me that it’s not the order in which things are supposed to happen.
And she didn’t pull away. She leaned in, closed her eyes, and prepared for me to kiss her. She said she’s enjoying herself, but did she mean to that level? I’ll have to find out. Are we on the same page here? After only a few hours?
I can’t seem to get over the time factor. I’ve never had an insta…anything. Love or lust. I’m not the type who believes in love at first sight. Or at least, I wasn’t.
Not that what we have is love. It’s not.It can’t be.
But when her knee touches mine, I jolt with such force that my leg hits the table, clanking glasses.
“Sorry. Got a shock.” That’s for sure. Not the static electricity sort, but one that went straight to my heart.
What the fuck is going on with me?
Wine. I need wine to calm my nerves. It’s being passed around now. When the bottle of red gets to me, I fill my glass.
When another is put in my line of sight, I turn to see Val leaning toward me, her breasts pushed together and showing off some cleavage.
Was her blouse always unbuttoned at the top? Or is that a new development?
“Fill me up?” She asks the question so innocently that I’m truly not sure if she understands the double entendre. And I find myself wanting to do both.
“Of course.” Trying to avoid the shakiness that I feel settling into my bones, I carefully pour her a glass of wine, topping it off just as the bottle runs dry.
“Look at that, perfect pour.” She takes a delicate sip and tips her head back with an ‘mm’ and all I can think about is licking up her neck and biting the spot just below her earlobe.
“I love this wine. Gram knows it’s my favorite. She spoils me, and sometimes I think it’s because I’m the only one who’s single so I don’t have a significant other to do the spoiling. Sometimes I think it’s because she raised me.”
I’d gladly spoil her. “Maybe it’s both. She clearly loves you. You can tell from just two seconds of talking to her and how she looks at you.”
Normal conversation, this is what I need. My heart rate is starting to return to a normal rhythm, my hands aren’t shaking anymore, and it doesn’t feel as much like a sauna as it did a minute ago.
That is, until Val puts her hand on my arm.
Oh fuck. I’m so done in by this woman.
Chapter 16
Valerie
Nowthathekissedme, even if just barely, I can’t keep myself from him. I want to touch him, all of him. I want his hands all over my body.
