Chapter 9
Maria
Brian:Hi, how's your day going? Have any appointments today or you stuck in the back room again?
The jolt of pleasure that hit me just from reading a simple message shouldn't be this potent. It didn't matter how many text chains Brian and I exchanged—and there had been a lot since our first date—the butterflies never dwindled. I felt like a lovesick fifteen-year-old whenever his name popped up. I tried hard not to get my hopes up, but it was difficult not to when Brian continued to send me a barrage of sweet messages.
Still, I forced myself to wait ten minutes before replying, careful not to click on our text chain to place him on read. It was silly, but I needed to stop myself from falling into the same pattern of behavior whenever a new guy showed interest; how Iwould almost drop my phone in haste to reply to what essentially culminated in a booty call.
I was always desperate to keep whoever it was on the hook, but it never did any good. They eventually wiggled themselves off into someone else's pond, and I was left with my pride in tatters and my body used. Things would be different this time.
After a sufficient moment, I replied.
Maria:A mountain of paperwork this week, unfortunately! So yes, stuck in the office. Hbu? Getting those hands dirty?
My mouth twisted before I deleted the last sentence. Brian spent most of his working hours visiting various job sites, checking their progress, and putting out fires. Occasionally, he helped out on big projects or if he was understaffed. That was all I was referring to; but examining it under a new lens, I knew it could easily be misinterpreted as an open invitation for some titillating innuendo.
I was probably overthinking it too much, but this thing with Brian was different.Feltdifferent. Not only did I genuinely like and respect him, but I wanted to focus on getting to know him better, and vice versa, without any sexual activities muddying the waters. Luring men in was second nature to me. They became putty in my hands with a flick of my hair, a pointed touch of my hand, and some carefully placed suggestive overtones. But it never lasted.
Brian:Work is keeping me busy. Almost wrapped up that project out in Hilton. Will have to take the boys out for drinks once done.
Before I could reply back to him, another text came through. My heartbeat jumped to my throat.
Brian:Are you free next Saturday?
Fuckingfinally.
Our date had been two weeks ago, and Brian wasn’t kidding when he told me how busy he would be. If it wasn't for his constant contact, I would've written him off, even if it stung my pride.
Maria:Yes, I haven't made plans yet.
Brian:Good. I'd like to take you to dinner at Da Vinci's Grove.
Da Vinci's Grove?Oh my God.
Brian:I haven't tried it before. Have you been?
I gave an amused snort. Da Vinci's Grove was a five-star restaurant about thirty minutes from New Haven. You'd have to forfeit your weekly grocery shop to be able to afford dinner there. I'd never been before, never had a reason to. The abysmal men I chose in the past certainly wouldn't have taken me there.
But even still, Da Vinci's Grove wasn't somewhere you'd take a casual date, especially only a second one. Things were moving faster than I anticipated. Did I want to take that step with Brian if he asked?
Everything was so easy with him. I was sexually attracted to him, yes, but it went beyond that. I could have sat at that Bistrowith him, chatting for hours, and I got the distinct impression he felt the same. There was no awkwardness. Our conversations fell naturally from one topic to the next, and any silences were filled with comfort and underlying physical chemistry. He never pushed me for anything more beyond that first kiss.
My groin clenched at the memory. And what a kiss it was.
Trying to appear calm, I replied.
Maria:I've never been, would love to go.
I watched the dots move on my phone; my lips curved in a secretive smile.
"Someone got laid."
I jerked at the sound of Linda's teasing voice. She was leaning by my office door with a smirk on her pretty face. "I did knock," she insisted.
Used to her gumption, I rolled my eyes and placed my phone face down.
"Don't you have a blowout right about now?"
