I step back due to her tenacity. “You only came with me to pick up guys?”
She laughs out loud. “Nah, but it never hurts to look at eye candy. He looks like a doctor our age who is remodeling his house. Perhaps has good taste, as he’s surveying the subway tile.” Hailey has a skill where she can sense everyone’s backstory. Makes conversations interesting.
“Can we, uh, stay focused?”
Her sight returns to me with reverence in her eyes. “I am. You’re two torrid lovers stuck at a crossroads to evaluate your relationship, even though it’s blatantly obvious. For someone who is known to be ruthless in a suit, your gentleman suitor needs to step it up on the direct communication front and share his views on the relationship issue of where you two are heading next. Meanwhile, my dear friend is too petrified to be the first to jump in, but she knows what she wants and is preparing to tell him. Anything else I need to know?”
I have a wry smile due to her evaluation that is spot-on. “Every time you talk to me, doesn’t it feel as though I’m constantly assessing my situation?”
Hailey smirks to herself. “That’s because you want only one thing and that’s a future with him,” she casually voices her views before pointing at another tile option.
A future.
Thatiswhat I see.
It makes me giddy and excited. Scared yet ecstatic. The logistics can be figured out later because my priority now is to make my feelings clear. Not just about where we are in a moment but where we are heading.
I’ve never been afraid of Keats before. He was always my sparring partner.
All the more reason I should avoid the idea that it’s daunting to lay it all out and instead take the plunge.
I will admit everything.
Now I just hope he feels the same.
Keats leansover me upside down as I lie on the sofa. He kisses my forehead, and his palm glides down my cheek before he returns to standing.
“Go away,” I growl. My entire body aches, my nose is stuffy, and my ability to think clearly is muffled by my headache.
“Someone is a little frosty today.” He smirks.
I have no energy to protest. “I just don’t want to get you sick.” Hailey needs to be cursed for infecting me.
“You’re going to be okay while I’m away?” He’s already unfolding the throw blanket on the chair arm and splaying it on top of me before I can even answer.
I’m kind of frustrated that I’ve been under the weathersince last night. All ability to proclaim my feelings has kind of fallen off the table. Plus, Keats is occupied with his trip.
“I’ll be fine. I’m just going to down some medicine like it’s tequila and sleep,” I assure him.
“I hope you feel better soon.”
Me too.
I haven’t forgotten the emotion inside of me that swirls like a hurricane ready to be unleashed, but I want the setting to be right and not when I have a killer headache and stuffy nose.
Propping myself onto my forearms, I watch as he winds up the cord to his phone charger to tuck into his laptop pocket. “When you get back maybe we can have an evening in and talk?” I ask.
He nearly drops the charger as his brows furrow. “Something I need to worry about?”
I smile because I realize my choice of words might send his thoughts into different directions. “No, I just thought a week apart is good for us. A chance to take a breath and not let our thoughts be jaded by our current situation.” My eyes swim around the room. “As in me living under your roof and, of course, logistics, really.”
Keats remains poised, but his eyes darken. “Right, we need to talk about that. I guess not letting you escape and tying you to a bed won’t be a sustainable solution.” His smile is weak, but that just means he’s covering his true thoughts.
Still, I half laugh, and it turns into a cough, but when it clears, my smile returns. “Just a talk,” I promise.Except to tell you I really feel for you. An uncontrollable outpouring of contentment to be with you, full-on. I’m beginning to believe that L-word is only meant for you.
“I guess you’re right, about the whole space thing,” he speaks.
Oh, maybe I just shot myself in the foot and life isn’t so promising.
