“You don’t want to talk about our fake relationship do you?”
I dropped a card on the pile. “Well, obviously you do, so go ahead.”
“Are you a good kisser?” she asked.
My face warmed, and I knew I was losing a battle with appearing unaffected, which was obviously her intention in asking. “How would I even know that?”
“You’d know.” She dropped her last card on the pile. I’d failed to call her out for not saying ‘Uno,’ giving her the win.
I frowned. “Kissing is more than technique. It’s about feelings, too.”
To her credit, she didn’t laugh at me. In fact, all her amusement dropped away and she swallowed hard. “You are something else, Doug Keller.”
“Another round?” I asked, studying the cards as I shuffled.
“Sure. We’ll play to a hundred.”
She’d promised not to stay long but I wasn’t about to tease her about it, because then she would leave. A little extra sleep deprivation wouldn’t hurt at this point.
I dealt out a new hand for each of us. “Alan looked like he wanted to murder you. What did he say to you today?”
Her jaw tightened. “I’m glad you asked that. Part of the buildup to our relationship is creating contention between us. That means I might say things to you on camera I don’t really mean.”
She was worried about hurting my feelings? That was definitely a first.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.
“I don’t care what you say on camera, but pick one personality for when it’s you and me.” I grinned, so she’d know I was messing with her.
She ducked her head, looking embarrassed. “I think that’s the worst thing anyone’s ever accused me of—being moody and two-faced. It won’t happen again.”
“Sure it will. Just warn me and I’ll give you space. I know you like your space.”
She shook her head at me, knowing she deserved the teasing, but not liking being on the receiving end. That was okay. If she could dish it out, she’d have to learn to take it too.
“Dare I ask about Christmas?” I probably shouldn’t have asked, but I was curious to see if her apology would hold up. It was my way of poking at her fortress of solitude for weak spots. If we were going to be friends, I wanted to know the boundaries.
She looked at me over her cards. “My mother gave me a dog.”
“So you didn’t… I kinda figured the dog was a Christmas present to yourself.”
“Not quite. But we’re making it work.”
Willa
Sitting here with him with his messed up hair and his tired, gravelly voice, I was starting to recognize all the nuances to his expressions—the things that struck him as funny or caught his interest. He definitely had an odd face, but everything put together added up to something quite ruggedly handsome. Before tonight, I never would have entered a guy’s hotel room alone. Ever. But Doug was the exception to every rule I’d set for myself.
Still, it was time to leave. I’d won the game by three points, and we were both still sitting here.
I gathered up the cards and jogged them together before handing them to Doug. In that brief touch of our hands, I was reminded of how warm and strong they’d been when we were dancing together at his brother’s wedding. I slid off the bed, and he followed me to our adjacent doors. My head felt stuffy, that point where you’re so tired every part of you tingles. I gave a yawn so big he actually steadied me. He smelled nice. He always smelled nice.
The words tumbled out of my mouth. “You smell good, Doug. I like your deodorant or cologne or whatever, but your skin smells nice, too. It’s a gift.”
His eyes twinkled. “You need sleep because I know you’re not drunk and that’s something a drunk person would say.”
“I’m dead serious!” I called as I stepped through the door and carefully shut it behind me. I didn’t regret what I’d said. A compliment from me was rare, and I wasn’t about to take it back.
