I’m holding my breath, waiting for her to answer. This girl has turned me upside down and inside out so many times in less than a day, and I know I want to at least give this an honest try. Last night, when I thought she’d gone home with another guy, I was out of my mind with jealousy. Then, when she saw me with the drunk, nameless girl, I wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out. For whatever reason, I know it hurt her.
Which is crazy, right? I mean, we just met, and I shouldn’t have even cared what she thought or about hurting her with a one-night stand.
But it does matter.
I am concerned.
And I don’t want to do anything that would hurt her.
So whatever this is between us, however far it goes, and wherever it takes us, I’ve decided to see it through to the end. The only thing I know for sure is that today isn’t the end.
Now I’m just waiting for her to confirm it. I’m still looking in her eyes and silently willing her to take a chance on me. Again.
She lets out a small sigh and simply says, “Okay.” But her manner is genuine, just like she is. I can’t stop the rush of feelings that suddenly engulf me.
I brush my lips against hers once, then twice, and on the third time. She responds, kissing me back. She’s still pinned against the wall, and she feels so soft beneath me. When I release her hands, she immediately wraps them around me, rubbing them slowly up and down my back. My hands move up, and I pull the towel off her head, then thread my fingers through her wet hair. I tilt her head slightly to the side and glide my tongue across the center of her lips, urging her to open and let me in.
I kiss her once, slow and certain. She answers without hesitation. The second kiss deepens, and by the third, restraint becomes a conscious choice rather than instinct.
I’ve kissed countless women in my life, but at this moment,thisis the first genuine kiss I’ve ever experienced. This is the first kiss, the only one that has ever branded me and rocked my entire world. I want to spend time with her, get to know her, and give whatever this is between us a fighting chance. Reluctantly, I slow the pace until I can naturally pull away from her.
Her hands glide across my back, steady and warm, and I pull away before instinct overrides intention.
We’re both panting as if we’ve just finished a marathon, forehead to forehead. After taking a minute to catch my breath, I finally feel like I can speak. I step back to see Andi’s full reaction to my words.
“Andi, whatever this is between us, I want us to take it slow.”
She gives me a skeptical look, as if she thinks I’m feeding her a line. She pushes herself off the wall, straightens, and nods.
“Fine, if you want to go slow, we’ll go slow. But I need to know what you mean by ‘whatever this is between us.’”
“I don’t know what it is. I’m not the relationship kind of guy. Or at least I haven’t been. But I know I want you and want to see where this goes.”
My answer does not please her. That fact is obvious in the fire in her eyes, which are shooting darts at me. But she controls it impressively.
“All right, Luke. We’ll see where it goes. But just know that until you can say something other than that you ‘want me,’ we’ll remain just friends. And not friends with benefits. We’ll get to know each other as friends first.”
What am I supposed to say to that? I just backed myself into a corner she knows I can’t get out of. I huff loudly, runmy fingers through my hair again, and finally agree to her terms.
“Whatever you say, Andi.”
“Do you have any plans for today, Luke?”
“Nope. What do you have in mind?”
“I’ll dry my hair, and we can go get some breakfast. Then we’ll decide what to do from there.”
I nod and watch her walk back to her bathroom. I brought a change of clothes last night, just in case I didn’t make it home from the club. I grab them from my truck and shower in the guest bedroom while Andi is still getting dressed. Thirty minutes later, she’s ready to go, casually dressed in a tank top, shorts, and sandals. Andi’s wearing light makeup today. She’s pulled her hair back again, and her beauty absolutely takes my breath away.
I didn’t have time to look around last night after getting Andi home and carrying her into her house. Not that she remembers. She passed out before we even got her out of the club. Her friends undressed her and put her in bed. I stayed with her because I was apprehensive about leaving her alone in that state.
Everyone in the group threatened me within an inch of my life if I did anything to her—especially Shane. After a lot of promises, they finally left, and I slept with one eyeopen in case she woke up and needed me. Good thing for Andi, she slept off the worst of it and woke up feeling barely any effects from her binge.
I can’t take my eyes off her as we walk out of her house in an upscale area on the outskirts of northwest Atlanta. The sun is bright, and she quickly puts on her sunglasses to shield her eyes. We head to her car when she spots my truck parked in her driveway, and her lips tighten into a thin line. I know she wants to ask me how she got home and got naked, but she decides against it and unlocks her car.
“I usually park in the garage, but there are boxes in my parking spot. I got home late yesterday and didn’t have time to move them. The other side is open if you want to move your truck inside. I can get the other garage door opener.”
She’s always so considerate. I just can’t get over how she’s the ultimate beauty-and-brains package.
