Page 91 of Two a Day
“Wow,” I reply, impressed. “What made you choose that?”
She shrugs, her eyes turning serious for a beat. “I had great teachers myself and I always wanted to teach. It was as simple as that.”
“You’re pretty amazing. You know that, right?” I ask, a little gentle, a lot intrigued.
She looks up at me. Tension crackles in the airbetween us. My eyes are drawn to her lips, those rosebuds tempting me, taunting me. She darts her tongue out, leaves them glistening, and I ache to do the same.
But she suddenly looks down, turns back to the store. “Want to order?” she asks, and the moment evaporates as we head to the counter and order our drinks.
A few minutes later, we’re back on the street, the beach to our left, the city to our right. The scent of the ocean fills my lungs as she asks me about my job, and I tell her about the investments I make and how I research, research, research to ensure I’m prepared for whatever scenario may arise in the rapidly fluctuating market.
“That’s another thing we have in common. This right here?” Cara taps her purse as we walk past a group of people singing Drew’s team’s song. “I’ve got Band-Aids. Tissues. Ibuprofen. I like to be prepared too.”
I grin and gesture to the sandy shores beside us. “And what about the beach? Do you happen to like moonlit walks along the beach as well?”
“What a coincidence. I do.” She laughs and her hand glances over my arm, and goddamn, one simple touch shouldn’t affect me so much, but it does.
We walk past couples holding hands, couples with their arms around each other, couples, couples,couples, and it seems only too natural to say, “Do you know what else I like, Cara?”
She stops walking, glances up at me from under her impossibly long lashes. “Tell me.”
“You,” I say simply.
Pink colors her cheeks, but she doesn’t look away. “Looks like that’s another thing we have in common then,” she replies on a whisper, and fuck it. I know I should spend more time getting to know her, doing my research, but maybe that’s where I’ve gone wrong in the past. Maybe this—acting on a newfound crush—is the way that’s right.
She licks her lower lip, and I don’t miss the moment this time. I cup her jaw, my hand gliding over her soft skin, and lean in to place a gentle kiss on her lips. Her hands wrap around my waist as she sort of sighs into my mouth, like this moment is just too perfect, too much.
I linger, not wanting the kiss to end. She tastes like mangos and the magic of this whirlwind movie-turned-date, and she parts her lips, inviting me in for more, more, more, and I greedily accept.
When we finally pull apart, her chest rises and falls against mine, and my cock is more than ready to take things back to her place, my place,anygoddamn place where we can be alone. Turns out instant crushes are my new favorite thing. Nothing could kill this buzz.
“I have to go,” Cara says, and places one hand on my chest. “Home. Alone.”
Well, okay then.
Maybe that could kill the buzz a little.
“Of course,” I reply, because I’m not an asshole. If the lady wants to leave, she can leave. But… “I’d like to see you again. Why don’t you come over for a documentary-and-dinner date tomorrow night?”
Her eyes blink to the waves crashing down on the beach, then flick back to meet mine, an ocean of uncertainty in her gaze. “I’m sorry, Patrick. This is happening really fast for me. I had a bad experience with an ex and I just…”
My heart plummets to the bottom of the boardwalk. I step back. “I get it. Don’t worry.”
“No.” She shakes her head, grabs my hand. “I do want this. But we’d need to take things slowly. I’ve only known you a few hours and already I feel like this could be something between us—but I don’t want to risk getting hurt again.”
Phew. So she does want more—and more with me.
And for moments like we’ve shared tonight, I’m willing to do whatever it takes.
I tuck a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear, my hand lingering there. “We can go slow. Turtle slow.”
She smiles up at me, but it’s not as brilliant as it was before, as if the memory of her ex hassomehow dulled the spark between us. “Thank you.”
“No. Thank you,” I say, “for taking a chance on me.”
And as we exchange numbers, I know two things for certain.
One: I’m all about instant crushes now. This is the best night I’ve had in a very long time.