Chapter Ten #2
In the cab, I replayed the kiss several times.
As first kisses go, it had certainly made a lasting impression, and I was already eagerly anticipating the second.
I fiddled with my phone, trying to think of a suitably witty message to send to Justin’s number.
Everything I came up with though, I dismissed as being far too cheesy to send.
I didn’t want to give the man second thoughts about us continuing to date.
It had been over a year since I’d had anything even approaching a serious relationship and I didn’t want to blow it before it had barely begun.
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out to examine the display.
I just wanted to say again how much I enjoyed tonight. Can’t wait to see you again. Sleep well, beautiful. Hope you don’t mind me calling you that? X
Justin was obviously far braver than I was. Smiling broadly, I typed my response while I walked toward the front door.
No. I don’t have any issues with that. Even if it’s not true. Looking forward to seeing you again too. Hope you sleep well too. X
The downstairs was in darkness. That meant I was saved from a Georgia interrogation about how my date had gone.
At least until the morning anyway. She hadn’t been working so she was either staying over at Benedict’s or had taken herself off to bed early.
I was relieved. It meant no one could ruin the warm buzz currently running through my veins.
I climbed the stairs. It was fairly late, and I was ready to go straight to bed.
Pushing the bedroom door open, I did a double take at the unexpected sight of Georgia on my bed.
She sat smack bang in the middle, her legs crossed like some kind of lurking garden gnome.
So much for avoiding the interrogation. Her eyes widened dramatically.
“Oh, thank God you’re on your own! I wanted to wait for you, but then, when you were coming up the stairs, it suddenly occurred to me that you might have brought your date home with you.
But it was too late to get from here to my own room.
So, I didn’t know what to do. I thought about hiding in your wardrobe.
But then I’d have had to watch you get it on with some guy, and I didn’t want to be emotionally scarred.
Then it was too late. So, I just sat here.
But, you’re on your own.” She let out an exaggerated exhale of relief before falling back and sprawling across the bed.
She bounced back up less than five seconds later, a big grin on her face. “So, how did it go?”
I shrugged nonchalantly, using the excuse of taking my jacket off as a delaying tactic. However, I couldn’t quite manage to hold back a smile. Her eyes widened. “That good? So, you’re seeing him again?”
I nodded. My smile growing even wider.
She lay back down again. “What’s he like?”
“He’s nice, really nice.”
She screwed her nose up like I’d said something distasteful. “Nice! Nice! That sounds incredibly boring. Is he boring?”
I perched on the edge of bed. “No, he’s not boring. Far from it. You can be nice without it meaning you’re boring.”
“Because if he is—”
“He’s not!”
“But if you go on a few dates, and then decide he is—”
“I won’t.”
“But if you did.”
I sighed loudly and gave up. “Go on.”
“Then there’s always Jack.”
“Who?”
The effect of her glare was somewhat muted by the delivery in a supine position.
“Jack. The guy off Grindr. The one I told you about. The one I keep telling you about. I told him something traumatic had happened, and that’s why you couldn’t meet him.
Don’t worry, I kept it vague. I told him you didn’t really want to talk about it.
He was very sympathetic. He’s a nice guy. ”
I couldn’t resist it. “He must be boring then.”
This time, she sat up to glare. “You know what I mean.”
“I’ll bear him in mind.” I stood up again, contemplating the quickest way to get her to stop asking questions and go to bed so I could sleep.
I gave brief consideration to simply rolling her onto the floor.
However, I wanted all my limbs to remain intact, so it probably wasn’t the wisest course of action.
I yawned loudly as a not so subtle hint. She didn’t move so much as a muscle.
She settled her head on her hand and maneuvered herself into a more comfortable position. “I can’t wait to meet him.”
“Who? Jack?”
“No. Not Jack. This new man of yours. The one that makes you smile so much. We can double-date again. Me and Ben. You and…”
“Justin.” Given the all too vivid memory of how the last double date had turned out, I couldn’t say I was in a great rush to repeat the experience.
“Maybe.” I tried another yawn. It had exactly the same effect as the first: absolutely nothing.
“Georgia, I’m pretty tired. I think I’m just going to go to bed. ”
“Yeah. In a minute. I’m just trying to think what else I need to ask you. Oh, did you kiss him?”
I pulled my shirt over my head. Drastic measures called for drastic actions.
Georgia’s lips pursed. “What are you doing?”
I kicked my shoes off before answering. “Getting undressed. Going to bed.” My hands dropped to the button on my trousers.
“In front of me?”
I slowly pulled the zipper down. “Well, it wouldn’t be my first choice. But you’re here in my room, so I don’t really have any other option.”
She covered her eyes with her hand. “I don’t want to see you naked.”
“Well, you can always leave.”
She peeked between her fingers. “But you haven’t answered all my questions.”
“I’m really tired, Georgia. I’ll answer them tomorrow.” I feigned a movement to pull my trousers down. “By the way, I’m not wearing any underwear.” It was a lie. But she wasn’t to know that.
She squealed and jumped off the bed, running toward the door with all the grace of a baby elephant.
I laughed at her extreme reaction. She paused for a moment in the doorway, looking back.
“Anyway, it’s good, Dean, that you’ve found someone to date.
Someone you like. Someone that’s real and you know exactly who they are.
It will help you get over your other fixation. ”
With her reminder, the smile dropped off my face