Chapter 11 Dom #2
I put Taco Bell into the GPS and took the route to the nearest drive-through. I could practically feel Reese tense up on the way.
Once I entered the drive-through line, I really looked at her. She was fiddling with her thumbs and starting to shift her weight from one buttock to the other. I held my palm open, and she put her hand in mine.
"Reese, talk to me."
"I'm nervous. This seemed like a good idea back at the gallery."
"Do you want me to drive you home after picking up food?"
She glanced at me abruptly. "You wouldn't mind?"
"Of course I wouldn't mind. What kind of moron do you think I am?"
"I don't know. I didn't want you to expect something and be disappointed."
I shook my head. "I'm not fucking disappointed. You're a human being, Reese, with emotions. And I understand that. Now, what do you want to order?" I asked her once we reached the speaker box.
She immediately leaned over to my side of the car and spoke loudly. "One crunchy taco and the cheesy gordita." She said it quickly, in one breath.
"You didn't even look at the menu."
She smiled. "Told you it's a guilty pleasure."
"Two orders of that, please," I said into the speaker.
"You can pick it up at the next window," the sales associate replied.
"Oh, and two Pepsis." Glancing at Reese, I added, "Unless you want something else."
"No, that's good."
I finished ordering, and by the time we got to the next window, everything was ready. I glanced at Reese, pointing at the parking lot. "Want to eat it on the way or…?"
"No, let's stay here in the parking lot. Otherwise, you won't be able to eat at all, and it tastes best when it’s hot."
"Good thinking. Let's see what the fuss is about. I've never been—" I stopped, thinking I didn’t want to sound like a food snob.
She gasped. "You've never had Taco Bell?"
"No."
She narrowed her eyes. "How about Chipotle?"
"Also no."
"Kentucky Fried Chicken?"
"No."
"Are you an alien?"
"My parents never took me when I was a kid, and I guess I never got into the habit."
"Huh," Reese exclaimed. "Dad didn't take us either, but guess who created that habit by stopping by after school? That's right. This girl right here."
I took a bite out of the gordita. "This is good." I frowned. "Really good, actually."
She grinned. "Yeah, welcome to the world of cheap but super-delicious fast food. It'll probably give me a coronary by the time I'm fifty, but nothing makes me feel better than this."
I stole a glance at her. She was busy with her food, but something about the way she'd phrased the sentence bothered me.
"You needed a pick-me-up after tonight?" I asked her. "Reese… I know I crossed a line."
"It's not about you," she said so quickly, the words almost ran together, but I picked up the gist of it.
"Talk to me," I urged, turning to face her even though it was dark in our corner of the parking lot. The nearest lamppost was at least five cars away.
"I liked tonight. I like you. I liked the kiss." I was sensing a but coming, so I didn't interrupt her. "But I'm afraid of liking it. I'm afraid of liking you."
I had no comeback to that, so we both ate in silence for a bit before Reese asked, "Are you mad at me?"
"No. Why do you keep expecting me to be mad at you? I'm just processing what you said. Please tell me that moron was never abusive to you."
"Not physically, but looking back, I think he was emotionally. I just didn't see it at the time. I was so desperate to please him, to make the relationship work, but I didn't realize he wasn't meant for me. He wasn't the one."
"So you don't regret that your wedding blew up?"
"No. I would have been unhappy with him. I have no regrets about not being married to him."
Once I finished my food, I cleaned my hands off on a napkin, tossed our garbage in one of the cans, and drove out of the parking lot.
"Want me to drop you off at home?" I asked.
"Yes. Thank you."
"No problem. I told you that we'll do whatever you want."
She laughed, but it sounded nervous. "I bet this isn't what you thought I'd say."
"Regardless, Reese, this evening was great."
"It was?"
"Yeah. I kissed a gorgeous woman. It was the best kiss of my life. And then I had Taco Bell."
She jerked her head toward me. "Wait, what? Rewind. What was that about the best kiss of your life?"
I turned onto the main street. "It's true. I don't see why I should keep it a secret."
"Hmm."
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing. Then I can admit that it was the best ever for me too."
"I'm glad we’re on the same page about that."
We arrived at her building far too quickly. I pulled the car right in front of the entrance. "Is there anywhere I can park so I can walk you up?"
"No." Her voice sounded like a squeak.
"Reese?"
She cleared her throat. "I mean, it's best if you don't."
"Why not?"
"Because unless I'm way off, you might kiss me again."
"There's a high probability," I admitted.
"And then I’ll fall prey to your charms and invite you inside."
"I see."
"Do you?"
"Yeah. I can barely keep myself from kissing you senseless and tearing off your clothes right here, let alone if we were at your place."
She gasped.
"Too direct?" I suggested.
"Um… I… wow, this… I wasn't expecting… never mind. I'm too lost for words, but when I recover, I'll text you."
I laughed.
"Oh, stop it. I know I'm being weird, I'm just… God, this night didn't go at all the way I thought it would."
"Same goes for me," I said, managing to finally stifle my laughter. It was so easy to be happy when I was around Reese.
"Good night, Dom."
"Good night. Text me when you're upstairs."
"You think I might get lost on the way?"
"Just text me, Reese."
"Okay." Then she leaned over closer to me. For a brief second, I thought she wanted me to kiss her, but then she put her lips on my cheek before quickly pulling back. "Thank you for tonight."
I watched her walk inside and waited for a few minutes until I finally got a text.
Reese: I'm up in my apartment still pinching myself, wondering if this evening was real or not. I'm tempted to ask you to come up and prove it was.
I groaned.
Dom: I'm of two minds to come bang on your door anyway.
Reese: You're still here?
Dom: Told you I was waiting for your message. I'm leaving now.
Then I turned on the engine and drove off right away. I needed to put some distance between us, or I was going to do something reckless.