Chapter 9 Off Your Chest
OFF YOUR CHEST
“Here are my rules,” she said on Tuesday after she finished work.
Arik took the piece of paper that was handed to him and noticed the dual lines on the bottom waiting for their signatures.
A total Natalie move.
An actual contract.
He wanted to laugh but was smart enough to know better.
“Wow. Talk about organized,” he said tongue in cheek.
“I can take Friday afternoon off,” she said, getting right down to business. “You mentioned your flight is leaving at two?”
She grinned. “Yep.” He couldn’t believe she was doing this!
His eyes scanned the sheet, his tongue caught between his teeth as he processed it all. There was a lot and it was specific. The last thing he wanted to do was rattle off some stupid comment causing her to change her mind.
“Go on. Get it off your chest. We have to be honest about it.” Her arms were crossed, her foot tapping.
This wasn’t the playful woman from Sunday. He’d warm her up like he always did.
“Well,” he said. “I hadn’t realized how strict you were going to be. Number one, no touching other than hand holding or an arm around the shoulders.”
“I was considerate enough to know if we are supposed to be in a relationship, there would be some mild form of PDA.”
He blinked his eyes a few times. “That’s nice of you,” he said. “How about hands around your waist? I’m sure we’re going to be dancing. It might look funny if we do it with only a single arm around your shoulder.”
She reached for the paper and clicked the pen in her hand, the snap echoing in the room. Both walked to the desk while he watched the blue ink moving across the paper.
“Makes sense. Hands on the waist,” she added.
“Got that one adjusted. Number two, no kissing other than light pecks on the cheek or lips.”
“Again, it’d seem odd if you didn’t show some affection.”
“Is there a time limit on the kiss? I’m assuming you mean no tongue action but a peck on the lips can last a minute or more if done properly.”
She narrowed her eyes. “A peck means a quick light kiss.”
“Got it,” he said, nodding his head. “But I’m going on record that is your rule. If you want to break it and stick your tongue in my mouth, I’m not pushing it out.”
Those narrowed eyes of hers, one just closed, her lips tightening. He was pushing his luck, but he’d come this far.
“So noted.”
She didn’t say no. Definitely warming her up.
“Rule number three, no cute nicknames,” he read. He laughed at her serious expression. “I’m not into nicknames. No worries there.”
“They are childish.”
He didn’t always think that was the case, but it wasn’t the time or place to dispute it.
He wouldn’t debate much since she was agreeing to alter things.
“Rule number four, costs are split. Nope. Sorry. This is my family event, the room is paid for and there is no chance of you getting one in the hotel on this short of notice. I’ve got a rental car and the flight booked and paid for.”
“The flight is going to be an added cost for me,” she said.
“Natalie. No. I’m going to let you put this silly contract in front of us if that makes you feel better, but I’m damn well not letting you pay for anything on this trip.
You’re doing me a favor. A huge favor. When you witness my family theatrics and how I’m treated, you’ll understand, but it’s not negotiable in terms of money. ”
He almost heard the grinding of her teeth.
“Can I at least see if there is a hotel room available?”
“Sure,” he said. “But don’t you think it’d look odd if we are supposed to be in a relationship and we’re not in the same room?”
Her head went back and forth. “I’d still like to check.”
He pulled his phone out, found the name of the hotel and gave her the information. “I can look, but you’ll want to do it yourself so you know I’m telling you the truth.”
She snorted, put the information in while he stood there and waited, baited breath that he was right. “Fine. You’re right. It’s full.”
“There are only four rules here. I’m surprised you’re not one of those people who needs things to end in five or zero.”
“Very cute. But now there are only three rules because you’re taking number four off.”
“True.” He pulled the pen out of her hand and crossed it off. “Put your initials next to it. I know how these things go.”
She smirked and did as he said. “Anything you want to add?”
“Yep,” he said. He pulled the pen back and wrote two rules. He needed it to end in five. A tiny pet peeve and hoped she’d shared that with him.
“Number four,” she said, reading it. “Don’t stress or get worked up over the little shit.” She sighed. “I can do that.”
“Oh, I’m sure you can. You’ve always been a pro at wearing the happy face, even when it’s just a mask. I saw it plenty in college, and again since we reconnected.”
“I’m not cold,” she argued, her eyebrows drawing together.
“I don’t think you are and if anyone tells you that, they can go find the nearest bridge to jump off of it.”
She nodded her head, then read, “Rule number five. Have a good time, laugh a lot, and tell Arik how handsome he is.” Her head went back with laughter, her neck exposed, her mouth open in pure glee. “That’s three more into one.”
“I know. But then it’d be seven rules and I don’t think I can come up with three more to even it out.”
She gave his arm a playful shove. “Sounds like you’re the anal one, not me.”
“I have my moments. Really, I don’t want to make a huge deal about this. Consider it an extravagant date with uptight obnoxious people that you can handle in your sleep and I need you as my supportive fake girlfriend.”
“There isn’t much fake about me despite what others have said in the past.”
He reached for her hand, and when she let him take it, something warm stirred in his chest. He wanted her to get used to his touch.
Not because of the deal they made, but because it felt right.
Maybe by Friday, he’d earn a real kiss, one that made the contract feel like nothing more than an excuse to be close to her.
“I never thought you were fake. I think you’re guarded behind that polite exterior. But you dropped some of those walls on Sunday with me. Right?”
“I did.”
He let go of her. “Have a seat,” he said. “Do you want to order dinner? Go out somewhere or aren’t we allowed to be seen together in public?”
She was still in her workwear.
Brown pants, a pair of black and brown heels on her feet that he was only getting a glimpse of when she walked as her pants dropped to the floor. She had a pretty light pink sweater on with what looked to be cherry blossom branches along the bottom and a few flowers.
He’d spent some time studying flowers but didn’t tell many that. Sometimes when he was bored, he picked a topic, dove in, and tried to educate himself hoping something might stick or feel right.
Horticulture and floriculture weren’t it.
“We can order dinner in,” she said.
He grabbed the menu on the table. “I’m getting some fish dish. Not sure what yet. I’ll see if there is a special.”
“Baked Cod,” she said.
“Do you always know the specials?” Talk about efficient. It wasn’t as if she worked in the kitchen.
“Yes. I like to have that information in case someone asks.”
“Prepared,” he said. “Just like your little piece of paper.”
“I’ll get the same thing.”
She moved to sit on the couch while he placed their orders, then added strawberry shortcake and tiramisu for dessert.
Arik turned to her and said, “Now that’s out of the way, answer me this. Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what? Having dinner? I’m hungry.”
He liked the grin on her face. Her relaxed pose, that maybe the contract proposition, though her idea, still made it feel stiff.
Forced, like a requirement, rather than a good time to enjoy in a few days.
As if she was putting on the business front to keep it serious even if he didn’t want to. Or maybe she didn’t either.
“The same. Even this date. Number three if we count that first lunch here when I searched you out downstairs. See, we are dating by the time we get to Baltimore.”
“A few dates and saying we are in a relationship enough for you to bring me to a family wedding aren’t in the same ballpark.”
“Potato tomato.”
“What?” she asked, her brown eyes enlarged some.
“I don’t like repeating the same word twice. Seems redundant.”
“You’re supposed to repeat it saying it differently.”
“What fun is that? I like to be different.”
“So I noticed.” Thankfully she was still grinning.
He moved over and flopped next to her on the couch. His hand landed on her thigh. She didn’t flinch, move, nor did her smile drop.
“Do we need a contract for dates too?” he asked.
“No.”
“Good,” he said, rubbing her thigh and letting his hand drop. It was a test of sorts for them both.
He knew how it made him feel to get even a small part of her body under some part of his.
Natalie was a tough one to read. He couldn’t figure out how she felt about him.
“We haven’t talked much. How have your past two days been?” she asked.
“Here we go. Nice polite conversation. My past few days have been boring. How about yours?”
She laughed again, her shoulders relaxing some. “I get it. I know. Should I say what have you been up to? Have you felt the need to blast loud music and talk to yourself so it’s not just you alone in the room?”
“Yes,” he said. “Be funny about it. And the answer is no. I’ve read two books start to finish while I waited for you to make your decision about this weekend.”
Not to mention he needed to distract himself if he ended up going alone.
Now that he had Natalie by his side he could conjure up more in his mind until then.
“Reading is good,” she said. “I thought for sure you’d be looking for another interest...to take interest.”
“I’ll do that soon enough.” He turned on the couch to angle toward her. “So. Why are you going with me this weekend? Truthfully. No sugarcoating it. No trying to be thoughtful. Just the honest, gritty truth. Whatever comes out of your mouth first.”
She stared at him for ten seconds. “Why?”
He sighed. “There goes the whole whatever comes out of your mouth first thing. You ruined it.”
She laughed. “Hardly that.”
“I know you’re doing it for me. I appreciate it. I really do. I’ll appreciate it more once I’m around my family for more than an hour. But there has to be more to this than you being a nice person. It’s asking a lot of you.”
And he wanted more.
Not just from her. But for them.
He wouldn’t open himself up more if she didn’t give him something.
Yes, going was more.
Being by his side for him. Supporting him.
Even drawing up the ridiculous contract. As if she was fearful if she didn’t lay the ground rules she might slip some more.
Please, slip a lot more.
But he couldn’t say that.
At least not yet.
Her head went side to side. “It’s not asking as much as you think.”
“Don’t be nice,” he said. “I know it is. Why are you afraid to tell me why you’re doing it?”
“I’m not afraid.”
“Sounds it to me,” he said, lifting his chin.
She crossed her arms. “If we fight I’ll just change my mind.”
“We have to fight in order to have a relationship in front of my family. No one is happy and gets along all the time. Consider this part of a test run.”
She snorted. “Talk about absurd.”
“You can’t tell me your parents never fight,” he said. “They are still married, right?”
“They are,” she said. “And they do have disagreements.”
“See. This is a candy-coated, star-studded disagreement. A trial run for us. Tell me why you agreed to do this.”
“Boy, you’re like a dog with a bone not letting go for another. Fine. Because it sounds like fun.”
“That’s it?” he asked. He expected something deeper than that. “It sounds like fun?”
“Why does it have to be more? Didn’t you put that as part of your rule? I’m already in the mentality.” There was a knock at the door. “And that’s our food.”
He stood the same time she did as if she was going to make a dash away from him. “Don’t even consider that the end of this conversation.”