Chapter 12 #3
“My friend, I’m betting he was more embarrassed than you were,” Presley said.
“I agree,” Rowan said. “So what happened after that?”
“We got dressed, he left, and we pretended it never happened,” I told her.
“You didn’t talk about it later?” Presley asked.
I shook my head. “I wasn’t about to bring it up, and I guess neither was he.”
“I can understand that,” Rowan said. “Nobody wants to bring up something they’re embarrassed about.”
“So all these years you’ve been pining away for him, and you just assumed he wasn’t attracted to you?” Olivia asked
Nodding, I said, “He never even tried kissing me again. If he liked me that way, he would’ve said something, wouldn’t he?”
“You liked him that way and never said anything,” Presley pointed out.
“We had an unspoken agreement, I guess,” I said. “And then…” I blew out my breath again, working up the guts to say it. “I moved into his house on New Year’s Eve.”
I explained about the work crisis and how Kemp had emptied my apartment while I was at the inn and how grateful I was.
“He was warming up soup for me when he noticed it was midnight. We hugged and went in for a quick New Year’s kiss, but then”—I cringed—“I went in for another kiss, this time not platonic.”
“You go, girl,” Presley said.
Rowan was studying me, narrowed her eyes, and asked, “Then what happened?”
I took a couple of gulps of my drink now that it wasn’t as hot, appreciating the soothing warmth of the alcohol on my throat. “He ended up pulling away when the microwave beeped.”
“Like pulled away in a bad way?” Olivia asked.
I nodded. “And basically ran outside to play with his dogs.”
“But he kissed you back?” Presley asked. “Are we talking like five seconds or a minute?”
I let out an embarrassed laugh. “I don’t know. I wasn’t timing it.”
“But he kissed you back,” Rowan repeated. “Right?”
“I mean, for a little while. Maybe it lasted a minute. I don’t know.”
“A minute?” Olivia nearly shrieked. “If he wasn’t attracted to you, he would’ve ended it a lot faster.”
I’d had that thought. “Then why did he pull away and run out of the house?” I asked.
“You’d have to ask him. Did you ask him?” Olivia said.
“No! I was too embarrassed. All I could do was apologize. I started to think I’d imagined him kissing me back, but then the other night…”
Presley leaned forward, and Olivia put her hand on my knee. “What happened the other night?”
I told them how he’d calmed me down after my fight with Ryder and that we’d ended up falling asleep together on the couch.
“I woke up a few hours later,” I said, remembering how I’d lain there and relished how safe and warm and comfortable he made me feel.
“He was still asleep, and then I could tell when he woke up.”
“And?” Presley prompted.
“Do guys get morning wood in the middle of the night?” I asked.
Olivia broke out into a grin. “When don’t they? But if he wasn’t attracted to you, I don’t think he would.”
“I could ask West,” Presley offered, grinning.
“Don’t you dare,” I said.
“Guys get boners when they’re attracted to a girl,” Rowan said simply.
“Exactly,” Olivia said.
“Or it could just be a nighttime hard-on,” I said, not daring to believe them.
“Believe what you want,” Olivia said. “I think Maeve’s been right all along. Kemp has a thing for you.”
“And you have a thing for Kemp. What the hell are you doing hanging around with us and not jumping him?” Presley said.
“I’ve made a move on him once,” I said. “Twice if you count the college thing. I’m not doing it again. I don’t want to do anything to ruin the friendship.”
“I kind of get that,” Olivia said.
“But what if he’s your ‘one’?” Rowan asked.
“What if he isn’t?” I said, wanting to buy into what they were saying but still doubtful. “I can’t forget he wasn’t attracted to me when we were twenty.”
“You don’t know that,” Olivia said.
“But it’s also sort of his turn,” Presley said. “You initiated the kiss. If he can’t figure out you’re hot for him, maybe he needs a kick in the head.”
“Or some gentle persuasion,” Rowan said.
“Persuasion or temptation?” Presley said, exchanging a conspiratorial look with Rowan.
“Yessss,” Olivia said. “Wear some skimpy pajamas around the house. Hang your lingerie to dry in the laundry room where he can’t miss it. Scoot a little closer on the sofa when you’re watching TV.”
I considered her suggestions.
“Maybe touch him innocently,” Presley offered. “A lot.”
“Yes. Get in his head so if he is attracted, he can’t help but act on it,” Rowan advised.
“You’re living together now,” Olivia said. “So many opportunities.”
“But if it goes bad, I’m living with him,” I pointed out.
“That’s why you go subtle,” Rowan said.
“I don’t think you’re going to be disappointed, Anna,” Olivia said. “He adores you.”
“And I don’t want to ruin that,” I said. “But maybe I could be subtle about it.”
I was relieved when talk turned to Rowan’s impending return to working full-time and away from me and Kemp.
By the time I got back to Kemp’s a couple of hours later, the idea was lodged in my head though.
Maybe I could put out a few subtle signs. Just to see what would happen.