When I finish my little speech, I find him looking at me with a bemused expression on his face. It makes me blush and realize I just did exactly what I promised myself I wouldn’t do. I took over the conversation again.
“I’m sorry. We’re supposed to be talking about you, and here I go making it all about me and what I think again.”
“I happen to like hearing your thoughts, Ava.”
“You do?”
He nods. “I listened to you last night because I wanted to. Sure, I sat there thinking, holy hell, this girl is so full of energy and life that she’s going to quickly find out that I’m nothin’ but an old fuddy-duddy and want nothing to do with me.”
“I’d never think that. I like your energy too. Not that you’d have thought it with the way I was last night, but it’s calming. You make me feel safe.”
He narrows his eyes slightly. “Do youneedto feel safe, kitten?”
“Isn’t that what we’re all searching for? A safe place? In this world, not one of us grows up unscathed and unhurt.”
“You give me the names and locations ofanyonewhose hurt you, and I’ll make sure they get on their knees and beg for your forgiveness,” he says suddenly, his index finger jabbing into table. I don’t know why, but I find his reaction adorable. He makes me feel protected.
“Just the fact you’d even suggest such a thing tells me I’m right where I need to be,” I say, again placing my hand over his.
He relaxes his stance and overlaps his thumb with mine, running it lightly over my hand. “I don’t like the idea of anyone hurtin’ you.”
“I can see that. But no one is hurting me now, and my most recent foe is a swinging door, so I think we can let that go.”
“I can make them change those hinges.”
“Or I could be more careful and watch where I’m going instead of staring at the gorgeous man I just had dinner with and worrying that I ruined my chance with him.”
“You didn’t ruin a damn thing.” He lifts my hand and presses a light kiss against my knuckles. “Want to get out of here and walk with me for a while?”
“I’d love to go for a walk with you, Duke,” I say, feeling all warm and tingly as I get up from the table, and happily choose following this man over finishing my fries. Maybe this is love?
DUKE
“Ice cream?” I suggest, pointing to the cart set up under the shade of a tree in the town gardens. It’s the weekend, so the place is brimming with life as usual. The sounds of childrens’ laughter and general chatter fills the air, while the music from a busker draws a small gathering of intense listeners. A clown selling balloons takes advantage of the captive audience and attempts to sell balloons, much to the dismay of one boy who squeals and cries, reaching for his mom. Poor fella.
“I’d love an ice cream,” Ava says, tearing her eyes from the little boy as his mother comforts him and politely thanks the clown for his time while also making it clear he needs to walk away.
“You like kids?” I ask, taking her hand in mine and threading our fingers together. She leans into me and smiles, and I realize how much I like having her close. Today has been everything last night wasn’t, and all of my initial reservations have floated away like a wayward balloon in the blue sky.
“I do,” she says, looking up at me as we join the line for ice cream. “Preferably other people’s though.”
“You never thought about having your own?”
“That would involve having a man interested enough to want to father them,” she says before rolling her eyes and adding, “and don’t even start on how women can do anything on their own that they want to these days. I’m well aware of my options, I’d just prefer it that when orifI have kids, that they’re the product of a loving relationship. Maybe I’m old fashioned that way, but it’s just how I see it, and no one can change my mind.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, kitten,” I say, lifting her hand and kissing her knuckles, a habit I’m noticing I’m doing more and more the longer I spend around her.
“Why do you call me that?”
“Kitten?”
“Yeah.”
I bounce a shoulder. “It suits you.”
She laughs. “How?”
“Because you’re adorable and feisty. You tried to protect yourself by using my wiper blade as a set of nunchucks when we met, remember?”
