I lower my headback to the pillow. My heart is pounding and my body is aching for hers.“Yeah?”
She bites her lip,and her eyebrows pull together. “I … I don’t—”
“What’s wrong?” Iask.
She takes a deepbreath. “I’m sorry, I just … I don’t know if I want to do this.”
She looksabsolutely horrified, so I smile to lighten the mood. “Alexa, it’s fine. Wedon’t have to do anything.”
She rolls off meand lays on her side. “Are you sure? I feel so bad.”
“Don’t,” I say,sitting up. A certain piece of my anatomy is crying out in distress, but Iignore it. “I am not entitled to anything you don’t want to give.”
She tilts her head,still looking full of sorrow. “Are you sure? I feel bad.”
I grab my shirt fromthe bed and pull it over her bare chest. “I’m totally sure, Alexa.”
“Wow,” she says,clutching my shirt over her chest. “You’re an amazing guy. Like, wow. A totalgentleman.”
I chuckle. “If I’mbeing honest, I would respect you no matter what. But I really like you, sothis is good. This is great, actually.”
She smiles at mefor a long time. “You want to watch Netflix?”
“That sounds perfect.”
Alexa slips hershirt back and on I put mine on too. She gets her laptop and places it on thebed, and we sit up against a mountain of pillows and watch The Office. I’mthrilled to learn that it’s one of her favorite shows because I’ve seen it amillion times.
Part of me feelslike I should be disappointed that I didn’t have sex tonight, but the otherpart of me is just so happy to be here in this moment with her. She’s soamazing, and beautiful, and fun to be around. I don’t ever want this night toend. Halfway through the fifth episode, her laptop shuts off.
“Oh damn,” shesays, getting up. “I need the charger.”
She digs throughher suitcase and then her purse, and then she turns to me with a frown. “Ican’t believe this. I totally forgot my charger!”
“We could watchregular TV,” I suggest.
She shakes herhead. “Yeah, but I need my computer for my panels tomorrow. I’m such an idiot.”
I look at herlaptop. “I have the same one, and I brought my charger. Let’s go.”
We walk down thehall to my hotel room and I find my own charger and plug it in for her.
“You are alifesaver,” she says.
“I know, I know,” Isay playfully. “I’m a regular Superman.”
She bites her lipas if she’s trying to hold back a smile, but it doesn’t work for very long.“Hey, Gabe?” she says.
“Hey, Alexa?” I sayback.
Her cheeks flush.“Do you think we could make out again?”
Shit, now I’mprobably blushing. And men aren’t supposed to blush. “Um, hell yes.”
“But … just makeout?” she asks shyly. “Like,onlythat?”
“Sounds perfect,” Isay. My heart speeds up at the idea of touching her again. Of having her lipson mine, her sweet taste and girlish smell. I need her more than I need oxygenright now.
She gives me thissultry look as she slowly walks toward me. I hold my breath in anticipation asshe approaches. Her hands slide up my chest and I wrap my arms around her. Itip my head and kiss her. I’m going for a soft romantic kiss, but she wantsmore. Her fingers slide into my hair and pull me close to her. Her mouth partsand she kisses me like we were doing just moments before we stopped.
