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He rested his hand on my hot cheek. “Don’t be embarrassed. This is a big step. One I want to take with you, but only if you want to.”
“I do, but I’m not ready to—”
He pressed a finger to my lips. “I told you, I won’t be the one to break your teacup.”
“Like ever?” I blurted. “I mean, what if we . . .” Oh my gosh. I was about to use the mother of all big M words—marriage. What was I thinking?
He grinned. “What if we what?”
I closed my eyes. “Nothing.”
“Say it, Scarlett,” he dared me.
“I’m good,” I eeked out.
“Please open your eyes. Why do you still get so shy around me?” he asked tenderly.
I popped one eye open.
He patiently waited for me to open both.
With a loud exhale, I opened my eyes to find him wearing a soft expression that invited me to speak what was in my heart.
“I’m so new at this, and I don’t want to make assumptions or say the wrong thing, though I do anyway. But sometimes I wonder if this will ever be more. And if you and I will ever . . . well . . . you know.”
“Mmm. I think I do know. And if we ever get to that point, I assure you that you are well worth waiting for.”
There was no question I was falling in love with him. How could I not? He was perfect for me. That realization had me making more of a fool of myself. The nerves fell out of my mouth. “I can’t wait. I mean I can wait.” I stood. “I think we should run through the water.”
Kane was quick to follow, and before I could run away, he wrapped me in his strong arms. When my head landed on his chest, I was pleased to hear his heart beating as erratically as mine. “I can’t wait either.”
What couldn’t he wait for? Sex? Marriage? My pulse pounded with all the possibilities. Did that mean he was falling in love with me, too? It’s not something I felt like I could ask. I’d already been too truthful, which I couldn’t help but be around him. Though I took that as a good sign.
He abruptly pulled away and grabbed my hand. “Let’s do this.”
Before I knew it, we were dashing toward the rings of water. The cold water stung for a second but felt refreshing in the hot Georgia sun. Kane twirled me around, making me laugh and smile. I didn’t care that I probably looked like a drowned rat or that my sundress was clinging to me, showing off all my imperfections. All that mattered was the way Kane looked at me, and, in his eyes, I could see I was beautiful. More importantly, I could feel it myself.
In that moment, I felt higher than when we had been on the Ferris wheel. I saw more than the city. I saw what I wanted my future to look like.
Never Be the Same
I rolled up the legs of the pair of sweatpants Kane had given me to wear. I’d never worn a man’s clothes before. It seemed kind of intimate. I liked it. Especially since his soft alma mater T-shirt from Georgia State smelled like him, spicy and warm. My ensemble wasn’t winning any fashion awards and it was unflattering, but it was my new favorite outfit. It represented the next step.
When I was done dressing, I hung my wet sundress over Kane’s shower door. It was such a surreal experience. Suddenly, I felt grown up. I looked around Kane’s guest bathroom. It was no frills as far as decorations, but it had granite countertops and one of those fancy vessel sinks. It was so weird that I was dating a man who owned his own place.
I threw my glasses back on and checked the mirror before I exited. The only thing I could do with my wet curly hair was to brush it to the side. It kind of looked sexy. Maybe? That wasn’t a word I ever associated with myself.
I anxiously crept into the narrow hall of his condo. There was a masculine vibe to it, with its brick walls and hardwood floors. I tiptoed down the hall toward his living room and the music drifting throughout his place. I wasn’t sure who the artist was, but his voice was mellow and romantic. It was no Enya, but I liked it.
Kane was sitting on his leather couch talking on the phone, ordering the Chinese food we’d agreed upon during the car ride over. When he saw me, he dropped his phone and fumbled to recover it, as if he were nervous. Totally something I would do, but it was out of character for him.
I smiled at him, and once he had recovered his phone, he patted the seat next to him. Zooming his way, I landed next to him while he finished ordering. As soon as he finished the call, he tossed his phone to the side, pulled me onto his lap, and ran his fingers through my wet hair.
