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“Same thing.”
“No, it’s not, actually,” he said, matter of fact, as he packed the trash in his cooler.
“Whatever you say,” I taunted, rolling my eyes.
I finished my third beer, grabbed another, and then I stood up to walk towards the ducks. Grant grabbed a blanket out of the back of the truck then met me at the edge of the pond. Once comfortable, I sat back, relaxed and willing to give this strange man more of a chance. I had been single far too long. And if I was even more honest with myself, it felt wonderful to have the attention of a good-looking man.
“I didn’t realize I needed a break until you gave me one, so thank you.”
“Rose, I want you to know I totally respect you and what you’re doing. You know...in school. I’ll try to make our dates a little bit easier on you. I did mean what I said about the doctors, though. I haven’t had good luck with any of them, ever. It’s always been bad news, but I’m hoping you change that.”
“Who says I want to date you, Grant?” There was a playfulness in my voice and I knew he heard it.
“You know you do.”
“Wow...that’s pretty presumptuous,” I toyed.
“Maybe,” he murmured. He seemed so confident at times and others downright nervous. Maybe this
wasn’t the norm for him. He certainly didn’t seem like the type that needed to kidnap a woman from their bed to take them on a picnic. His looks alone could land him any woman he wanted, of that I was sure. Maybe he actually did want to know me. And maybe, just maybe, the night he had just presented me with had made me want to know him a little, too.
“I have to go back to Tennessee as soon as I leave you to take care of my dad. I have to pick up a certain amount of hours to keep my job here. It’s a crazy schedule, and the reason why I have to be a little resourceful with my time, but I will find the time. Will you, Rose?”
“Grant, you can’t ask of me what I can’t give.” It was an honest answer. My schedule, though nothing like his, demanded everything I had. I was too close to the finish line.
“I will take that as a yes.” I shrugged my shoulders and looked out at the pond. As insane as the night was, I felt at peace. Grant adjusted himself to sit behind me then slid his arms around my waist, and I didn’t resist. It had been way too long since I felt a man’s touch. My career was my priority, but I refused to lose my entire life to it. I wanted to be a well-rounded surgeon, if those even existed. I had dreams beyond my career, and a family was definitely one of them. I credited my parent’s marriage as the ringleader of that dream.
He pulled me close to him, my back to his chest. I leaned my head back and felt his breath on my neck. The goose bumps spread from my hairline to my toes, and I shivered at their arrival. His fingers caressed my neck, massaging lightly. I turned to look at his face and noticed a whisper of a smile on his lips. He leaned in to kiss me, but I took a sip of beer to block him. He laughed at my lame attempt to brush him off. If I let him touch me now, I was as good as gone. I was still a bit weirded out by the whole scenario, and yet everything in me was telling me to go for it, at least on the physical side. I was no man’s whore, but I had a healthy sexual appetite that I had ignored for far too long.
“You know, Rose, I know you feel it, too. It’s okay to be a little afraid. But this is how the good ones start.”
“The good ones?”
“The great ones. This will be a great one.” He pressed his lips in gentle kisses around the only exposed skin on my neck then murmured, “And it will only get better when I finally get to touch you.” I felt myself become damp at his words, and the trail he was blazing across my skin with the whisper of his lips set me on fire. There was no way I was getting out of this if it went any further. Sensing my hesitation, he quickly stood up.
“This is all I wanted. I can take you back now if you’re tired.”
“Thank you, Grant. This was beautiful, really. I won’t forget it.”
“Let’s get you back in bed.”
I stood up and watched him pack the truck as I folded the blanket and put it on top of the cooler. I looked at the clock and realized he had gotten a little more than his two hours. It seemed like just a few minutes. Time had flown with him.
We didn’t speak at all on the way back. We simply took turns studying each other with brief glances as he drove. Pulling up to my apartment, my heart picked up its pace as I remembered our kiss beneath the tree on campus. He walked me to my door, and I turned to bid him goodnight, praying he would do it again.
“Oh no, Rose, I’m leaving you how I took you.” Too tired to argue, I walked inside and climbed in bed.
“No...just how I left you.”
“Really? The creep again?”
He ignored my comment. “I’m pretty sure it was a black negligee.”
I raced to the bathroom, my stomach in knots. I had no idea what had gotten into this man, but I knew that his voice was close to sending me over the edge. It made no sense, but I went with it. I took a little longer than I should have in the bathroom, spritzing on some of Jen’s high dollar perfume that smelled incredible. I rubbed lotion on my legs, thankful that I had shaved earlier. There was a man in my room that wanted me, and who clearly needed prescription strength glasses. I was beginning to panic and decided to hell with it. If for some reason I had been granted a sprinkle of luck from the universe, I needed to take advantage.
“Jesus,” he rasped out as he watched me walk across the room in my second skin. I couldn’t help but shy away a bit and retreat under my comforter.
“No, don’t cover up. Don’t.” Obeying the command of his sex-filled voice, I lowered it and let him take in all of me. He stood at the foot of my bed and watched me as my breathing took on a faster pace. He slowly took a seat next to me and reached out with his hand to caress my face. I was instantly hot. I felt my nipples harden as he traced his fingertips down my neck, outlined the hem of the fabric. I licked my lips in anticipation.
