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While she answered him with a straight face, he knew she was joking to make light of the situation. During their outing in Newport, he’d seen evidence of a very dry and quirky sense of humor.
“Maybe I should start coming over for dinner more often then.” He meant the response to be more easygoing banter to lighten the atmosphere. Unfortunately, it didn’t come out that way. Instead of laughing and coming up with a great comeback as he expected, she pulled away from him and resumed cleaning the counter.
Afraid he would make matters worse, Dylan remained silent as he helped her finish cleaning
off the table and load the dishwasher.
Now what? He couldn’t leave after that. Somehow he needed to smooth things over. Make things comfortable between them again if he planned on holding up his end of the bargain with Phillips. How though? He didn’t have a clue. Dylan was out of his element where this woman was concerned. She was so different from the women he usually spent time with. Throw in the fact that she was Warren’s daughter and, hell, he was drowning.
“Dinner was delicious. Thank you.” His mind worked a mile a minute trying to figure out the right thing to say. “If it’s okay, I’d like to do it again sometime.” Both the dinner and the kiss he thought. He continued on before she could respond. “Would it be okay if I call you this week?”
Callie didn’t answer at first, and Dylan wondered what was going through her mind. He could almost see the wheels turning. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, she gave him a tentative smile. “Umm. Sure. If you want. I’ll be around. No place to be except work.”
Her response pleased him. A lot. More than it should have. Time to make your exit, Talbot. Before you do something stupid. Like kiss her again.
“Good. I’ll talk to you soon then.”
Chapter 7
“It was just a kiss,” Callie said as she turned over the paper next to her computer. Okay, it had been an incredible kiss, but still, it was just a kiss, and not the first kiss she’d ever had.
Who was she trying to kid? Callie shook her head in disgust. The kiss with Dylan was the most amazing she’d ever experienced and the only thing she’d thought about since. Even now, when she was supposed to be plugging test grades into her computer, the memory of her and Dylan in the kitchen played through her mind like a scene from a movie.
Though she’d been nervous afterward, she’d tried to make a joke of the situation; something she often did when she was uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the attempt backfired on her, making things worse. In the end, Dylan finished helping her clean and then left. Leaving Callie more confused than she’d ever been in her life regarding a guy.
A man like Dylan Talbot could have his choice of women. While she knew she was attractive, she didn’t for one minute believe she was the raving beauty who men lust after. That description fit Lauren, not her. So that left her wondering exactly what prompted those few delicious moments in her kitchen to occur.
Don’t read too much into it. It’s done. It was just a fluke. Not something that will happen again.
She’d repeated the same thing over and over to herself since he left her apartment. Hopefully, if she said it enough, her brain and heart would come to a consensus. Right now, the two were at odds with each other. Constantly warring with no apparent winner.
Her brain wanted to forget, or at least write off the incident. While at the same time, her heart wanted to hope there was something more. Exactly what that more was, she didn’t know, but she was strongly attracted to him. So strongly that if he’d been anyone else, she would’ve considered pursuing him.
But he’s not someone else. He lives and works in an entirely different universe from mine. A universe that didn’t always take kindly to outsiders. A lesson she’d learned as a teenager.
Without intending to, Callie’s thoughts drifted back to her high schools days. As a child, she’d always been very athletic and did well in all sports. She’d especially excelled at softball. As a result, she’d received a scholarship to attend a very ritzy private high school. At the time, both she and her mother thought it would be a great opportunity. Quickly, Callie’s enthusiasm for the school dwindled. Almost all of the students there came from wealthy families and looked down on those with scholarships. While there were a few exceptions, normally the two groups didn’t associate with each other. If it hadn’t been for Lauren, who had attended the school because her father taught there, Callie never would have lasted the whole four years. She would’ve left after freshman year and never looked back.
The chorus of her favorite classic Bon Jovi song pulled Callie out of her trip into the past. Looking at the caller ID on her cell phone, she wondered who was calling. It wasn’t a number she was familiar with. She didn’t even recognize the area code. For a moment, she toyed with the idea of letting it go to her voice mail. If it was important, the caller could leave a message, but then, on the fourth ring she answered.
“Hello,” she greeted, expecting it to be a wrong number, or worse a telemarketer.
“Callie, am I calling at a bad time?” Dylan’s voice came over the phone.
He’d said he would try to call during the week, but she hadn’t really thought he would. She’d chalked his comment up to politeness, especially considering the kiss they’d shared. Now hearing his voice, she could only once again wonder how she should read this man who invaded her dreams every night.
“No, I’m just recording some grades. Actually, I just finished.” She closed her grade book and saved the computer file she had open.
“School must be almost done for the summer?”
“Um, yeah. Just a few more weeks.” Callie didn’t know in what direction their conversation was going. “Are you still in Boston?”
“No, I flew back to New York this morning.”
“Oh.” She hoped he didn’t detect the disappointment in her voice. While it wasn’t realistic to think he would stop by again, she had secretly hoped he would. In an attempt to make small talk and keep him on the phone, she continued. “How’s the weather there?”
Did I really just ask him that? Could I sound any dumber?
“Gorgeous night. Perfect for a ball game. Jake’s over at Yankee Stadium now. He wanted me to join him.”
