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Chapter Eight
Lindsay
My stomach still hurt, even hours later. What was I thinking egging Phillip on in an eating competition? I may have won, but I felt like I lost. It took everything in me not to ask him to bring me home instead of going for a walk. The stroll did me a little good, but I was paying a price for the win.
“Are you okay?” he asked as we headed back to the SUV.
I rubbed my stomach and said, “A gentleman never would’ve allowed me to eat so much of that cake. You should’ve started to help much sooner.”
“I guess you and I are a bit too competitive.” Just then we passed by a food truck selling sausage and pepper sandwiches. “If it makes you feel any better, just looking at a food truck right now makes me sick.”
My lips curled slightly. “Sadly, it does. I guess,” I chuckled.
“I think you might need to plan that hike through Fat Man’s Misery in a month, because it’s going to take that long to work this all off,” he said. “What was the second choice?”
“It was going to be rollerblading, but that was just a joke. I haven’t been on rollerblades in about ten years,” I said.
“Would you believe I’ve never done it?”
“Never? Not even as a kid?” I ask, surprised.
“I’m the eldest of six. My parents pushed me the hardest so I would show my siblings the way to success.”
“God, that sounds like a lot of pressure to put on one person. I’m an only child and my parents’ goal for me was to follow my dreams and to be a good person along the way.” I wasn’t trying to knock his parents. After all, Phillip was a billionaire and I was living week-to-week.
“So that isn’t your sister I heard in the background earlier?”
“No. Samantha and I have been friends for years, but we’re as close as sisters.” He seemed quiet and I asked, “I don’t know about you, but I could use a cup of coffee.”
“That might be the one thing I have room for. Do you have a place in mind?” he asked.
Although I was enjoying being out with him, I wanted some alone time. Samantha had already informed me she had a date tonight and wouldn’t be home until late, if at all. He hadn’t tried touching or kissing me or anything since I fed him the last piece of clam cake. I wasn’t uptight about things, but maybe Phillip was worried about his image and didn’t like public displays of affection. I know he wants me just by the way he looks at me. So what’s holding him back? I might be bold and confident, but no way in hell was I about to come right out and ask.
“My place?” I offered. What am I doing inviting him to my place? It was too late to take back now. But it’s not like he hadn’t been there for coffee before. The difference is we hadn’t been out on a date then. What if he thought I was inviting him back for more than coffee? I felt my heart race just thinking about where this innocent sounding invitation might lead. But first he had to accept my offer of coffee. “I even know a place you can park legally,” I teased.
At first, Phillip’s expression said I might have offended him, but then his eyes softened, and grinning he said, “Please tell me it’s your roommate’s spot.”
I giggled. It was nice to see he had a little devious side to him too. If I didn’t know Samantha as well as I do, I’d have done the same thing. “I hate to tell you this, but I’d rather your car get towed than hear about it from Samantha for the rest of my life.”
“That bad?”
I shook my head. Samantha was a sweetheart until you stepped on her toes. Then, watch out. “You’ll understand when you meet her.” I was talking as though that might actually happen. I knew better. Phillip and I might be enjoying ourselves right now, but I was just something different for him, a new toy. I’m not the type of woman someone like him would be serious about. We were as different as night and day and whatever this attraction is between us would wear off soon enough. As long as I reminded myself of that fact, I shouldn’t get hurt when it all came to an end. Until then, I was going to take some of Samantha’s advice and enjoy life a little. Who knows, I might even get some amazing sex out of the deal too. Normally I would hold back until I knew we were in a serious committed relationship. Samantha has more of a chance marrying that doctor of hers than I do of being Phillip’s girlfriend. He seemed to have walls around him and was one who refused to relinquish control. Yet, that didn’t mean I was giving up. Not yet at least. “Another tenant is out of state for the weekend, and he won’t mind you using it.”
“Then coffee it is,” he said, and we got into his SUV.
The ride to my apartment was pleasant, the conversation more like small talk. Could he tell that my mind was miles away? They were silly thoughts, like what if things got hot and heavy between us and he swooped me up and carried me to my bedroom? Had I made my bed this morning? Were there any items lying around that I wouldn’t want him to see? Did I have condoms in my nightstand? None of these things, except the last, were really important. I had invited him for coffee. We might not even make it past the living room. God, imagine Samantha’s face if she walked in on us doing it on the couch. I looked out the passenger window as I bit my lip, trying not to chuckle.
“If you’ve changed your mind about coffee, just let me know,” he said.
Clasping my hands tightly on my lap, I responded without looking at him, “No. I really need coffee right now.” And some serious lovemaking. This was not good. I was so horny, and we hadn’t even arrived at my place yet. This was a bad idea. “There’s a café not far if you’d rather stop there,” I suggested.
“Just point the way,” he said.
There. It was over. No longer did I need to worry about what my bedroom looked like. He wasn’t going to see it. And I’m going to be alone again. Damn.
