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Tonight’s conversation felt forced. It was almost unwanted on his end. Maybe he was mad that I rejected him last week and was not feeling the date today. He had agreed to go on this date, but he didn’t seem to want to be on it. His eyes were distracted, roaming around.
We finished our delicious meal, and I tried to ignore my uneasiness. Silence enveloped us as he walked me home.
“Is everything okay?” I asked him as we walked up to the front door.
For the first time in the time that we had been together, I felt insecure. I prided myself in knowing where I stood with Richard, but today I was lost.
“Yeah, why?” he took my hand, his touch lingering on my palms.
“You just feel a little distant today. What’s on your mind?”
“Oh, just a lot of work stuff. Connor wasn’t too happy with a test run of the software, but nothing that can’t be fixed. Nothing bad between us, I promise. I’m sorry I wasn’t great company today.”
“Maybe next time we can do something a little…different…a little more active?” I pitched, standing by my front door.
“Noted,” he smiled, one of only a few today. “Goodnight, Blake.”
“Goodnight, Richard.”
He kissed me sweetly before he turned to walk away.
Hesitation stopped his steps away from me, and he turned around. He drove me into the wall and kissed me again as if he had missed something the first time. It had a passion to it as he tangled his hand in the back of my hair.
He didn’t ask to come in as he often did, but his kiss eased my doubt.
Chapter Fifteen
Saturday morning.
Fifty-six days left.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
“Blake!” Gabby pounded on my door. “Wake up!”
She rattled the doorknob, but I must have locked the door last night, which was weird for me. I never locked the door.
My alarm hadn’t gone off, and now I was going to make all of us late for the game. Through the door, I heard Parker and Nathaniel’s mumbled complaints. I knew Nathaniel was giving us all a ride, but I hadn’t expected him to arrive with Parker as well.
For the first time, we were hanging out with coworkers outside of work for more than a happy-hour drink. It was nice for Nathaniel to invite everyone to the game, but it just meant that I had to be careful around Parker.
I had stolen a few too many glances at him throughout the two days this week that they were in the office. But I ensured to keep our distance and stay almost comically far from him. He tried to be discreet, but his own lingering glances weren’t helping. We were eyeing our way to our own destruction.
I was sure Amelia was starting to catch on that there was something going on. When I saw her slyly smirk at me while chatting with Parker, I worried. What if Connor caught on? I wasn’t sure how significant the fallout would be if something went wrong.
“I’m up!” I yelled.
I scrambled to get my sheets off and got dressed. My leggings got stuck on my foot, and I almost made us late by needing a visit to the hospital. Finally, I walked out of the room, and they ushered me out without breakfast.
“Good morning,” Parker turned to me when we were in Nathaniel’s car, planting a soft kiss on my forehead.
“Hi,” I felt my cheeks get warm.
“Here,” he handed me a protein bar. “Eat.”
