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“You’re breaking my heart.”
“I’m sorry. That’s not my intention.”
“What would be so bad about dating me?”
I hate how long she stares at me. I want to kiss those pouty lips until she knows that she’s mine. I’m almost positive that she not going to answer me when she opens her mouth. Her flustered response gives me hope that this isn’t one-sided.
CHAPTERSEVEN
JANUARY
Great, now I feel guilty for not trying to be too obvious. This is not how I pictured this going. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad and I am not saying there is anything wrong with the idea. I guess I just…I don’t know… it wouldn’t make sense.” I shrug because that is the only way I can think of to answer him.
“And why wouldn’t it make sense?” He leans closer to me.
“I mean because you’re you and I’m me.” Yeah and that makes more sense. I mentally shake my head. “I guess I’m saying you have seen the world. You’re a soldier. You’ve saved lives and kept us safe. Me, I’m a lost twenty-three-year-old whining because my dad is not my bio dad. Compared to you…” He rubs his thumb across my cheek and whispers in my ear.
“You’re perfect, hazel eyes. You are bright, considerate and funny and any man, me included, would be happy to have you, including me.” I duck my head and try to hide the blush. Not to mention the shiver going through my body from his proximity is serious. I mean if girls could get woody I would be sporting one right now. “How about this? Let's not make this something serious. No expectations or anything. We have a pretty hefty adventure ahead of us where we are going to be spending a lot of time together. Why don’t we just take it day by day and see where it goes.” I look up into his eyes and the sincerity in his words lifts a weight off me.
“That would be amazing,” I tell him, tucking my loose strand of hair behind my ear.
“So we have a deal? Fun and time. That is all we are promising right now.” He holds his hand out and I take it. “Good. Now I don't know about you, but I am ready to get out of here. What do you say?”
“Yes, please.” He leaves money for our bill and tip, and we walk to the car.
The ride home is more comfortable, less stressful. It was like this was our dry run and we passed it or something. “So were you disappointed it wasn’t Graham?” he asks, chuckling.
“No. He was…something else. Definitely not who I wanted to be attached to. He was sort of creepy,” I tell him to be honest. From the moment he opened the door and looked at me I felt exposed or something.
“Yeah something was definitely not right with that guy. So where to next?” I pull out the paper with the long list of names.
“How about Savannah? Have you been?”
“I have as a matter of fact. An old service buddy of mine works at a tattoo shop out there called The Tattooed Vixen. It's where I get all of my ink. I have been meaning to go back and get some more.”
“That sounds fun. Maybe we can find time to do that. I would love to get something to commemorate this journey, you know and maybe something for my mom. What do you think?” I ask him, plotting out the tats in my mind now.
“That sounds great. Sounds like you and your mom were close.”
“We were. We did everything together.”
“That’s nice. Just curious, what do you know about your mom’s lineage?”
“As a matter of fact quite a bit. My mom’s father was a Greek immigrant from Kavala and her mother was a first-generation Lebanese.”
“Wow. That explains a lot,” he says so matter of factly it makes my hackles rise.
“And what is that supposed to mean?” I ask him with righteous indignation. He has the nerve to give me his panty melting smile.
“It means it explains why you look like you walked right out of my dreams, hazel eyes.” Geesh. He likes rendering me speechless.
“Oliver,” I whisper his name, blushing once more not sure what else to say. He shrugs and looks back at the road.
“Just being honest. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life.”
“Really?” Great way to sound confident and mature, January.
“Really.”
