“Luke, I’m so sorry,” I apologized as I sat. “I got lost and then….”

Oh no…Max was sitting adjacent to me, and his beautiful date was sitting across from him. My face felt hot, but my hands felt cold as the blood drained down to my toes. Max having a date was not the issue. Flirting with me when he was on a date was. How wrong was that? He was trouble for sure. In a way I felt guilty, guilty towards Luke, because I had enjoyed it.

“Are you okay?” Luke asked.

Placing my hands on my cheeks, my cold hands soothed them somewhat. “I think I’m coming down with something,” I whispered, trying not to attract Max’s attention, but who was I kidding? He was not blind or stupid.

“Would you like to go home?” Luke asked, looking concerned.

“I’ll be fine, Luke. Maybe I just need something to eat.”

When dinner arrived, our conversation was minimal. A part of me kept quiet because of Max. In a way, I was more interested in their conversation, because his date giggled every so often. From what I could tell, she was tall and her dark hair fell to her shoulders. Was this a personal or a business date? I couldn’t tell, but why did I care?

Never once did I look his way, and never once did he look my way. Well, truth be told, I did peek with my peripheral vision. I wasn’t sure if Max snuck a glance, but Luke looked their way when Max’s date was a little bit too loud.

When Luke excused himself to the restroom after he had finished his dinner, Max’s date did the same thing. Though there were more couples around us now, I felt as though this place only existed for the two of us. Feeling uncomfortable, I focused on my plate. With my fork, I swirled around what was left of my mashed potatoes. Suddenly, I gasped and turned. I knew it was Max, but the fact that he’d pulled up his chair and bumped his shoulder into mine startled me.

“Hi, again. Ignoring me, aren’t you?” he said casually, as if we were good friends.

I turned to him. His face was way too close for my comfort. I had no choice but to gaze into his hypnotic eyes. “Ignoring you? I hardly know you, and you and I each have a date,” I snapped. I didn’t know where the angry tone was coming from.

“We can fix that.”

“We can?” I asked, dumbfounded.

Instead of answering, he tilted his head, with a look as if he remembered something he wanted to say. “I meant to ask you how your hand was earlier, but I got a little…distracted.” Max grabbed my right hand and tenderly rubbed the area where the hot coffee had spilled. He’d even remembered which hand it was.

“It’s much better. Thank you for asking,” I mumbled, fixated on his index finger, stroking the area on my hand. His touch produced a tingling vibration that was slowly waving throughout my body, and I didn’t want him to stop, but I managed to pull back without offending him. If I’d let him continue, I would have dived into his arms, and I didn’t want to make a fool out of myself.

“Good. I’m glad, but I think your someone is boring. And he doesn’t treat you well.”

Now, he was being rude and arrogant. “He’s just fine. You don’t know him.”

“True, I don’t know him. Maybe your someone is with my someone, and they’re making out in the bathroom.”

I didn’t know why I thought that was funny, but I laughed, a good hardy laugh, the kind of laugh that gives you tears, and he laughed with me. No, I couldn’t see what he’d just planted in my mind, but the thought was hilarious. But why? Because I thought that a sweet, non-dangerous type of guy like Luke wouldn’t make out with someone like her. Nah…couldn’t picture it.

Wiping the little tears that had settled in the corner of my eyes, I looked at Max. His eyes were soft and kind, and he looked at me with the sweetest smile. Neither one of us looked away, as if we were reaching for something deeper. I felt something that I couldn’t describe in his gaze, like I had known him all my life. There was a strong, undeniable connection, like two lost souls finally finding each other. Was it the hot, steamy flirtations we shared, or was it the laughter? I didn’t know. Whatever it was, I liked the feeling too much. But at the same time, it frightened me deeply, so I looked away.

Just in the nick of time, Max settled back to his table. Luke showed up first. He didn’t ask me if I wanted dessert or if I was finished; he’d already paid the bill, and just asked me if I was ready. As usual, he didn’t walk with me. I followed behind him. Was someone like Luke—a readable, easy, non-dangerous type of guy—what I wanted? I wasn’t sure, but my eyes were opened that night.

Just before Max was out of my sight, I peered over my shoulder. I figured I was safe to look since his date had come back just as I got up, but I was wrong. His piercing eyes were watching me the whole time as I exited, and just before I turned the corner to disappear, he winked at me, leaving me completely unglued.

Chapter 7

Luke and I walked down the long hallway in silence and stopped at my door.

“I had a nice time,” he said. “Are you busy next weekend?”

“I’m not sure yet. I’ll be starting my new job, and I don’t know how busy I’ll be.”

He nodded with a smile. “I understand. How about we play it by ear, and you let me know what evening you are free.”

“Sure,” I agreed as our eyes locked. He leaned closer. This was it…Becky was right. He was going to kiss me. There it was, his lips on mine. While he rubbed my arms, he pressed deeper. I kissed him back, but not for long, and I pulled back shortly after.