Bentley (Hawthorne Brothers Book One)(9)

“Then good, there’s no worries. I don’t want you to leave, so I hope you don’t,” he said.

“I won’t. But I’m starting to get a little hungry,” I said.

“How about we cuddle for ten more minutes, and then we go get some breakfast?” he asked.

“That sounds nice,” I replied, lying back down.

With his naked body, he spooned me, me being the little spoon. I felt his warm skin against mine. His arm wrapped around my stomach, pulling me in closer, and I felt the warm of his breath gently beat against the back of my neck. It was magic.

After cuddling we got dressed, forgoing a shower, which was good since I didn’t have any clean clothes or any of my toiletries. We got into his car, the rumble of the engine startling me once again, and drove to that same little diner where we had our first morning date. Some people looked at us as we came in, almost like a walk of shame, as I was in a little black dress and heels and obviously not something more appropriate for this place or time of day. I tried not to pay too much attention to it, though, and instead just focused on having a good time with Bentley. I knew I’d have to go home soon.

Like broken records, we both ordered the same thing as last time and got a pitcher of orange juice for the two of us. It was tart, causing me to pucker my lips as my eyes teared up a little and I set it back down.

“Yeah, it can get you,” he said with a laugh.

“You can say that again,” I replied as the feeling left me.

“Have much to do today?” he asked.

“Just some homework and studying. Have a project for a class soon and want to make sure I get a head start on it. I think it’s going to be research intensive,” I said.

“Makes me so glad I didn’t go to college,” he said.

“Yeah, at least I’m almost done. I can’t imagine being there any longer. I know some high school friends on Facebook that are going to grad school right after they get done with this. I can’t even imagine that. It seems crazy to me to not even take some sort of break,” I said.

“Hey, some people have that kind of drive. I have an aunt with two Masters who’s working on a PhD as we speak. She can’t stay away from the university,” he said.

“You won’t ever catch me doing that kind of stuff. Maybe get an MBA in five or ten years, but I can wait. I’d rather get a company to pay for it anyway,” I said.

“See, that’s smart to do something like that. Get your footing there, get them to pay all or part of the bill, and then you can probably get a sweet promotion when you’re done. It wouldn’t be so horrible,” he said.

“Exactly the plan,” I said with a smile.

The waitress soon brought out our food. I picked at mine, still a little full from last night, but Bentley couldn’t eat fast enough, tearing through his plate like a savage. There was something a little hot about that, maybe because of last night.

The conversation stayed light as we ate, with the sound of clanking silverware filling my ears instead of his deep voice. I didn’t know why I felt so comfortable with him, like I could talk to him about almost anything, but I did. I knew there was more to him, a lot more, but I wasn’t going to push anything to try to find out. He seemed like the type of guy who liked to stay private and to himself, and if he wanted to tell me, he would. He just gave me that impression.

We stayed for about twenty minutes after eating, drinking some coffee as a way to just spend some more time together, as I’d have to leave once we got back to his place and he was going to his parents’ house. I was kind of sad to leave him, not because I felt like I needed to be around him, but because I just enjoyed it. He was easy to talk to, handsome, and he actually listened to what I had to say. He wasn’t like the other guys I’d been with or dated. It seemed like he actually cared.

Bentley paid the bill, not letting me even leave the tip, though I told him I wanted to. He said I could next time, but I had a feeling he wouldn’t let me even then. Whatever, though, I’d do it when he wasn’t looking.

As we walked outside I noticed a kid looking at his car, but he ran off once he saw Bentley and me coming towards it. I guess he could be a little intimidating if you didn’t know him. He didn’t quite look all that friendly, after all.

We got into the car and went back to his place as I said my goodbye outside, by my car, as he walked me to it after parking his own.

“I had a really nice time,” I said with my car door open.

“I did as well. It’s too bad it has to end,” he said.

“This date does, but other ones don’t,” I said.

“I’ll give you a call?” he asked, as if asking for my permission.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” I replied.

He leaned in and gave me a kiss on the lips as I gripped the top of the door and let go as soon as he did.

“Drive home safe,” he said before walking towards his house.

I got inside and turned the ignition before putting on my seatbelt and driving back towards the apartment. I knew Nina and Maggie were going to have a field day with this, what with me not coming home last night, and I knew they’d make me spill all the details. What are friends for?

As I pulled out of his neighborhood and onto the main road, I wondered a little about him calling me and setting up another date. He had to, right? We had such a good time. I couldn’t imagine anything bad happening there.





Chapter Eight



Anna



Three days.

That’s how much time had gone by since my date and night with Bentley. He hadn’t called, texted, e-mailed, added me on Facebook, or anything else of the sort. To say I was worried was an understatement.

“Any contact?” Nina asked as she put pasta into boiling water.

“Nothing at all. It’s like he vanished or something,” I said.

“Too good to be true,” Maggie said.

“Don’t say that, Maggie. He’s probably just busy. People get busy,” Nina said.

“Stop trying to put it into her head that everything is daisies and rainbows, Nina. He would’ve contacted her by now if he were interested in another date. She shouldn’t have given it up,” she said.

“Don’t be a bitch, Maggie. You’re just jealous he didn’t take you out,” Nina said.

“Stop it, you two. I don’t regret having sex with him, and I don’t regret the date or night with him. Does it suck he hasn’t called? Yes, it sucks a lot, but it’s the situation I’m in now and I have to deal with it. Maybe it was too good to be true and maybe I was a little foolish, but I don’t regret it. I had a good time with a nice guy and that’s all that matters in the end,” I said.

“Good for you, Anna. You’re a great girl and any guy would be lucky,” Nina said.

“I’m sorry for saying what I did, Anna. Nina is right, and you’ll find an even better guy, I know it,” Maggie said.

“For now we’ll make dinner, open a bottle of wine, and watch The Bachelor so that we too can dream of the perfect guy to sweep us off our feet,” I said with a smile.

“That’s my girl!” Nina said.

Maggie put the garlic bread in the oven and I popped open a bottle, as the wine the other night gave me kind of a taste for it, even though this was cheap stuff compared to what I had. Hopefully it would compare, even a little bit.

We made our plates, all of us eating way too many carbs, and took our stuff into the living room where Maggie turned on the TV, headed to the DVR, and started the recording of The Bachelor.

“I forgot some napkins. I’ll be right back. You can keep it running,” I said before getting up.

I headed into the kitchen and put my hand out to grab the napkins right when my phone rang from inside my pocket. I took it out, seeing a text, before opening it and recognizing the number. It was Bentley. He was texting me.

“I’m sorry I’ve been kind of missing the past few days. I haven’t forgotten about you or our date and night together, I promise. Some things came up from the past, and then work got very busy and my dad has been making me do stuff with the expansion. Anyway, I wanted to see if you’re free tomorrow night. Maybe dinner?” he texted.

I stood in disbelief as I felt both happiness and shock while I read his message. I must’ve read it five times, over and over, before Nina yelled for me to come back or else I was going to miss the best part. I grabbed a few napkins and walked back in, the look on my face causing them to pause the show.

“What?” Maggie asked.

“He texted me,” I said.

“When?” Nina asked.

“Just now, as I was getting the napkins. He wants to see me tomorrow night,” I said.

“Where has he been? Did he say?” Nina asked.

“He just said stuff from his past came up and then he was busy with work,” I said.

“That doesn’t sound good,” Maggie said.

“Don’t be quick to judge,” Nina said.

“Stuff from his past? Without him being specific, it sounds like an ex-girlfriend contacted him and came back into the picture,” Maggie said.

“That’s not necessarily true,” Nina said.

“I would stay far away, Anna. You’re just playing with fire now,” Maggie said.

“Maybe you’re right, but I have to at least see him one more time, if not just to find out what happened. He just wants to meet for dinner, and I don’t plan to go back to his place afterwards,” I said.