“I can only imagine.”
We sat in silence for a minute before I said, “I guess I better get going. I am actually working today.”
We cleaned up our mess and as we stood, Josh reached for my hand again as we walked back to Sara’s.
I know you’ve noticed that I haven’t mentioned my reactions to him holding my hand. Well, to tell you the truth, I’m kinda speechless at the moment!
“So Summer, with two sisters and a brother actively serving our country, what brought you to Pittsburgh? I would think New Jersey was a little faster paced than this city.”
I smiled. “Yeah, it is, but I kind of prefer the slowness. And I don’t know, I guess I grew tired of living under my parents’ thumb.”
“That sounds like a good reason to move away. How long have you been away?
“Five years, give or take…”
“Wow, that’s a long time. Have you been back since you’ve moved?”
“No, I haven’t.”
My eyes darted from his, and I tried to control my breathing. The story of my family was definitely not something I wanted to tell him. I felt Josh watching me, and I knew he could tell my family was a sore spot for me. But he never pushed me to share, and he had no idea how much I appreciated that. He let me walk quietly next to him with no problem…
When I gathered myself, I said, “Thank you for making me come to breakfast with you.” I groaned and closed my eyes. I can’t believe I just said that… “Please, tell me you know what I mean.”
Josh said to me, “I know what you mean, and it was my pleasure. Maybe we can do this again.”
I smiled up at him. “I’d like that.”
Josh leaned into me and kissed me lightly on the cheek, but as he pulled back I could see it in his eyes he wanted more… and really so did I.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said to me, and it was then that I realized we were back at Sara’s.
I think I’m in trouble…
Joshua
Why has she constantly been on my mind? He asked himself.
Josh ran his hands over his head. He tried to focus on something else, anything else, except for the way Summer looked at him, or the way she smiled, and how badly he wanted to see her again. The only way he could do that, however, was to surround himself with a distraction. He decided to go to lunch today with some of the guys that he worked with, but as he sat there listening to the back and forth conversations, his mind went straight to her.
He couldn’t believe the urges he’d been experiencing these last few days. The need to see her, to touch her, was completely driving him crazy. He’d only spent a small amount of time with her, but it didn’t matter. He knew what he wanted.
He wanted to tease her again; watching her turn red with embarrassment confirmed for him her sweetness. He wanted to make her laugh again, make her smile and have those beautiful bright eyes on him. He wanted to see her get nervous, and he kept wondering if her lips were as soft as they looked. He wanted to feel her in his arms again. He wanted to know what she tasted like, and most of fucking all, how good she would feel if he was balls deep inside her.
When they had breakfast together he couldn’t shake his desire to share himself with her. He wondered if it would be this easy to talk to her all the time. It amazed him how free and open he felt being with her. He’d never been that open with anyone, and actually prided himself on his autonomy, and for some reason just seeing her smile and hearing her laugh at his jokes and stories, made everything worthwhile. He knew how short life was, and he wasn’t going to let opportunities pass him by if he could help it.
What bothered him the most, however, was the way she reacted when he touched her or got close to her. She wasn’t obvious about it, but he could see the subtle way she jumped when he moved close to her or reached to touch her. She seemed to be on edge, even though he could tell she was trying to relax. He didn’t like that. It was a sign to him that she’d been hurt in some way, and his first thought went to her family.
She hadn’t said much about them, so he could only speculate, but his curiosity was peaked. He wondered if her shyness and the trepidation that was always seizing her had something to do with them. He knew he had to take his time with her and have patience. But Josh had never been the type who exuded patience. Whatever, whenever he wanted something or someone, he went after it. He didn’t want to scare her, but he couldn’t wait around for her to get comfortable. His wants was taking over. He could see it in her eyes and her body language that she was affected by him. He just needed to find out how much, or if he was wasting his time.
So earlier this morning after his run, he made his way to the café. As he walked inside and her eyes fell on him, he couldn’t help but smile. Today he was going to take charge.
He needed to push this along, or he would truly go out of his mind. When it was his turn to order she looked up at him and blushed. Damn, I haven’t done or said anything yet, and I’m already affecting her…
“Good morning, Josh,” she said softly, letting his name fall slowly off her lips.
What in the hell is she doing to me? he thought to himself.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he replied.
Her smile grew, and she turned shyly from him.
“What can I get you this morning?”
Not caring who was behind him, he took her hand and moved her to the side of the counter away from everyone where he could just talk to her. Summer looked a little apprehensive until Melanie came out from the back, smiled and took the order of the next person in line.
Josh leaned closer to her and said, “So, I have these tickets.”
She looked at him confused and asked, “Okay, um, what kind of tickets?”
“Baseball tickets. The Pirates are playing the Yankees this Sunday afternoon. And, well, since you seemed to have just discovered sports and a slight interest in baseball, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me.”
Summer touched her chest with her hand.
“You want to take me to a baseball game?”
Josh had to laugh at her response and the excitement that crept on her lovely face.
He nodded. “Yes, I want to take you to a baseball game. It’s me and a few of the guys from my work going. We’re going to tailgate for a few hours before the game. You know, talk some trash, drink a little, and have something to eat. And well, I really would love it if you’d come with me, be my date.”
“Date?”
“Yes, Sweets, a date,” he said, thoroughly amused then blinked a few times… Wait, what the hell did I just call her?
A battle ensued within her, he could see it in her eyes, and he waited, hoping she would see he meant her no harm. He hoped she could feel how much he wanted nothing more than to spend time getting to know her.
Finally she nodded first then said softly, “Okay.”
It was Josh’s turn to be shocked.
His eyebrows rose. “Okay?”
Summer laughed. “Yes Josh, a baseball game with you sounds like fun.”
He looked in her eyes. Yeah, I have to move this along quickly, he thought to himself. The desire to feel her lips on mine is starting to take over.
“Great. I can pick you up, or you can meet me,” he added.
No matter how much he wanted her, he still felt the need to put the ball in her court, just a little. Maybe if she felt like she had some control of things she would continue to open up to him.
“I can meet you actually. It would be easier, especially since the subway stops right in front of Heinz Field. Just tell me when and where to meet you and I’ll be there.”
“Sounds good.” Josh gave her the time they would be tailgating and when the game started, continuing to give her some control of the date. “I look forward to Sunday.”
Josh backed up from her, heading for the front door and she frowned again. “Are you getting coffee or something?”
Josh turned and said, “No, I got what I came in here for…”
He winked and left the café. That was just that morning, and he was going out of his mind. Josh was brought back to the table when their waitress placed his bill in front of him.
“So, how did your date go last night?” he heard Michael ask Aaron.
He and his co–workers decided to head to the Eighth Street Grill on Eighth Street downtown and enjoyed their meal outside watching the traffic and hustle of the city. Aaron, Derek, and Michael worked with him in Compliance. Typically, the four of them would make it out for lunch at least once a week to talk sports and the last conquest of Aaron’s, but today was different. Paula happened to be in Josh’s office when the guys came in to remind him about lunch. Paula, being the leech that she was, he thought, invited herself and had been attached to Josh ever since they left the office.
Michael was medium height with short–cropped, curly hair with skin dark as chocolate. He had brown eyes and kept his goatee lined and close to his face. Aaron was around the same height as Michael with brown hair that he kept cut trimmed above his ear and the nape of his neck while the top stayed long. He had light blue eyes and a build that kept him in the gym in order to keep up the interest of any woman he found. Aaron was one of the office’s ladies’ man.
He played the Pittsburgh’s singles scene almost every night, and from his boyish good looks, he very rarely went home alone.