The O Intention(35)

“Nervous?” I ask and she immediately drops her hand.

“Nope. Let’s go.”

She pushes open her door, climbs out and slams it shut. I cringe at the force. This car is not the kind of car you should slam doors on. It’s brand new and the doors work perfectly. Alix quickly turns around and opens her door.

“Sorry.” She says. “Slippery hands.”

She closes the door, properly this time and I exit the car to join her.

“What time does dinner start?”

She smiles innocently up at me. “Six forty-five.”

I glance down at my wrist and pull back the fabric to expose my watch. “You asked me to pick you up at seven.”

“I know.”

“It’s seven twenty-eight.”

Ignoring me and my confusion, Alix starts towards the four stairs that lead us onto the deck and right up to the huge double doors. I feel frazzled. I’m never late—for anything—and the fact I’m meeting her parents in order to make a good impression, being late doesn’t sit well with me.

Alix peers over her shoulder. “Are you coming?”

I jog forward a few steps to meet her and grab her wrist. She gasps as I tug her into me.

“You made us late on purpose?” I hiss, my voice barely above a whisper.

Her eyes flick between mine, her own confusion becoming visible in their dark depths.

“Relax. They’re never on time with dinner. I bet Mom is only just pulling it out of the oven.”

She tries to pull her arm back, but I don’t let go.

“That’s not the point, Alix. I’m never late—for anything.”

I hate being late. I can’t stand knowing someone is expecting me to be somewhere at a specific time and I’m not there. It makes me anxious and it makes me feel bad. I loathe feeling anxious and bad.

“I saved us from sitting around for an hour making small talk and doing nothing. You’ll thank me once you meet my parents.”

I squeeze her tighter—until her mouth begins to curve as she fights a smile.

“Quite the grip you’ve got there.” She adds. “I hope it’ll make an appearance tonight.”

Oh, how assumptious of her. “Suddenly, I’m not in the mood to do anything tonight.”

Her eyes thin and she presses forward. Her parents could be out on the deck right now and I’d have no idea. That’s how it is with Alix... she has an undeniable presence. Regardless of how irritating it can be.

“Why is impressing my parents so important to you—especially when you’re not going to see them again after tonight?”

I know what she’s implying. I hear it in her tone. She’s wondering if this meeting means more to me than I’m letting on. Maybe it does… maybe my heart is too invested in Alix, and meeting her parents is a big deal for me. Her face is close to mine—so close I know if I lean forward an inch, our lips will touch. The light breeze blows her perfume all around me and I’m afraid if I inhale her too deeply, it’ll completely intoxicate me.

“They’re not important to me.” Her stare flicks over my face, and I’m not sure what she’s looking for. “But you are important to me. I just wanted to get this right... for you.”

The words fall from my lips and I’m powerless to stop them. It’s dangerous, sharing words like this with a girl like Alix—a girl who probably doesn’t hold many things close to her heart. Redemption of a shitty one night stand is all she wants… she hasn’t said otherwise, not really. She implied it once, when she came to see me at the hotel late one night, but, for a woman who speaks without a filter, she’s sure remained tight lipped. I watch her as a myriad of emotions flicker over her features. Disbelief first and then complete and utter acceptance—maybe even a little relief. She opens her mouth to say something in return, but I crane my neck and swallow the distance between our lips. I don’t think I can handle a snarky comment right now. Not when I unexpectedly admitted my feelings for her. It wasn’t meant to be like this. It wasn’t even meant to happen. Two lunches, two dinners, and one intimate moment has become something I’m not ready to end. I can’t forget her… she’s fun and eccentric—arrogant and perky. She’s everything I’m not—everything that I’m lacking in life.

Alix is the rainbow after a month of storms.





Alix



His lips shoot an electric bolt down my spine and into the pit of my stomach. My nerves are frazzled as my body hits overdrive. I’ve never had a kiss like this. I’ve never had a kiss that zips to my toes and back up again, or one that zones out everyone and everything around me. I’ve never had the kiss you see in Nicholas Sparks’ movies… until now. I’m ready to completely fall away into it, until I hear the distinct sound of my mother clearing her throat. It’s a sound that washes away the electricity in my body and replaces it with uneasiness. Jesse snaps away from me and takes a minute step closer to my mother. He stutters a little, and I don’t even hide my smile as he glances desperately over his shoulder for help.