Page 22 of My Promise To Keep

‘But what do you want?’ He emphasized every word as he leaned forward on the table, a little closer into my space, and I mirrored the action, leaning to meet him across the table. His eyes seemed darker, and there was a hunger in them I recognized as they lowered to my lips, and my tongue seemed incapable of ignoring it, peeking out to wet my bottom lip. I noticed the slight flare of his nostrils and the way he swallowed.

‘I guess I’m a little sick of going to bed alone,’ I said brazenly, my voice low but strong.

Leo’s lips parted, and I heard the intake of breath.

‘How are we doing here?’

I didn’t know if I wanted to hug or hit the server as she interrupted the moment we’d been trapped in for that minute or two, or fifty, I wasn’t sure. Leo and I were locked, moving together toward something I wouldn’t be able to and didn’t know if I’d want to see a way back from. One thing I was sure of, after this date, the feelings I’d been having were mutual.

I’m Not The One

Leo

Five (and a half) Years Ago

Holy fuck. We almostkissed in the middle of a restaurant, on apracticedate.

I stared into my own eyes in the mirror as I washed my hands. There was nothing fake about this night. We might have pretended to get to know each other, asking questions we already knew the answers to, but the way we laughed, the way we communicated with an ease I’ve never had with anyone else. That was real, that was perfect.

I’ve always known my feelings for Zoe were real, but after tonight, I knew she felt it too, and I wasn’t sure what to do with that information. We’d been drinking, so it was not the right time to explore this. I didn’t want to be a regret for her, but now I knew for sure the spark was real, I didn’t think I could back away from this.

More than the almost kiss, that comment about going to bed alone — what was she saying? Did she want sex? Did she want sex with me?

Fuck.

The idea made my stomach knot up with nerves, and my dick twitch with excitement, getting ahead of himself.

Calm the fuck down, I told myself, checking out the cubicle doors behind me to make sure I was alone. ‘It’s fine, it’s okay.’ We’d both had too much wine to be addressing any of this tonight. The wine was probably to blame anyway.

Heading back out to the table, my breath caught in my throat as she looked up at me. It was no use. I was done pretending she was just my friend. I wanted her more than ever.

‘You ready to go?’ I asked, standing over her as she gazed up at me, those beautiful caramel eyes of hers turning me inside out.

‘Yeah, let’s go.’

I grabbed my jacket as she stood, and we left the restaurant.

It was close to where I lived and a nice night, so we decided to walk back instead of taking a cab. When Zoe shivered a little against the slight evening chill, I instinctively draped my jacket over her shoulders. I’d done it a hundred times. She’d wornmy clothes before, but tonight, after that date and the way she turned her face up, a grateful smile on her lips, it felt different, more intimate.

‘Do you want to go to a bar, grab a drink or something?’ I suddenly felt nervous to be alone in my apartment with her.

‘No, can we just go home?’

I nodded, trying to steady my breath at the sound of her sayinghomeas though we shared that space.

As I let us into the apartment, Zoe walked in ahead of me, and I locked the door.

‘I’m going to change,’ she said, turning to face me, and I nodded, okay.

She backed away a couple of steps, maintaining eye contact before she turned and walked into my bedroom. She didn’t shut the door and turned on the lamp on my nightstand. I had to tear my attention away from the open doorway and force myself into the kitchen.

Was that an invitation? Did she want me to follow her?

It didn’t matter. She’d been drinking. I couldn’t, we couldn’t.

I pulled down two glasses and filled them with water, and when I turned around, I almost swallowed my damn tongue. She was walking toward me, bare feet, bare legs, in one of my t-shirts.

‘I forgot to bring pajamas. Is this okay?’

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