Page 70 of Surrender

I want to rush to him, to hold him, to kiss him. I want to be in his arms more than I want my next breath. But he's giving me the distance I asked for.

And then it dawns on me. He's afraid for my safety. A young girl jogging in DC alone is a prime target. This is his way of making sure I'm safe, while respecting my boundaries, and it makes me smile. I know this is hard on him, and if following behind me is a compromise he needs I'll give it to him.

So, with renewed peace, I finish my run.

He follows me all the way back to my apartment, giving me a tight nod when I slip inside alone.

//text

Me: Thank you for keeping me safe.

And when I leave on my jog the next morning, there's a man in black already waiting for me, to follow twenty paces behind.

Chapter forty-one

Declan

Serenity: Are you free this Saturday? I'd like to take you out on a date.

Istare down at my phone and smile. Definitely the first time I've ever been asked out by a woman. But I've done everything differently with Serenity, so this should be no surprise.

What's surprising is that she thinks I would be busy. I'd quit The Envelope before I passed up on a chance to be with her - in any capacity.

Me: I'm yours. What do you have planned? What should I wear?

I snort at my own text message. I sound like a girl.

Serenity: I was thinking the museums and then a Caps game?

Me: I'm there. You picking me up?

Serenity: As long as you don't mind taking the bus.

Me: Yeah, I draw the line at public transportation. I'll have Joseph pick you up.

Serenity: Snob

Me: Damn right

***

Serenity performs a grand motion, opening the door of the town car for me, as if she owns it and is inviting me out for a date. Charmed, I follow her lead. In the back of the town car, though, she laces her fingers through mine.

"While Joseph and the car are nice, I'm a broke college kid, so I hope you're okay with cheap dates for a while," she rambles.

Her nervousness is charming. I couldn't give a shit if she spends money on me or not. And I know, for a fact, that she still has my Visa Black Card that could buy her anything she needs. But if she wants our story to be more authentic, I understand why she's framing everything this way.

I squeeze her hand. "I'm just happy to spend time with you."

"Good," she replies. I slip my hand into hers as we walk, letting her lead the way. It feels so benign, so domestic. I don't hold girls’ hands. I tie them down and spank them with my belt. But I want domestic with her. I want to check all the boxes of this being a relationship. Maybe we're not calling each other boyfriend or girlfriend yet, but I want to show the world that she's mine. And she lets me.

I follow her into the natural history museum, walk a handful of blocks to the air and space museum, before following her to the mall, and weaving our way through the veteran's memorial before walking a few blocks over closer to the White House.

"And this is the best taco joint in all of DC," she says, stopping in front of a taco-themed food truck.

"Is that right?" I tease.

We order and she pays a man named Jose who apparently is the owner, and is as smitten with Serenity as I am. We find a bench nearby and eat our tacos.

---