Page 13 of Spencer's Satisfaction
“…just wait for our meal to get here and then-shit, hey, it’s okay.”
Spencer’s chair scrapes as he pushes it back and makes his way around the table to my side, dropping to his haunches to pull me in for a tight hug. “I should have explained,” he says, rubbing my back. “This is totally my bad. I thought we could switch to take out and go eat somewhere a little less crowded.”
“R-really?” I ask, my voice coming out all wobbly and meek. “I thought…”
“That I was cutting it short. Yeah, I just realized that.” He sighs, then sounds apologetic when he adds, “I can be impulsive. I forget, sometimes, that the people I’m with can’t read my mind.”
I snort at that, but I don’t pull away from his embrace. Considering how much I generally avoid being touched by other people without advanced warning, it feels good to be held. I haven’t really experienced this before. And if this is the only opportunity I get to have this with him, I’m damn well going to drag it out as long as I possibly can.
I’m pretty sure he can feel me calming down, but he doesn’t pull back, either. His cologne is subtle but spicy, and his chest is warm and firm beneath my cheek.
His voice seems to rumble through his chest when he speaks. “Do you want to take our food somewhere else? Like…a park, or your place, or mine, or-”
My heart rate increases at the thought of inviting him into my home, or, even more exciting, going back to his. “Your place?” I ask quietly, then explain, “My sister’s at mine, and she’s…well, meddlesome barely scratches the surface, really.”
He snickers. “You met Chance, right? He and my other friends have the market on meddlesome cornered. They mean well…”
“They always do,” I nod, thinking of Tanya. She frustrates me, but I adore her. And there’s nobody else I’d rather have in my corner.
Spencer squeezes me to his side one last time and then slowly releases his hold on me so he can push back to his feet. He rounds the table and resumes his seat, watching me intently. “You okay?”
I feel embarrassment bubbling beneath my skin at the whole interaction, but I muster a smile and quick bob of my head in affirmation. “Sorry,” I tell him, proud when my voice doesn’t betray how close to tears I still feel. “Like I said, I’m…not great at social stuff.”
“This may surprise you,” he responds playfully, “but neither am I.”
Chapter Five – Spencer
“Are you sure you’re okay with me being here?” Tony asks, even as he unbuckles his seatbelt in the passenger seat beside me.
We’ve just pulled into my driveway, having spent the fifteen-minute drive here in slightly strained silence. He’s been tense since I accidentally led him to believe that I was ending our date early, as though he’s afraid I only offered to do this because I didn’t want him causing a scene or something.
God only knows the kind of people he’s gone out with before if he’s come to expect that sort of thing.
“Sweetheart,” I begin, keeping my voice as soothing and reassuring as possible, “I wouldn’t have suggested it if I wasn’t.”
He licks his perfect plump pink lips anxiously, then smiles. “Okay. Thank you.”
I try not to frown as I reach over the center console to squeeze his hand. “There’s literally no reason to thank me. We’re on a date. A date I asked to take you on. I want to make it a good date for you, because when I ask you to go on a second date, I’m hoping you’ll say yes.”
His big, brown eyes widen comically, and I swear his jaw actually drops. “A second date?” He shakes his head and laughs, but it’s a bitter, self-deprecating sound that sets my teeth on edge. “With me?”
‘Who hurt you?’ I want to ask. ‘Who made you so unsure of yourself?’
I don’t do that, though. Instead, I squeeze his warm, soft hand and say, “Yep. Because you are lovely, Tony. And, while we mightn’t know each other very well yet, I already like you a lot.” Before he can argue with me or ask me why, I let go of his hand and tap the polystyrene box in his lap which contains our meal. “Come on; let’s head inside and eat it while it’s still warm.”
I climb out of the driver’s seat and shut the door behind me, waiting in front of the car as Tony follows suit. I lead the way up the front path to my front door and unlock it when he’s at my side, carefully nudging Frank out of the way with my foot when he attempts to make a bid for freedom.
“This is Frank. We disagree on whether he’s an inside cat or a neighborhood pest,” I explain to Tony, shooting Frank a glare for good measure. “He’s an inside cat, for the record.”
Frank glares back at me and makes a sound of (what I choose to interpret as) disagreement.
“Aww,” Tony coos at him, sounding far too sympathetic to my spoilt housecat’s plight, “is your daddy being mean to you, buddy?”
I stand in a stupor as the door shuts behind us, trying not to focus too hard on how much I liked the word ‘daddy’ falling from Tony’s lips.
He was talking to the cat, Highland. Keep it together.
The box containing our food is thrust into my hands as Tony crouches down to properly greet the cat in question. “Don’t be too offended if he won’t let you pet him,” I say. “He can be a bit skittish until he knows…” As though he’s making a point to prove me wrong, the furry shit practically throws himself into my date’s arms, purring loudly. “…you.” I finish my thought lamely, then glare at my feline companion. “Okay, fuck you, Frank.”
