Page 173 of The Perfect Spiral
My appetite is non-existent. I just fade into the background, listening to the different voices around me.
Chapter 58
“...and then he pulled out a bottle of wine. The sun was setting behind us, Alex. It was the most romantic thing I’ve ever experienced. It was perfect. More than perfect.
We climbed to the top of the mountain, the same one we used to visit as kids, and he had dinner waiting for us. Can you believe it? I was floored when I saw it. It was breathtaking!
It was, without a doubt, the best date I’ve ever been on.” Hannah was sprawled across my bed, lost in the memory of her date with Ben from the night before. She had come over to my place, her face lit up like a Christmas tree.
I was in the middle of getting ready for my date with Wes, adding a touch of bronzer and blush to complete my natural look. To sayI was nervous would be an understatement. It had been a while since I’d been on a date.
I’d forgotten how to act around boys. I was so used to keeping them at arm’s length, protecting myself.
As I began to curl my hair, I listened to Hannah recount her date. Little did she know, I already knew all the details. Ben had come over to my room to watch a movie and had shared everything from his perspective.
It was fascinating to hear about a first date from a guy’s point of view. I could tell he really liked her, and judging by her animated storytelling, she really liked him too.
“Oh! And then he walked me home. I know it’s just two minutes from here, but he still walked me all the way to my door and then he kissed me. He’s such a good kisser! I was probably terrible... oh god! I was terrible!”
She started to panic, so I reassured her that she wasn’t a bad kisser. Not that I would know, but it was what she needed to hear. It seemed to calm her down a bit, but she quickly returned to her excited rambling about the date.
Suddenly, she sat up and announced, “I’m starving. I’m going to grab some food. Don’t leave without saying goodbye, okay?” With that, she left my room, her footsteps echoing down the hallway until I heard a soft thud as she flopped down in the hallway. I was left alone, the soft hum of my music playing in the background. She had left my door wide open.
I finished curling my hair, leaving it in loose waves. As I turned to unplug the curling iron, I noticed Knox standing in hisdoorway, watching me. His arms were crossed over his chest, and I couldn’t help but check him out.
He was wearing black shorts that clung to his hips, leaving his abs bare. I was dressed in denim shorts and a bright orange top, paired with brown open-toe boot heels.
His eyes roamed over my body as if he was committing every detail to memory. I could feel my cheeks heating up under his gaze, and when his piercing blue eyes met mine, it felt like a punch to the gut.
My breath hitched in my throat, and I swallowed hard, unable to tear my gaze away from him.
He stepped into my room, closing the door behind him. I got up and started to rummage around my room, tossing things into my small bag.
I was stalling, trying to avoid meeting his gaze. I was weak when it came to his eyes.
He stopped me by gently taking hold of my hand and pulling me closer. His hand slid up my arm, cupping my cheek and tilting my head up to look at him.
“Don’t go,” he whispered, his breath warm against my face. I froze at his words, forgetting what I was doing. His thumb brushed my cheek as if I was something fragile that might shatter at any moment.
“Why?” I managed to whisper back, my brain and mouth not quite in sync.
His hesitation made me wonder what he had originally intended to say.
I was staring so hard into his bright blue eyes, which were pleading with me to stay. But I couldn’t. I had agreed to thisdate. Why did he suddenly care so much? I was so confused when it came to him.
The sound of the doorbell ringing snapped me out of my thoughts. It was Wes. Andy and Kyle had gone out for a drive, courtesy of Andy, allowing me to go on this date without Kyle or anyone else knowing.
My mom didn’t know about this. She would kill me when she found out, mainly for not keeping her in the loop. I really should tell her.
“I have to go, Knox. I’ll see you later.” I stepped away from his touch and grabbed my bag, heading for the door. I glanced back at him, wanting one last hug before I left. But I stopped myself. It wouldn’t be fair to him.
He followed me to the door and opened it for me. His hand rested on the small of my back, and I turned to look at him, trying to read his eyes. He leaned in and kissed my cheek, his lips lingering on my skin.
A tingling sensation spread across my face, and I closed my eyes, savoring the moment.
“I’ll see you soon, baby doll.” He stepped back, and I walked down the stairs to find Hannah chatting with Wes at the door. I came into view, and Knox was standing behind me.
Wes was leaning against the door frame, a smile on his face. Then his mouth dropped open as he saw me. I stood there awkwardly, rubbing my arm. Was my outfit too much? It was too much, wasn’t it?
