Page 63 of For Your Heart
Jordan smiles, though River continues to study my face.
“And last weekend…” My face flushes as I remember the situation Damon walked in on. “Without getting into details. I, uh, well, he said that if I need something from him, then I should tell him. Because he’s never slept with a guy more than once. He’s never done this. And the other reason he was coming over and we weren’t hooking up is because he didn’t want me to think that’s all he was interested in.”
I know that the way I’m looking at them is with hope and pleading for them to tell me I'm not wrong. So desperately do I need for one of them to tell me this is a good thing. That he feels about me the way I feel about him.
Jordan continues to smile, but River’s expression is more reserved and thoughtful. I know they just don’t want me to get hurt. It’s not likeIwant me to get hurt. But it’s pretty clear that I’m stupidly invested in Damon and I’m not sure what else to do about it at this point, except follow this path I’m on with him.
And hope he feels the same way.
“I really wish you’d have a conversation with him,” River says.
“I do,” I say, almost whiny. “We talk all the time. We text all the time and usually, he texts me first. Every morning and then before we go to sleep. Almost as soon as he leaves my house, he texts me.”
There are probably stars in my eyes as I tell them all the little things I’ve kept to myself this week. “He checks in with me all the time at work. I catch him watching me sometimes like I watch him. He’s even brought me a new puzzle that has the image of two men on it because he knows I love puzzles. He does puzzles with me.”
Am I projecting what I want to be there? Maybe I’m reading too much into it. I sigh in frustration because I know they’re right. I wouldn’t have so much doubt and be questioning things if I just talk to him and tell him how I feel. If I tell him what I want.
River takes my hand and squeezes it gently. “Sweetheart, itsoundslike you’re moving somewhere with him that you want to, but I’m still worried you’re seeing things through rose-colored glasses. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
Sighing, I nod. “Yeah, I know. I was just thinking that too.”
My phone rings and I almost ignore it, but when I pull it out and see Damon’s name blinking on my screen, a smile splits my face so widely, I can feel it in my temples. When I meet their eyes, the excitement just pours out of me. “I’m going to take this. I’ll be back.”
Jordan is still grinning and while River smiles too, I know they’re worried about how incredibly besotted I am. I’m glad they’re concerned for me. I’m probably not concerned enough about myself.
I answer the call before it goes to voicemail. When the screen blinks, I see that I’ve missed several texts from him too.
“Hi!” I say, far too enthusiastically.
“Hey,” he answers and I swear, I hear a smile in his voice. I’m imagining it, right? I’m just too excited that he’s actually calling me. “Am I interrupting?”
I look around as I head for the nearest exit. “No?” I ask, unsure what he means.
Damon chuckles. “It’s pretty loud there. You didn’t need to answer. It’s not an emergency.”
“It’s okay. I’m at the mall with my friends. They have a baby and needed to get out to stretch their legs since they haven’t left the house in six weeks,” I explain. “We’re not really doing anything but talking as we walk around.”
“You can call me back,” he says. “I don’t want to take you away from your friends. It’s really not an emergency.”
I bite my lip. “No. I want to talk to you.” My face heats as I step outside, and I pretend it’s the sun.
“Good,” he says quietly. “I want to talk to you too.”
“You do? About what? Is everything okay? If you can’t come over later, that’s okay. Is that what you were texting about? I’m sorry I didn’t hear my phone. I—”
“Easy, Najee. Take a breath.”
I do, my heart skipping at the word he keeps calling me. I keep forgetting to look it up.
“I called because I was worried when you didn’t answer, yes. But really, I just wanted to hear your voice.”
Okay, now my stomach is doing acrobats. He wanted to hear my voice!
“You do?” I whisper.
He chuckles. “Yeah, Sage. Is that okay?”
“Yes!” I flinch at the way I almost shout it. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be—”
