Nodding, I considered this. “I get that. I just don’t want to need rescuing.”
“You don’t. You’re one of the strongest people I know. You had a huge disappointment but didn’t let it ruin your summer. You made the most of this job and didn’t let one jerk steal your sunshine and smiles. You’re pretty amazing.”
“Maybe I am.” I smirked to cover all the emotions rising in my chest. I hadn’t realized he saw me like that. Heck, I wasn’t sure that I saw me like that. A success. Capable. I wanted to be that person he admired.
“Brat.”
We both laughed, back on familiar footing. Better now because the line between game and reality seemed clearer. I was capable of managing my own life, and we both knew it. Exactly how we both knew that I enjoyed playing the brat to his stern Daddy and neither of those roles negated my ability to be an adult. And the laughter was a welcome reminder that we could have fun together, that this wasn’t all heavy conversation and negotiations.
“I should probably get back soon,” I said reluctantly.
“Yep. Don’t want Blake to come hunting you down.” Joe chuckled before sobering. “I actually came in not only to apologize, but also to ask you something.”
“What?” I leaned forward. Maybe if I stretched far enough I could manage a kiss after all.
“You want to go out sometime?”
“Like a date?” Smiling and slightly dazed, I slumped back in my chair. “I wasn’t aware we did that.”
“We should.” He gave a decisive nod. “I meant it. I want to be more than hot sex and hot tubs. More than friends with benefits.”
“Me too,” I whispered. “Yeah. Yeah, we can go out on a date.”
“Good.” He beamed and blushed, blushed and beamed.
Fuck it. Table and potential audience be damned, I couldn’t wait another minute. I leaned over and kissed him soundly. He tasted sweet, like the drink I’d perfectly made for him, and like Joe, the guy I was falling for more and more. As we kissed, the coffeeshop faded away until it was simply him and I, back to where we’d been all along.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Joe
I was nervous. I didn’t date much, and unlike my advice to my dad to bring flowers and wear a tie, there didn’t seem to be as many clear-cut rules for Levi and me. Although, maybe flowers couldn’t hurt.
“Hey, you.” Levi rapped on the passenger-side window of my truck before opening the door.
We’d agreed on meeting in front of his building. It was a Friday, a week since our fight, and while we’d had plenty of long talks and some significant couch cuddling, date night felt like a significant step forward. Another way to leave our argument in the past and look toward the future. And definitely momentous enough to warrant a little gift.
Levi’s eyes went wide as he scooped up the cellophane tube on his seat. “A flower? For me?”
“It’s kind of—okay, very cheesy.” My neck felt hotter than the August air outside. “Look close.”
A first glance, the package looked like a solitary red rose, but as Levi removed the wrapping, it became clearer that the flower was artificial.
“It turns into fabric…” Giggling like a kid on Christmas, he unfurled the rose to reveal the reason it had been for sale at First-Rate Finishes. “Sexy panties?”
“Figured I need to do my part to add to the collection.”
“You do have good taste.” He made another pleased noise. “I’m going to model them later.”
“Counting on it.” I put the truck in gear as soon he buckled up, distracting myself from my rapidly hardening cock.
Hell, the way he fingered the panties and rubbed them was sexy enough. I couldn’t wait to see them on him. A sleep-over couldn’t come soon enough.
“These are so much cooler than another plant for me to try to keep alive.”
“Eh. You’ve done pretty good with the professor’s herbs and ferns.” Heading toward the college, I stopped for a red light, drumming my fingers against the wheel. “You…uh…only have a few weeks until she’s back?”
Levi shot me a look that said he knew perfectly well what I was getting at. “I have an interview Monday for the position with the housing project.”
“You applied?” I almost missed the light flipping to green. During our conversations that past week, we’d both carefully avoided talking about jobs or housing or the end of summer.
“Yeah, but not because of you.” Levi laughed, but there was an edge to his voice that made my neck prickle and my stomach tense.
“No?”
“Because of me,” he said firmly as we navigated around the college.
The campus was still pretty deserted, but another few weeks, and it would be teeming with students and activity. Summer was ending, but hopefully not us. Here’s hoping.
I shot him a cautious glance as he continued, “Because I want to see what happens if I stay put here for a while. I like working at Bold Brew, but the idea of using my degree a little more while helping people is also intriguing. And this job has a housing stipend if an applicant is willing to live on-site and handle after-hours calls.”
“That’s good. You’d be good at that.” I made sure I put a lot of enthusiasm in my voice.
I’d been entertaining a vague notion of asking him to move in if he needed a place to stay, but this plan made a lot more sense than me swooping in with the rescue, as he’d called it. I did like to rescue, but he also liked being independent, and I could respect that. And he would be perfect in that property manager capacity—soothing, helpful, and learning new things while assisting others. My big idea could wait for the right moment.
“I know a good electrician if the lights go out…”
“I do, too.” He matched my teasing tone. “My electrician even makes late-night house calls.”
“For you? Always.” My laugh was as much relief as humor. “And your mom? She’ll be okay if you stay around here?”
“As she keeps telling me nearly daily, she’ll be fine. She’s not the first forty-year-old to have a baby. I’d like to go visit soon, though. Maybe I could take you with me?”
“I’d like that.” My chest tightened.
A road trip together would be another relationship milestone, something real couples did, the whole meet the family thing. The idea made me nervous, but a good nervous. I wanted to see all the places and people Levi talked about.
“So where are we going?” Levi asked. He’d told me to pick since he still didn’t know the area as well as me. “Please tell me it’s not somewhere with a reservation. I’m saving my one tie for the interview—”
“You’re fine. You look hot.” At another red light, I deliberately swept my gaze over his green shirt that matched the flecks in his eyes. His jeans were newer and closer fitting than usual too, dressy without being job interview stuffy. “I’m leaving fancy reservations to Dad and Inez. No, we’re going to Olympia, a little Greek place that Mom loved. She always requested it for birthdays and anniversaries. I thought you might like it too.”