More Than Her
Page 9

 Jay McLean

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 So I did.
 Before the car had come to a stop, she was taking off her seatbelt and turning to face me.
 I switched the car off and did the same.
 And we sat there, staring at each other.
 She licked her lips. My eyes focused on it. My palms began to sweat and for some reason, I was actually nervous. I put my hand to the side of her face, my fingers laced through her hair. I bought her face closer to mine and closed my eyes. I heard her breath catch. Our lips touched slightly, right before she...laughed.
 Fucking laughed.
 I swear at this point I thought she might actually be crazy. Legit, crazy. But then she looked at me with tears in her eyes from laughing so hard, and I couldn't help but do it, too. So there we were, laughing like idiots. Then I felt her hand on my leg and her mouth was mine and before I knew it we're kissing.
 And not the first kiss type kissing, but kissing.
 My hand went back up to the side of her face. I pushed my fingers through her hair to brought her closer to me.
 She moaned.
 I deepened the kiss.
 Her hands reached up to hold my arms.
 And we kissed.
 She leaned in closer, one hand going to my hair, tugging.
 I opened my mouth to lick her lips.
 Then our tongues collided.
 And so did the world around us.
 My arm went around her to bring her closer. I didn't want to stop. Not yet.
 She pulled back abruptly, her eyes wide. "Shit," she muttered.
 "Wow," I breathed out. Apparently I'd grown a vagina.
 She settled back into her seat, put on her belt, and then looked over at me.
 I never once took my eyes off her.
 She smiled. "You can take me to dinner now," she said.
 So I did.
 
 ***
 
 We ended up at a steak house a few blocks from her work. "This place has the best banana splits known to man." She walked ahead of me towards the restaurant doors. I watched her ass.
 I opened the door for her and we walked in with my hand on the small of her back.
 We got seated in a corner booth. I sat on one side. She sat on the other.
 "So," I started. "You're the first girl I've ever taken out on a date."
 She threw her head back in laughter.
 I raised my eyebrows.
 "Oh shit!" Her features straightened. "You're serious?"
 I nodded.
 "How awkward for you." She didn't even try to hide her smirk.
 "It is." I fake pouted. "And you're being mean. You should be holding my hand and comforting me."

 "Aw," she cooed, treating me like a baby.
 "I mean it," I told her.
 She scooted closer to me. "Better?"
 "Nope." I moved so I was right next to her. "This is better." I put my arm on the seat behind her head.
 She smiled up at me.
 And something in me switched.
 That was the moment she became more.
 More than just hot, or sexy, or any of the other things I'd call her if I was surrounded by other like-minded assholes. My dad—he would call it timeless, or classic. The type of beauty that no matter what time, age or era, would always still be beautiful. She was beautiful.
 "How come I've never seen you before? At parties or whatever?"
 She shrugged. "Not really the party type girl."
 "Figures," I said. "I'd for sure remember you."
 She bit her lip.
 I kissed it.
 She kissed back, only for a moment, before laughing into my mouth.
 "You just kiss people whenever you want, huh?"
 I chuckled. "No, just you, Amanda. I can't fucking help myself around you." Truth.
 She started blushing. Then subtly moved closer to me. Her hand landed on my leg.
 I moved my arm and placed it over her shoulders, and then lifted her chin with my finger. I licked my lips. She did the same. Her eyes drifted shut. I leaned down. "Ahem." Stupid throat clearing douche hole waiter. "Hey, Amanda," he said flatly.
 She pulled away from me, and faced the waiter, her eyes wide. "Hey, Greg."
 The kid didn't say shit. Just glared at me. "Problem?" I asked him.
 "I'll be back," she said from next to me. Then stood up and pulled Glarey McGlare Dick away from the table.
 They walked over to the bar area and spoke heatedly to each other. His arm kept pointing at me. I got up on his third point. She raised her hand to stop me. I waited. Then she spoke calmly to him, and after a few moments, she visibly relaxed and got on her toes to hug him.
 She resumed her position next to me, but not as close. I waited for her to speak. To tell me what the fuck just happened. But she never did. Instead, she just opened the menu in front of her, smiled at me, and said, "You wanna just get a little of everything and share it?"
 "Sure." I stopped caring about what happened the second she smiled.
 
 ***
 
 We ordered and ate almost silently. I made a mental note to take her somewhere else next time. Somewhere we could actually talk. Maybe I was getting too far ahead of myself. Maybe I just really wanted there to be a next time.
 She was right. That place did have the best banana splits known to man, and the biggest ones too. We ended up having to share, which was a great excuse to be closer to her.
 "So I need to ask you something," I told her while we waited for the check.
 She moved in closer again, her hand rested on my leg. Without even thinking, I took it in mine and linked our fingers. And then froze. I wondered for a moment if it was like that with everyone, the nerves and sweaty palms of first kisses, or the seemingly natural progression of first dates.
 "Logan?" She pulled me away from my thoughts.
 "Huh?" I looked down at our linked hands.
 She squeezed it once. "You were going to ask me something?"
 My eyes lifted to meet hers. What was I going to say? Oh yeah. "That day when I tried to get your number, and you didn't give it to me. You got all weird when I told you my name. What's that about?"
 She laughed. "I don't know. I've kind of heard about you." My eyebrows rose, wanting her to continue. "You know my friend Alexis?"
 "Oh yeah. I like Alexis." A smug smile took over my face. "She's good at giving out numbers."
 She continued to laugh. "I know you like her, Logan. Well, you did. Once. One night— year or so ago. You guys kind of fooled around, and then you never called her. Although, in your defense, you straight out told her you wouldn't, so she wasn't too surprised."
 My mouth dropped.
 She laughed at my reaction.
 
 ***
 
 We walked out of the restaurant hand in hand. Once we were in my car, I turned to her. She was already facing me. "So." I said.
 "So." She smiled.
 "I kind of don't want to take you home," I told her.