at the guys, who'd returned their attention to the game on the screen. “I'll be back, guys.”
He headed into the hallway, but Val stopped and shook her head. “Maybe outside?”
He nodded and turned toward the other way, back out the front door to the porch.
***
With summer slowly bleeding off, the temperatures had cooled somewhat. Val followed Darren out to the front porch. Trepidation made her want to hide, and she was so damn exhausted anyway.
She was confused as hell. But the orderly brain inside her head didn't want to continue this—whatever this was—without a set plan. Were they dating? Were they fuck buddies? Friends? She needed to know that they were defined. Losing her job had her world on end, but she at least wanted some kind of order where Darren was concerned.
Darren glanced around, turning his large body around in a circle. He sighed. “Sorry, must have trashed the porch furniture.”
The dejected look on his face reminded her of a child who'd been denied a cookie. Then another thought crept in her brain, planting insidious thoughts she couldn’t seem to set aside. How many months had it been since Darren's divorce? Three? Four? One didn't get over a marriage in a few months.
“Darren...” She huffed out a frustrated sigh. “This is hard.”
“That sounds like the beginning of a breakup speech, Val.”
“We'd have to be in a relationship to breakup.”
“I thought we were.”
Val's gaze shot to Darren. A relationship. He thought they were in a relationship? Sex didn't equal a relationship, did it?
“You know, Val, I get that your world is all a-flutter right now. I'm sorry you lost your job. I'd like to know you better.” Darren took her hand. “I like you.”
“It's too much for me. And for you. You just got a divorce.”
“I know,” Darren nodded, placing his hands on his hips. “What if we took it slow?”
“Slow? What we just did in your office is slow?” She laughed but it came out more like a croak.
“Well, no,” he admitted. “I meant from here on. Look, Val, I like you. But I think you might be on to something when you say that we're not ready for a hot and heavy relationship.” His expression turned thoughtful.
“Should we stop?” That question shouldn’t have hurt her gut so much to ask.
“It doesn't have to be an all or nothing thing. What if we... I don't know.” His brow furrowed.. Then his brow shot up and his lips turned up. “We should date.”
She stared at him, mouth agape, speechless. That was not what she expected. “You're serious?”
“Well, yeah.” His tone had a little bit of a “duh” factor laced in it as he laughed. “I'm a hockey player, chica . I don't know how to bullshit people. But I do know how to fight for what I want. So what do ya say?”
She frowned, still feeling a little unsure. She leaned against the wooden railing.
He smiled and stepped up to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Here's what I'm thinking. Let's do a real date, an official one. We can decide after that if we want to keep doing it.”
“What did you have in mind?” Val asked, curiosity taking over. She hated to admit it, but she wasn't ready to say goodbye to Darren. But she shouldn't have been thinking about it. She had enough to deal with. But there was a small part of her, slowly growing, that wanted more from Darren Moran.
He grinned, “Now, mi querida , that's for me to plan. Yours to enjoy.”
“I don't like surprises,” she said in all seriousness.
“Yes, but that sounded better than saying 'I don't know yet' didn't it?” He winked at her. “Come sit with me for a bit while the guys play. Unless...” He paused. “Do you want me to take you home?”
She shook her head. “Nah. I'm good.”
“Cool, because I was going to con Cody into looking at your car. But I need to give him at least two more beers.”
She laughed. He spread his arms wide, inviting her in. She melded herself against his side, wrapping her arms
He headed into the hallway, but Val stopped and shook her head. “Maybe outside?”
He nodded and turned toward the other way, back out the front door to the porch.
***
With summer slowly bleeding off, the temperatures had cooled somewhat. Val followed Darren out to the front porch. Trepidation made her want to hide, and she was so damn exhausted anyway.
She was confused as hell. But the orderly brain inside her head didn't want to continue this—whatever this was—without a set plan. Were they dating? Were they fuck buddies? Friends? She needed to know that they were defined. Losing her job had her world on end, but she at least wanted some kind of order where Darren was concerned.
Darren glanced around, turning his large body around in a circle. He sighed. “Sorry, must have trashed the porch furniture.”
The dejected look on his face reminded her of a child who'd been denied a cookie. Then another thought crept in her brain, planting insidious thoughts she couldn’t seem to set aside. How many months had it been since Darren's divorce? Three? Four? One didn't get over a marriage in a few months.
“Darren...” She huffed out a frustrated sigh. “This is hard.”
“That sounds like the beginning of a breakup speech, Val.”
“We'd have to be in a relationship to breakup.”
“I thought we were.”
Val's gaze shot to Darren. A relationship. He thought they were in a relationship? Sex didn't equal a relationship, did it?
“You know, Val, I get that your world is all a-flutter right now. I'm sorry you lost your job. I'd like to know you better.” Darren took her hand. “I like you.”
“It's too much for me. And for you. You just got a divorce.”
“I know,” Darren nodded, placing his hands on his hips. “What if we took it slow?”
“Slow? What we just did in your office is slow?” She laughed but it came out more like a croak.
“Well, no,” he admitted. “I meant from here on. Look, Val, I like you. But I think you might be on to something when you say that we're not ready for a hot and heavy relationship.” His expression turned thoughtful.
“Should we stop?” That question shouldn’t have hurt her gut so much to ask.
“It doesn't have to be an all or nothing thing. What if we... I don't know.” His brow furrowed.. Then his brow shot up and his lips turned up. “We should date.”
She stared at him, mouth agape, speechless. That was not what she expected. “You're serious?”
“Well, yeah.” His tone had a little bit of a “duh” factor laced in it as he laughed. “I'm a hockey player, chica . I don't know how to bullshit people. But I do know how to fight for what I want. So what do ya say?”
She frowned, still feeling a little unsure. She leaned against the wooden railing.
He smiled and stepped up to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Here's what I'm thinking. Let's do a real date, an official one. We can decide after that if we want to keep doing it.”
“What did you have in mind?” Val asked, curiosity taking over. She hated to admit it, but she wasn't ready to say goodbye to Darren. But she shouldn't have been thinking about it. She had enough to deal with. But there was a small part of her, slowly growing, that wanted more from Darren Moran.
He grinned, “Now, mi querida , that's for me to plan. Yours to enjoy.”
“I don't like surprises,” she said in all seriousness.
“Yes, but that sounded better than saying 'I don't know yet' didn't it?” He winked at her. “Come sit with me for a bit while the guys play. Unless...” He paused. “Do you want me to take you home?”
She shook her head. “Nah. I'm good.”
“Cool, because I was going to con Cody into looking at your car. But I need to give him at least two more beers.”
She laughed. He spread his arms wide, inviting her in. She melded herself against his side, wrapping her arms
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