talking about.”
“It’s lust, Kyle.”
“Lust?” He spoke like poison was in his mouth and he wanted to spit it out. “I know exactly what lust feels like, and that’s definitely not what I felt. It’s insulting that you would characterize it that way.”
I stepped back, knowing I wasn’t going to get out of this.
“Rose, just tell me why.”
“Why what?”
“You won’t give me a chance. Because I know it has nothing to do with me.”
It didn’t. In fact, if this were a few years ago I’d be falling madly in love right then and there. “I don’t want to talk about it. Please stop asking.” It was one of those things you were ashamed of. I wouldn’t tell a soul what happened unless I absolutely had to. It was the worst kind of shame anyone could bare.
Kyle didn’t press the topic. “That’s fine. But go out with me anyway.”
He wouldn’t give up. Not now. Not ever.
He stepped closer to me, taking back the distance I put between us. “Rose.” He said everything he meant with a single word. That’s how well I could read him.
“If I say yes, will you drop it?”
“Drop what, exactly?”
“We go out once and that’s it. You’ll leave me alone?”
“So, I only have one date to convince you to give me a second one?”
I crossed my arms over my chest and nodded.
“Talk about pressure…”
“That’s all I’m willing to give.”
He sighed like he was about to scale the tallest mountain. “I like a challenge.”
“I have one condition.”
“Name it.”
“You can’t kiss me.” That was the last thing I needed. A physical touch was more than I could bear. Handholding was okay, but anything else was too extreme. I knew he would question my strange request, ask me a million questions about it.
But he didn’t. “Whatever you want, sweetheart.
The Date
Rose
I gave him my address despite the warning in my heart. Giving out my residence was rare, practically unheard of. But when he asked for it I didn’t know what to say. If I refused, he would just ask me again.
So I gave in.
People weren’t always what they seemed, but Kyle seemed genuine. He was thoughtful and caring, and he was confident and protective. It was hard to picture a man like him being anything less than heroic.
But I’d been wrong before.
I wanted him. But I was also afraid of him.
At seven on the dot he knocked on my door.
I wore jeans and a blouse, not wanting to get too dressed up. I didn’t know what Kyle planned, and I hoped it wasn’t extravagant. This looming date was giving me anxiety and I tried to keep calm. He was a good man and I had to keep telling myself that.
Everything would be okay.
When I opened the door I saw him standing on the other side. A handful of flowers was in his grasp, an assortment of wild flowers. He wore dark jeans and a collared shirt, getting dressed up but not formal.
That made me feel better.
“I picked these myself. And it took me all day.” He placed them in my grasp.
Every flower was different. There was one red rose, a yellow daisy, and a white lily, among a variety of others. The fact they weren’t quickly bought at the store was touching. He took time out of his day to pick each one—and that meant something. “That was sweet…”
“I’m glad you like them. I thought about you while I picked them.”
I gave him a small smile before I set them on the entryway table.
“I’ve been looking forward to this for the past few days.”
I grabbed my clutch and felt my cheeks redden. Since I didn’t know what to say, I didn’t say anything at all.
“Thank you for going out with me. I think we’ll have a great time.”
“I’m sure we will.” After all the sweet things he said, I had to say something in return.
He never stepped into my apartment. He always stayed on the other side of the threshold. “Ready to go?”
“I am.” I shut the door behind me and locked it. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” He extended his hand, his
“It’s lust, Kyle.”
“Lust?” He spoke like poison was in his mouth and he wanted to spit it out. “I know exactly what lust feels like, and that’s definitely not what I felt. It’s insulting that you would characterize it that way.”
I stepped back, knowing I wasn’t going to get out of this.
“Rose, just tell me why.”
“Why what?”
“You won’t give me a chance. Because I know it has nothing to do with me.”
It didn’t. In fact, if this were a few years ago I’d be falling madly in love right then and there. “I don’t want to talk about it. Please stop asking.” It was one of those things you were ashamed of. I wouldn’t tell a soul what happened unless I absolutely had to. It was the worst kind of shame anyone could bare.
Kyle didn’t press the topic. “That’s fine. But go out with me anyway.”
He wouldn’t give up. Not now. Not ever.
He stepped closer to me, taking back the distance I put between us. “Rose.” He said everything he meant with a single word. That’s how well I could read him.
“If I say yes, will you drop it?”
“Drop what, exactly?”
“We go out once and that’s it. You’ll leave me alone?”
“So, I only have one date to convince you to give me a second one?”
I crossed my arms over my chest and nodded.
“Talk about pressure…”
“That’s all I’m willing to give.”
He sighed like he was about to scale the tallest mountain. “I like a challenge.”
“I have one condition.”
“Name it.”
“You can’t kiss me.” That was the last thing I needed. A physical touch was more than I could bear. Handholding was okay, but anything else was too extreme. I knew he would question my strange request, ask me a million questions about it.
But he didn’t. “Whatever you want, sweetheart.
The Date
Rose
I gave him my address despite the warning in my heart. Giving out my residence was rare, practically unheard of. But when he asked for it I didn’t know what to say. If I refused, he would just ask me again.
So I gave in.
People weren’t always what they seemed, but Kyle seemed genuine. He was thoughtful and caring, and he was confident and protective. It was hard to picture a man like him being anything less than heroic.
But I’d been wrong before.
I wanted him. But I was also afraid of him.
At seven on the dot he knocked on my door.
I wore jeans and a blouse, not wanting to get too dressed up. I didn’t know what Kyle planned, and I hoped it wasn’t extravagant. This looming date was giving me anxiety and I tried to keep calm. He was a good man and I had to keep telling myself that.
Everything would be okay.
When I opened the door I saw him standing on the other side. A handful of flowers was in his grasp, an assortment of wild flowers. He wore dark jeans and a collared shirt, getting dressed up but not formal.
That made me feel better.
“I picked these myself. And it took me all day.” He placed them in my grasp.
Every flower was different. There was one red rose, a yellow daisy, and a white lily, among a variety of others. The fact they weren’t quickly bought at the store was touching. He took time out of his day to pick each one—and that meant something. “That was sweet…”
“I’m glad you like them. I thought about you while I picked them.”
I gave him a small smile before I set them on the entryway table.
“I’ve been looking forward to this for the past few days.”
I grabbed my clutch and felt my cheeks redden. Since I didn’t know what to say, I didn’t say anything at all.
“Thank you for going out with me. I think we’ll have a great time.”
“I’m sure we will.” After all the sweet things he said, I had to say something in return.
He never stepped into my apartment. He always stayed on the other side of the threshold. “Ready to go?”
“I am.” I shut the door behind me and locked it. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” He extended his hand, his
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