Jerk

I smile, recalling that night, and eye him. “You mean the moody, atmospheric lamp I’m supposed to leave on in case I bring a date back?”

He appears impressed. “You remembered.”

“I’d never forget.”

Danny glances down at the ground. I wonder if his mind is going somewhere too now. Then he lifts his eyes to mine. “And how’s your plant?”

“Dead.”

He gasps. “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that! It … It was such a pretty plant.”

“It was around my birthday last year. Just sort of … started shriveling up, nothing I did seemed to revive it. Seems on par with things I care about.” I shrug. “Guess I’m not so good at taking care of things other than myself after all. Bad first impression for potential boyfriends.”

“Hey, don’t beat yourself up too much about it. Taking care of a plant can be hard work,” he points out. “Especially considering the plant.”

“Or the boyfriend.” I turn to him. “Am I the reason you and Joey broke up?”

The question stops him completely. He looks at me. We’re both frozen in place, our eyes intensely connected as if by a steel cable.

I follow my unanswered question with another: “What did you tell Joey? About what happened that night? You had to have told him something. He came at me in the gym.”

“I …” His whole face changes. “Wait, he what?”

“Was he mad? When you told him?”

“I mean …” He glances down at the water, as if to find the memory. “He wasn’t not mad. But he was always a bit hard to read whenever he got angry. He would stuff things down all the time, then pick the absolute worst moment to blow up. Like halfway through a rewatch of my favorite movie on Christmas Eve, for example. Or on my birthday.” He looks me in the eye. “Why are you asking this?”

“It’s something that’s on my mind. Since you asked.”

He frowns. “And he ‘came at you in the gym’ you said?”

“Yep. Pinned me to a wall. I was half turned on. It was confusing.”

Danny bites his lip with frustration. “It’s all the more reason to have broken it off with him when I did.” He looks at me. “I’m sorry, Romeo. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“I guess he was just being protective of you. It makes sense.” I stop. Wait, am I actually defending that prick?

Danny notices, too. “That’s rather … understanding of you.”

I shrug. “I mean, the guy’s still a fucking tool, don’t get me wrong.”

“I’m still sorry it happened.”

“I’m not sorry for why it happened.”

Danny turns to me. He seems like he was about to say something, but my words stopped him.

I take a step closer to Danny. “The difference between that night and tonight … is now we’re both single. And alone.”

Feeling brave, I bring a hand to the side of his head, giving his hair a gentle stroke as I peer into his eyes. His breathing changes. Mine, too. I can’t remember the last time I felt this vulnerable to someone.

Actually, I do. It was when he put his hand through my hair. Just like this. “You have some perfect hair, too, y’know,” I tell him, echoing his words thoughtfully. “Always falls into a style, no matter what you do with it. Easy to … just run your fingers through it.”

Danny gets lost in my eyes, speechless.

He’s captured. I’ve got him. I remember every detail about that night, and I know he does, too. My hand slides to the back of his head, where I gently take hold. I slowly bring my face toward his, closing my eyes, ready for his lips to meet mine again.

My mouth meets a finger instead.

I open my eyes, confused, to find him pressing a finger to my lips.

“Not so fast, Smooth Moves,” he says.

“I thought we were having a moment,” I mumble against his finger.

“Tonight’s going great so far, isn’t it?”

“I … yeah, it is, but—”

“So why ruin it with a kiss?”

“Since when has a kiss ruined anything? Kisses are the best,” I say, my lips still pressed to his finger. “You know what I think? I think you’re hot for me and won’t admit it. I think …” I take his finger and gently move it out of the way. “… you’re wondering how that night would have gone if you weren’t with Joey at the time.”

His eyes drop to my lips.

“Here’s your chance, Danny. It’s just us. This whole night is ours. You’re feeling it. I’m feeling it. So kiss me. Just give in and kiss me.”

I feel the sexual tension tightening between us. It’s unmistakable. Like a powerful fucking magnet, pulling our bodies closer and closer.

My lips have to be his first and last thought.

His lips are my only destination.

We’re just one figurative nudge away from at last seeing where this night can go.