Only One Kiss (Only One 1)

“How much butter?” she asks, and I want to lean down and kiss her lips. I’ve kissed her for the past ten days in my dreams. Every single night, I kiss her like I want to kiss her. Right when I slip into bed, I close my eyes and fall asleep to the fact that I miss her and I want her. Every single day, I pick up the phone a dozen times to call her but then remember I told her that we can’t go there. She was the one who agreed with me!

“One tablespoon,” I say, picking it up, and she laughs.

“You don’t think it tastes that good with a tablespoon of butter,” she says and then shakes her head. “It’s three-quarters of a cup of butter.”

“Holy shit,” I say. “That’s like . . .”

“Heaven,” she says, handing me Ari. “Let me see if I can save these poor sad shrimp.”

“They aren’t sad looking,” I say, grabbing Ari. Ari is not keen on leaving Candace just yet because she whines to go back to her. All I want to say is me, too, princess. I’m about to say something when I hear the front door open and then close. Candace looks at me, and I look back at her and then hand her Ari while I put them behind me.

“Who is that?” Candace asks, and I don’t think I’ve ever been more scared in my whole life. Did I leave the door open? I’m about to say something to her like run when Miranda walks into the room and she is holding two plastic bags filled with groceries.

“Hey,” she says, smiling at me, and then her eyes go from me and then to Candace. “Oh, I didn’t know you had company.”

I stand here shocked that she is even here. “Candace, this is Miranda. She watches Ari.” I look at Candace, who’s holding Ari on her hip now. “Miranda, this is Candace.” I don’t give her a title because it would be silly. What would I say? This is my social girl who I dream of nightly?

“Hi,” Candace says, and her eyes go to me and then back to Miranda. “I was just trying to save dinner, and then I’ll be on my way,” she says, handing me Ari and then turning around. I stand here, confused by what is going on. What is going on?

“You know I could write it down, and you two can do it together.” She avoids looking at me.

“That would be great,” Miranda says, and I just look over at her. She puts the bags on the counter and then smiles at me.

“What’s going on?” I ask them, not expecting anyone to actually answer me.

“I thought we could have dinner,” Miranda says, looking at me, and I’m just in shock.

“Actually,” Candace says. “I’m going to text you the recipe.” She starts to walk out of the room. “Have a great night,” she says and avoids looking at me as she practically runs out of the kitchen. I stand here, not sure what to do or say. When Miranda comes closer, I see that she’s wearing a shirt you can almost see through and a skirt that is a bit short.

“Hey, pretty girl,” she says, touching Ari’s cheek, and I move her away from the touch.

“Candace.” Walking away from Miranda, I rush out as the sound of the front door slamming fills the silent hallway. “Candace!” I call her name again, and when she turns around, I can see that there was a tear on her face.

“Listen.” She shakes her head. “I shouldn’t have come or thought or did any of this,” she says. “I’ll send you the recipe in twenty minutes as soon as I get home.” The sound of her car doors being unlocked makes my heart speed up faster at the thought of her leaving. Especially after I finally fucking got her here.

“Wait, why are you leaving?” I ask her.

“You are cooking for your date.” She points at the house, and I look at her and then back at the front door again.

“She’s the babysitter,” I say. “That’s the babysitter.”

“Well, the babysitter wants to have sex with you,” she says. I think of the way Miranda was asking me all sorts of questions this week and then staying later than she should have and brushing up against me.

“No,” I say, shocked, and then I close my eyes. “I do not want to have sex with her,” I say to Candace. “Oh my God, I don’t want anything to do with her like that.” I fumble the words, hoping she believes me and doesn’t think I’m just messing around with her.

“I just want her to watch Ari, and now I think I’m going to have to fire her.” I look from Ari to Candace and then back at my house. “Can you take her and go to the backyard while I go in and fire her?” She looks at me, not sure. “Candace, I swear on Ari that I never, ever wanted anything to do with her. She never even crossed my mind.” I speak the truth while leaving out that she’s the only person who has crossed my mind.