“I paid for your climbing. I left the money with Emily. And I’m not kissing you again.”
“You didn’t even stay to congratulate me,” he muttered.
“You were busy,” she pointed out. “I didn’t want to intrude on the fan club meeting. But, it was a nice climb. Well done.”
He searched her face, but she betrayed no emotion. What was she thinking? It was so frustrating. He absolutely couldn’t predict her thoughts or her actions.
“So you were just going to leave? Without even telling me?”
She groaned. “Josh. I’m not sure what you expect from me. We barely know each other. I’m leaving tomorrow for Colorado. And we obviously don’t think the same way about relationships.”
“How do you know that?”
“Really? I’ve seen you in action. You pick up girls all the time. You were going after my sister yesterday, until you switched gears and went after me. You picked up two extra tonight. And I don’t date at all. I think guys are great for carrying heavy gear and belaying me on my climbs. Otherwise, I don’t have much use for you.”
Josh stared at her, speechless. He’d never met a girl who aggravated him as much as this one. His life would be easier if he forgot all about her. And duller. Boring. What was it Charlie had said? Straight walls are easy and boring. I don’t do boring.
She cleared her throat, the noise snapping him back to the present. “If you don’t mind, get out of the car, so I can go home.”
“I can be useful.”
“What?”
“I can be useful for more than just carrying heavy gear and belaying your climbs, if you give me a chance.”
“Josh, you’re only interested in me for the fight, for the challenge. If I didn’t fight with you, you’d lose interest and move on to the next girl. You proved it when you switched your focus from my sister to me.”
He shook his head. “I know you don’t believe me, but that’s not true. I admit I was playing a game when I pursued your sister. But you’re different.” He watched her shaking her head. He was losing her.
“Please!” he said desperately. “I said I wanted to kiss you again, and I do. But what I want even more is for you to stay with me. Don’t go home yet. Come and hang out with me. Let me buy you dinner. We’ll all hang out together. Totally safe.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea—”
“It’s a date already. You paid for my climbing. It won’t hurt you. Just try it. If you don’t, we’ll never know. But what if you’re wrong? What if I could be good for you, and you gave up without even trying?”
He could see she was wavering. She pursed her lips, and he resisted the urge to lean over and kiss them. How strange. He’d never resisted an urge with a girl before. It felt awkward and uncomfortable. Maybe he should kiss her like he had the night before. But something told him if he did, she’d be gone from his life forever. It felt like that would leave an awful hole. How could it hurt to lose someone you never had? Someone you just met? She was still considering. Should he say something else? Try a different tack?
He felt her piercing stare cutting into his eyes. She crossed her arms. “Just hanging out? Not sex? Not making out? Not even kissing?”
“Hanging out together—that’s all I’m asking for.” He felt a rock lift from the pit of his stomach. She was going to stay. He had her for a few more hours. He’d never felt so happy about being physically rejected before. He wasn’t sure he’d ever actually been rejected before. Hmmm. Not since high school, anyway.
“Okay, but you can’t tell anyone we kissed last night, either.”
“Can I just tell Brad? You know, it’s a guy thing. I like to brag.”
“You can brag about the last climb. Leave me out of it.”
“All right,” he teased. “But can you and I talk about it? Just between the two of us? ‘Cause it was a pretty nice kiss.”
“Josh!”
“Okay, okay.” He climbed out of the car with what must be a silly grin on his face and held out his hand. “Shall we go?”
Spencer was accepting congratulations on successfully completing the climb with the overhang, when Brad let out a surprised, “I can’t believe it!”
Emily turned to see what had caught his eye, and found Josh with an absolutely triumphant smile, leading an obviously reluctant Charlie by the hand to join them. He refused to relinquish her hand when they arrived at the bench.
Emily grinned. “Hello again, Sister. Had a change of heart?” She noted Charlie’s flushed face. Was that excitement or embarrassment?