I Never Expected You (I Never 2)

“I’m sorry, I’m nervous. I just wanted tonight to be perfect.” I know she is used to seeing me as Mr. Cool, with my shit all together. Right now, I feel anything but.

“What? Why are you nervous? It’s just me.” She removes her hand from my cheek, and I already miss her touch, but then she reaches down and grabs my hand.

Her touch brings me ease. How is that even possible?

I look down at my feet once more before I lift my eyes to meet hers. “That’s exactly why I’m nervous, Hails.” I interlock our fingers in our already joined hands. They fit perfectly together. “You’re you, and I’m me. I know that you had trouble saying walrus until you were twelve, calling it a ‘walwus,’ or that you know that I wet the bed till I was seven. Shit, how about the fact that we all used to take baths together?”

“Well, I didn’t know that fact about you, but I do now.”

Fuck, I did it again. I have never felt more vulnerable than I do right now, but I see a smile come across her face before she breaks out in a fit of giggles.

“Do you still have that blanket in the back of the Jeep?”

“Of course. Why?” What does a blanket have anything to do with salvaging our date?

“As you said, we’ve known each other our whole lives, so you know that I am super easy to please with a cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate shake. So, what do you say…” Haylee looks behind her to the burger joint a few doors down. “…we get ourselves some food to go and go back to the Jeep, get that blanket, and head to the park for a late-night picnic by the fountain? I know you went through all this effort to make tonight perfect, but I didn’t need a fancy dinner for that. I just need you.”

If I don’t kiss her now, I am definitely going to regret it, so for the first time tonight, I act instead of thinking. I place one hand on her hip and pull her close to me. This is her chance to tell me to stop if this isn’t what she wants. She has to feel this connection, though; it can’t just be me, right? I step in closer to her so that our bodies are almost touching. The other hand I use to cup her cheek. I lean down, our lips barely touching, a ghost of a kiss. I breathe her in. She smells of lavender and honey. Before I can fully plant my lips on hers, the reality of our surroundings comes to life as a taxi blasts his horn, causing us both to jump back. Well, so much for that—the moment is gone.

I reach down and grab her hand.

“Come on, baby girl, let’s go get you that shake,” I say followed by a wink.

Her reaction to my nickname isn’t lost on me either. Her eyes gets brighter, and her smile goes wider.

By the time we reach the park, the street lights are starting to come on, but luckily there are some events at the park, so it is still open. I grab the blanket out of the back of my Jeep and hand it off to Hails before reaching and grabbing our bag of food and two milkshakes. It takes us a few minutes to find the perfect spot. I set the food bags down and spread out the blanket before we both take a seat. In the Jeep, I took off my jacket and tie and rolled up my sleeves. I noticed the way Haylee was looking at my arms as I rolled my sleeves up, and clearly, she liked what she saw. I wonder if seeing my arms like this turns her on and makes her wet. Fuck, keep it PG, Jacobs!

The conversation comes so easy with Haylee. What is it about this girl? I can’t exactly figure it out, but with all other girls, I was never interested in talking, just getting in their pants if I’m really honest. But with Haylee, at least once I pushed the nerves aside, we haven’t been able to shut up. This is nice, like really nice. I take Haylee all in as she takes a large bite of her cheeseburger in her fancy dress. She has never looked more beautiful than she does now.

“Here.”

I look up from my burger to see Haylee has dipped one of her fries into her shake and is ready to feed me. I lean in and take it from her, my lips grazing her skin. Holy shit, fast food has never been sexier than it is at this moment.

“See, I don’t know what they taught you in your house, but in my house, you dip your french fries in the milkshake. They go together like peanut butter and jelly.”

“Now you’re speaking my language, sweetheart.”

She lets out a belly laugh. “Please don’t tell me that at twenty years old, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are still your favorite food.”

“Hell yeah, they are!”

Her laughter continues. “Now, that’s just the cutest thing ever.”

“Do you think I’m cute, Miss Hanks?”

She shakes her head with a big smile. “Nope! I said the fact that you still love PB and Js is cute. Not you.”

I scowl at her in a devious way. “No, that’s not it. You think I’m cute.” This is the perfect moment to try that first kiss again. “Yep, you definitely think I’m cute. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of getting all pretty to go out with me.”

She tilts her head to the side, probably trying to avoid getting smothered with the sexual tension surrounding us. “Did you just call me pretty?”

“Yes, but I didn’t mean it.”

Her smile fades. Mine doesn’t.

I lean in and cup her cheek, running my thumb along her cheekbone. “You’re absolutely beautiful.”

I go to move forward to meet her lips with my own and splat!