Page 16 of See Her
For the time being, I try to get out of my head and stop wondering if he’s a genuine gentleman that takes things slow, or if I’m kidding myself.
8
JACK
Mayzie doesn’t mention our mutual silence. In fact, we spend several minutes watching the sun sparkle on the water, neither one of us feeling a need to break it. Occasionally, we glance over at each other and exchange a smile before looking back out at the river.
This sweet girl…woman, she got my attention the other day with her laughter and smile, and now she’s bringing those things out of me. I don’t know how else to explain why I’m feeling the way I am. It’s justthere.
The sun changing position in the sky is almost symbolic, like it’s telling me Mayzie and I have stepped into a new phase. I feel like some kind of bond has been formed between us, and it happened while neither of us was speaking.
The crisp spring breeze pulls a strand of her brown hair free from her low knot, and she gives me an easy smile as she pulls it from flying in her face. I swear to God, I hear a few chords ring to life in my head just from that.
Any other girl I would have kissed – and quite possibly more – by now. And every other girl I have moved that quickly with, it never lasted long.
With Mayzie, I know I’ve got to do things differently. I’m not ready to say goodbye to her and the way I feel right now. I don’t think there will ever be a time.
But, fuck, do I ever want to kiss her, and the moment I do, I know I’ll fall in love… if I haven’t already.
On our walk back to the bike, I have the strongest urge to take her hand, but there’s no way I’d be able to stop there.
When I fire the Harley back up, we’re treated to more companionable silence, minus the puttering roar of the engine.
The ride back to her car is bittersweet in comparison to the day, and I find myself already not wanting to drop her off.
I hold back my hand over my shoulder for her to hold onto, and I feel her absence immediately when she swings her leg off the bike and climbs off, like part of me has been pulled away.
Being with her is so easy, and I’m getting to know her so much better than if we’d already kissed and/or had sex by now. I’m using this time to get to know her, and I’m not spending time with anyone else.
She pulls off her helmet, and before I know what I’m doing, I yank my own off as well and cut the engine.
She looks questioningly at me as I reach for her hand and pull her to me.
What the fuck I’m doing, I don’t know.
“Are you seeing anyone?” I hear the words leave my mouth as if I’m a bystander that didn’t actually speak them.
I see the surprise in her beautiful grey eyes before she looks down at our hands and then back up at me.
“No,” she breathes, and a nervous smile spreads on the soft pink lips I want to kiss so badly. I want to ignore that annoying inner voice that reminds me what will happen if I rush it with her like I did with all the others. But I want her more.
“Why?” she asks, still adorably timid all of a sudden. I want to tell her because she’s seeingmenow, but am afraid it would sound too dominant, far too soon.
“I… just want to manage my expectations,” I decide to go with instead.
“What about you?” she asks, starting to relax. “Are you seeing anyone?”
I lean forward and kiss the corner of her mouth because I can’t fucking seem to help myself. “Only you,” I answer as I lean away and give her hand a squeeze before releasing it.
I watch Mayzie as she gets into her car and feel my phone go off in my jacket pocket as she pulls out of the lot. I reach for it to find a text from my buddy, Tyler, who I work here at The Cedar with, letting me know there’s a private party happening in the bar tonight and we’re being asked to play.
Though she’ll be in my fantasies as I lie down tonight, right now, I already miss her.
Mayzie
“I’m seeing someone,kind of… maybe… I don’t know,” I confess to Annie as I get undressed after my magical day with Jack.
“Whoa, slow down,” she admonishes from my phone’s speaker that lies on top of my dresser as I wrestle my bra off. “Back up. What are you talking about?”