Page 28 of Shifted

"If you'd like me to, or you could ghost me." He laughed softly as we finished off our pasta, putting the dishes away and rinsing them. I pulled on my coat and turned back to him, "I had fun tonight.” He took a step forward.

"Me too." Without warning, he pulled me in for a kiss, and we both sank into it.

I pulled back with a smile. "As much as I'd kill to continue, I must get home." I let go of him with a smile, "Thank you for dinner and the date." He grins, and I exit his apartment.

CHAPTER NINE

Hope Taylor

Lucas laid back on the sofa in my office, toying with a yo-yo he bought for Joely but seemed to busy himself with it, "So remind me again, you committed a felony with this guy? I mean, if you're going to go to jail, at least make sure the sex was worth it?"

"We haven't had sex, Lucas." He sat up straight, staring at me up and down like I was crazy. But sex wasn’t my top priority. I think trust was first. Maybe that’s a lot to ask for in a guy you just started dating, but I think it should be earned before I jump into bed with him. I liked him, but I didn’t want to rush things and get hurt.

"You haven't fucked the hot doctor yet? Does he have cooties or something?" He gains an eye roll from the use of ‘cooties,’ and I focus back on my computer. I really should be doing more research, but instead, I find myself enthralled by a man I met days ago. I wasn’t used to this feeling, wondering what he thought of me or even if he thought of me.

"In reality, I haven't had sex since Joely was conceived because how could I?" With that, the yo-yo falls to the floor, and his jaw drops. My celibacy took him by surprise, but I couldn’t find myself willing to sleep with someone. My heart was still slowly healing itself from its past mistakes.

"Wait… you haven't had sex in two and a half years?" He looked as if I said the most absurd thing in the world. He squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath and recollecting himself as he was now making me self-conscious, "Sorry, I just believe that sex is one of the many wonders in life. So you've been celibate since she was born?" He found it fascinating, while I was starting to see it humiliating. Why can’t a girl just not have sex and it be normal?

"It's very hard to get any action with a baby and now a toddler, Lucas. You don't see me going out to bars on the weekends?" He sighs, knowing I’m right. For me, it was too soon. But maybe this, maybe with Reed, I could finally heal. Lucas steps forward and leans over my desk, wanting to hear more.

"Okay, so tell me, did you at least kiss?"

"Yes…” I feel my cheeks heat as he is now pleased. “He's a good kisser. I thought I was probably sloppy, but Kenny says I'm good." He looked at me, confused as to who Kenny was and why on earth we kissed. "I kissed Kendall one time to know if I was a good kisser or not." A glazed expression dawns on his face, wondering if he’d heard me correctly.

"What? She's brutally honest! Hey, you can't be weird about this, you're bi-sexual anyhow. Imagine if I started commenting on you?" Recently, he’s been talking more to women, but it’s only because some dude broke his heart a little under a year ago.

"Yeah, but you don't see me making out with my best friends?" I sighed, powering down my computer and stepping back as my eyes began to sting from the screen. “I need a break. This case is killing me. Mr. Reign is coming in later today, and I want to look good, not like I'm running off a pack of stale saltines and a Diet Coke."

"Well, would you say the date went well?" He questions one last time.

It had been three days since our date. I thought it went well, but since then, it's just been crickets on his end. I've called once and texted twice. Maybe I've lost my mind, but I haven't been interested in anyone in a long time. But I remind myself that his job is time-consuming, and he barely gets a break.

"I don't know, he hasn't talked to me since?" He grimaced, looking doubtful. "Hmmm... maybe Kendall was lying to you, maybe you're a sloppy macker!" I scoffed at his remark and shooed him away from my desk.

A knock at the door came, and I looked over to see my assistant, "Hope, a guy named Reed Austen is here to see you." I looked at Lucas and stuck my tongue out as I was technically sticking his doubts to his face at this moment. Sloppy kisser, my ass.

"Send him in,” I warned Lucas. He stepped out of my office as Reed stepped in, brushing past him.

In his hand was a brown bag of what I guessed was food. "I figured I'd try and catch you for lunch?" I stared at the bag and then back at him, grateful.

"Are you stalking me, Reed?" He shrugged and stepped further into my office towards me. His finger brushed against the sofa as he looked around my office. I’d made the place my own over time, and it didn’t feel like just an office.

"Well, I worked a 36-hour shift, then slept, and then got called in again six hours later. So I wasn't ghosting you, my life just sucks?" I laughed, gesturing to the chair in front of my desk. He takes his seat and looks around my office in amazement. For an associate, I had a pretty good view of Boston, but Lucas’s, unfortunately, was better.

"Depends on what food you've brought me." He hands me the bag, and I pull out a grilled cheese and gasp in delight. “How did you read my thoughts?" I squeezed the tinfoil to my chest in excitement. I was starving. I didn’t even realize how hungry I’d been due to the business of work.

"You said you loved grilled cheese, and La Rosa's makes a great one, so... I was walking by on my way here and thought of you." I unwrapped the foil and parchment paper in bliss. I bit into the sandwich, practically thanking god for how good it tasted.

"Thank you," I muttered, and he grabbed the salad from the bag, smiling at me. “I figured I'd owe you some type of date," he says.

"Mmm, at least you're trying. Especially going as far as to stalk me. Steal me for lunch?" I watched as his cheeks grew rosy, and he shifted slightly. I thought it funny to call him my stalker or admirer, per se. But I didn’t really mean it. After all, he seemed to have some gentlemanly tendencies besides his arrogance.

"I remembered where you worked from the card, and I owed you lunch. I didn't really think I needed to text you, also because I've never really 'dated' someone before." My forehead creased at his assumption. I knew that’s what this was, but he hadn’t fully accepted the terms because he said he wasn’t the dating type.

"Oh, so we are dating? I'm not just some fling?" I grabbed my water bottle and sucked on the straw, looking back at him. "I don't do commitment.” He repeated, and I nodded my head. Yet, here we were. So now I’m left slightly confused.

"Ah, so it is a fling?" His eyes darted up from his salad, and he shook his head in denial. He stared at me for a moment and then sighed in some form of frustration. I could see him begin to break into a sweat, and I couldn’t even understand why.

---