Page 21 of One Night

"It's not a big deal." He kisses me. "I'll go get the car."

"Matt, wait." I turn to Kira. "Kira, could you stay here and get us a table?"

"Sure. Go ahead."

I give her a hug. "Thanks! We won't be long, I swear."

Matt and I go back outside.

"Wait here," he says. "I'll get the car."

"I'm fine. I can walk."

"But your shoes." He points to my black high heels.

"I'll be okay. It's not that far."

He holds my hand as we walk to the car, then opens my door for me. Before I can get in, he pulls me in for a kiss. Like always, it's a nice kiss. There's just no sparks.

Why are there no sparks? I like Matt. I'm attracted to him. We get along great.

Damn Dylan. It's his fault. If it weren't for that night, I wouldn't have these high expectations. I'd feel sparks with Matt and everything would be great.

"You look really hot tonight," Matt says as we're driving back to my apartment. We're at a stop light and he reaches over and rubs his hand over my bare knee and smiles. "Maybe tonight's the night."

He wants sex. I knew it. I knew this dress would make him want sex. Or maybe it's just the fact that he's waited so long. By now we should've done it, and I would have if I weren't still thinking about Dylan. I'm worried if I have sex with Matt I'll be imagining Dylan while we're doing it, which isn't fair to Matt. But I can't get Dylan out of my head so what do I do? I can't put this off forever.

When I don't respond, Matt takes his hand off my knee and says, "Sorry, Amber. I wasn't trying to push you. I can wait as long as you need."

I nod and give him a smile. "Thanks. You're a really great boyfriend."

Back at my apartment, Matt waits in the car while I run up and get a sweater. Then we return to the bar.

Matt goes to get drinks while I meet up with Kira, who's sitting at a round table toward the back of the bar. It's a long ways from the stage but the place is packed so we're lucky we got a table at all.

"Sorry we took so long," I say to Kira, raising my voice to be heard above the sound of guitar strings coming from the speakers behind us. "Sounds like the band's warming up." I glance at the stage but can't see anything because girls are lined up in front of it. "Matt's getting drinks. What do you want?"

"Rum and Coke."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

I find Matt at the bar. "Kira wants a Rum and Coke."

"Got it." He tells the bartender and we wait for our drinks. I take Kira's and mine and we go back to the table.

"Here you go." I hand Kira her drink and sit down beside her. "They still haven't started?" I lean forward, trying to see the stage, but even more girls have lined up in front of it, blocking my view.

Matt sits next to me as a loud tapping sound comes over the speakers.

"Sounds like they're having issues with the mic," he says.

I turn to Kira. "Thanks for getting the table."

"I almost didn't get it. It was one of the last open tables and some guys took it before I got over here."

"Then how'd you get it?"

"This other guy asked them to leave so I could have the table."

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