Page 41 of After Tonight

She washed the pan as he ate. Then she grabbed a bag from the living room and started setting up her computer, mouse pad, and wireless keyboard on the table across from him.

“This still okay?” she asked, as she plugged into the outlet behind her.

“Of course.”

“What are you doing today?”

He hadn’t really thought about it. He was going to do some painting in the new addition at the Come Again at some point, and he needed to get the scaffolding out and clean the light fixtures in the vaulted ceiling at the Methodist church. He shrugged. “Just some stuff.”

“You’re working tonight?”

“Yep.” He worked almost every night.

“’Til close?”

He frowned. This was the part of the dating thing that he didn’t like. He didn’t really make a lot of plans ahead of time, and he hung out with people who didn’t either. His two best friends were more or less on call twenty-four seven around here, and neither really knew what might come up at any minute. Those relationships worked for Derek. He just went with the flow. “Yeah, ’til close. Not sure what time I’ll get there. Bryan’s covering until I show up.”

Riley looked up and gave him a little frown. She must have heard the annoyance in his tone. “You know, when you’re dating someone, it’s okay for them to know where you are and when.”

“Every second?”

“Of course not. But it’s not unreasonable to ask what time you get off work.”

He shoved back from the table and took his dishes to the sink. “Yeah, well, we’re not actually dating.”

If they were, the scenario in his head during his shower would not have been fictional. He scowled as he rinsed his plate. He didn’t want to date Riley, dammit. They’d be a terrible match. They’d kill each other.

“So?” she asked. “I thought you wanted a taste of what this would really be like.”

He swung around. “You’re offering me a taste?” he repeated. “Well, Ry, I’m all over that. I know exactly where I’d start, in fact. But if you want me checking in with you on where I am and what I’m doing every damned second, you can forget it.”

She looked exasperated. “What’s your problem?”

“Jacking off in the shower while thinking of a girl who’s basically been my kid sister all my life.”

Her mouth dropped open. She shook her head. “You’re just saying that to shock me or whatever.”

He wished like hell that was true. He pushed away from the counter. “I’m leaving.”

“Fine. I’ll probably just be here for a few hours and—”

“Whatever. You don’t have to report in to me either.” He stomped through the house, grabbing a pair of jeans off the back of one of the chairs and his work boots by the door. It was too hot to wear them at the church, but he never knew when he might get a call to climb up into someone’s hay loft or something else that would require different attire.

See? He didn’t have to plan every damned thing out. He was just always prepared for anything.

Except for Riley.

He definitely hadn’t been prepared to have her around more, in his house, in his business, in his head.

He stopped at the front door and started to turn back. But he didn’t want to ask the question in his head just then. He gripped the doorknob. Don’t do it. Don’t fucking do it.

And he didn’t.

Until he got to his truck. Then he texted her. Will you be in tonight?

He knew she’d know he meant at the Come Again. That was one thing about “dating” Riley. He saw her every night at the bar. They kept the same hours. When she wasn’t dragging his ass out of bed at the crack of dawn.

That meant that if they really were dating, they’d have plenty of time to go on walks and have meals together and…shower together.

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