Page 4 of Sweet Dreams
Ah crap, I did itagain.
"Don't worry about her. She's always mixing up phrases in highly entertaining ways. It's one of her many charms," Bailey said, helping me out before turning to walk back toward ourbikes.
"Let me guess, party pooper mixed with Debbie Downer?" Ivan said before he scooped me up with one arm around my back and the other under my knees. All thoughts of mixed up phrases or protesting the need for help left me as I was pressed up against his body. I felt his firm chest where my hand landed on it. He was radiating heat and my first instinct was to cuddle in close for more. My body betrayed me by full body shivering before I could control it. Our faces were now just inches apart as he smiled down at me. I wrapped my arm around his neck and hung on for dear life. It was not ahardship.
"I'll carry you to your car," he said softly, not moving, as if waiting for mypermission.
I nodded my head, still a little unsure how I ended up in his arms. "We rode bikes. Tied up over there." No sooner were the words out then he began to carry me across the sand. "Are you sure you want to carry me all the way over there? It's pretty far and I'm sure I'm a little too heavy for this," I offered up, feeling more than a little embarrassed by the wholething.
He halted again, letting Bailey get ahead of us. "Are you saying I'm not strong enough to carry you a few feet?" he asked with a quirkedeyebrow.
I'm pretty sure he was joking with me, but there was also a hard edge to his voice that made mewonder.
"Well no, I'm justsaying-"
"That must be what you're saying because there's no way a girl as beautiful as you could possibly think that she's too heavy to be carried," he said in a soft, sweet tone. Then he continued a little louder with a hint of a smile. "So, I'm left to think that you doubt my physical abilities. Is thatright?"
I was getting the feeling he didn't like my self-deprecation, and since I didn't either, I dropped my self-consciousness, and decided to engage in some of my own flirting. Girl gotta practice. "Well, I don't know you that well yet. I guess you'll have to show me what you can do." That sounded much better. That was the confident girl I'd worked so hard tobecome.
I lifted my hand from his chest and moved some of his wavy hair out of his eye since his hands were full. His hair was thick and had some wave to it, making me want to keep running my hand throughit.
Ivan had a definite gleam in those turquoise eyes, because of my comment or my touch, I wasn't sure. But those eyes were intense, and they were focused entirely on me. "That's a challenge I think I'll enjoy, Esa." Then he full out ran with me bouncing around in his strong arms. I held on tight and enjoyed the ride. I hadn't had this much fun being ridiculous and impulsive in years. So much so I threw my head back and laughed at how ridiculous we must look bouncing across thesand.
We made it to the bikes and to my disappointment Ivan put me down so my feet hit the sand, but not before I got to feel his hard body on the slide down. I still had a smile on my face as he kept his hands on my waist, looking intently in my eyes. "I'll call you tonight to check in on you. And I look forward to showing you all I can do and getting to know you more. I also hope to hear more of that gorgeous laugh of yours. Be safe riding home, Esa." He gave my waist a squeeze, turned, and ran back to the lifeguardtower.
I stood there watching him go, too stunned to answerhim.
"Hell, I need a cold shower just watching you two. That was some seriously hot flirting there, girl," Bailey said, breaking me out of my mini-coma.
I don't know if I'd take it that far, but any flirting with a guy, rather than just an outright rejection, was improvement for me. I couldn't help the huge smile taking over my face as I agreed with her and got on my bike. The picture of those eyes smiling at me was forever burned into my brain. I'd never been so happy to have a close encounter with ajellyfish.
Ivan did in fact call me that night. I let my cell ring for a few seconds before answering it. I mean, come on, I wasn't into the dating scene, but even I knew I shouldn't look overly eager. Taking a deep breath to calm my racing pulse, I answered, "Hello?" which was really dumb because I could see on the screen it was Ivancalling.
"Esa? This is Ivan," he answered. "How's that jellyfish sting feeling thisevening?"
Just his deep voice caused a big smile to bloom on myface.
"Well...I had this awesome lifeguard treat it with vinegar today which helped take away the sting, so it's feeling pretty good," I said, proud of myself for doing a little more lightflirting.
"Sounds like that lifeguard totally knew what he was doing. And I have it on good authority he enjoyed spending time with you today," Ivan said, with a tone that told me that, he too, was smiling into thephone.
"Well, maybe you could be a sweetheart and let him know his athletic abilities more than passed the test," I said. I may have sounded all confident and flirty but the reality was my hands were getting sweaty. Why oh why did I have to get so nervous talking to a gorgeousguy?
"Hmm, I think you better tell him yourself. Maybe tomorrow morning? Over coffee?" Ivan asked. He sounded pretty confident. Too confident. I wasn't sure I was up for this kind of verbal sparring for any length of time. I wasn't sure I was up for any kind of relationship. But there was something about his blue eyes and the way he really looked at me today on the beach that made me want to say yes. Bailey kept telling me that not all guys were like my ex, and I believed her, but actually giving someone else a chance scared the crap out of me. But it was just coffee. I could just do this one little date and use it as a test run for the future. A way to practice interacting with a guy and trying out my new confidence. A girl's gotta get out there and practice, amiright? Okay, I was going to doit!
"Um, Esa? Are you still there?" Ivan's voice came over the line, startling me from mythoughts.
"Oh, um, yes. Sorry about that. Yeah, I'd love to meet up with you tomorrow. But only if the place has hot chocolate. I'm not a coffee girl," I replied. Better he knew up front that chocolate was my thing. And I wouldn't be taking any crap for it either. Neveragain.
"Great! I'll meet you at the coffee shop off Beach and Atlanta. I know for a fact they serve hot chocolate. I don't work till mid-morning so does eight a.m. work for you?" hesaid.
"Yep, I'll see you there!" I responded before I thought better of it. Holy shit, what the hell was Idoing?
3
Iwasfive minutes early to our coffee/hot chocolate non-date the following morning. I liked getting places early and settling in before people arrived. Maybe it's an introvert thing. I liked to sit, get the lay of the land, observe other people, and have time to gear up for the ensuing conversationmarathon.
However, that wouldn’t happen today as I saw Ivan already sitting at a table watching the front door as I entered. He smiled and stood up as I approached. He was looking damn fine in a fresh, white polo shirt and the trademark lifeguard red boardshorts.
