Page 97 of Collision
“Stop it, come on, you’re making me blush.” I lower my eyes, embarrassed.
“I asked you to come out here because I wanted to give you something.”He pulls a small square box out of his pants pocket and places it in my hands. “These are for you, I wanted to give them to you this afternoon.”
I come away from the wall, thrilled, and open the box. Inside I find heart-shaped caramel chocolates. I look up at him, amazed. “Did you buy me chocolates?” I ask. It may seem trivial to him, but I’ve never received any from anyone in my life.
He shrugs. “I’ll be gone for a few days. If you’re missing me, you can eat one and think of me. Because I will be thinking of you all the time.” He strokes my cheekbone with his thumb.
“You know these won’t last more than an hour in my possession, don’t you?” I joke.
“Are you telling me that I need to find a more effective way to make you think about me?” Without giving me a chance to reply, he closes his eyes and slowly brings his face closer to mine.
Oh, no, this is the moment. He’s going to kiss me.
His lips land on mine. They are soft, warm. He caresses one cheek and slides his other hand down my ribs, pressing his body against mine. He kisses me slowly, sweetly and it is wonderful. But I don’t feel anything. No tingling in my belly. No trembling in my knees. My mind is clear, not scattered across some unknown galaxy. Kissing Logan is pleasant, but not overwhelming.
“I really like you, Vanessa. I’ve wanted to do this since the very first day I saw you,” he whispers against my lips.
“I like you too.” And that’s the truth. Even if we didn’t ignite with passion right away, that doesn’t mean it won’t flare to life in the future. In fact, it doesn’t even have to be there, necessarily. With Travis, the passion had faded so quickly. With Thomas, there was way too much of it, as far as I’m concerned. And things ended badly in both cases. I wrap my arms around his neck, he slides one hand along my bare thigh, lifting it a little. We continue kissing until a group of boys passes us, hooting and hollering and telling us to get a room. I pull away from Logan and bring a timid hand to my lips. He laughs softly.
“Maybe we’d better go back inside.” He takes me by the hand and we make our way toward the entrance.
“Vanessa?”
I turn sharply.
“Matt?” I exclaim in amazement.
Okay, now this is awkward.
My boss’s nephew just caught me making out behind the bar. But things somehow get worse when I notice the guy next to him. Thomas is staring at us with fury in his eyes.
“H…hey,” I stammer, trying to tamp down the anxious feeling growing inside me. I smile at him, but he doesn’t smile back. He leans his elbow on Matt’s shoulder and, turning to Logan with contempt, sneers: “Your uncle ought to limit the number of rich dicks he lets in. They steal the waitresses and won’t even buy a fucking beer.” He passes us, shoulder-checking Logan roughly.
For a few seconds, I’m dazed. Why does he feel the need to be such an asshole whenever I’m with Logan?
“Excuse me?” Logan demands furiously, but Thomas ignores him.
“Don’t pay too much attention to him,” Matt suggests, “he’s having a bad night.”
I should have guessed that this afternoon’s version of Thomas would become just a fleeting memory. Matt waves at us and goes inside, while Thomas stops to finish his cigarette. He leans his back against the wall and crosses one leg over the other, looking right at me. Logan notices and takes me by the hand. I instinctively pull back but then, stung by guilt, I interlace my fingers with his.
“Nice legs, Ness. You should show ’em off more often.” Thomas winks at me, blowing out a lungful of smoke when I pass by him.
“I see you’re back to being a troglodyte,” I say acidly.
He shrugs and watches the cigarette smoke rise.
I start to go inside but Logan reaches out a hand to stop me.
“I’m curious, Thomas: How does it feel, wanting something that you can’t have?”
Oh my God. Why, Logan, why?
With one move, Thomas is on him. He stops short, just an inch from his face. “What did you say to me?” he growls through gritted teeth.
“Thomas, stop it,” I interject, trying to push them apart, but neither of them seems inclined to listen to me.
“You heard me,” replies Logan calmly, looking him right in the eye.
