Page 51 of Doc Showmance
Food acquired, parking spot found, I followed Amber down a sparsely grassed sandy knoll to a concrete bench overlooking the ocean. The lights of a nearby condo complex lit the beach. The sound of the waves rolling in and out… This was a pretty date spot. I turned to glare at Martin following us. “Keep your distance. It’s hard to do this, to feel this, with you up our ass.”
He held up his middle finger but backed off several feet.
We sat, eating and letting the waves fill the silence between us. I stared out over the ocean in the dark.
She reached into her tray of fries and pinched through them as if searching for the right level of crispy. The selected fry got savored, not gobbled.
“I like that you don’t eat like other women.” Did I just say that stupidity out loud?
“What does that mean? Do I eat weird? Are you referring to my enjoyment of the fries?”
“I meant that you eat fried food. That you enjoy your food and aren’t shy to eat it.”
“I like to eat.” She patted one of her thighs. “These ladies can attest to it. What’s life if you can’t enjoy good food? Now, the cookies from this place are the only reason to go there.” She dug in her paper bag, emerging with the two cookies she’d requested. “I ordered two so you could try one.”
I took it even though I rarely ate cookies. They weren’t my thing. If I was going to waste calories on sweets, I preferred a donut or cake. “It’s just a chocolate chip cookie.”
“Bite into it. Then tell me it’sjust a cookie.”
I peeled off the plastic wrap and bit. The blast of chocolate and, wow, what was that? Dark chocolate or maybe coconut? I took another bite to figure it out.
“Admit it’s the most freaking awesome cookie you’ve ever had.”
“You’re right. It’s good.”
“Oh, my, God. Dr. Todd said I’m right.” She craned around. “You get that recorded, Martin? Ian said I’m right about something. I need a copy of that.”
“Stop it,” I said.
She smiled. Leaning forward, she whispered, “It’s the Heath Bar bits that are the secret. Once I figured it out, I started adding it to chocolate chip cookies whenever I bake.”
She was cute. Really adorable.
When we finished eating our cookies the bite of the breeze became more apparent.
She rubbed her arms and hugged herself but didn’t complain. That was one thing I admired about Amber. She never bitched about the small stuff.
“Sorry it’s cold out here.” I pulled her into me. “Let me warm you up.”
“That was smooth.”
“I’ve got moves, Goth Girl. Never doubt it.” I hid the smile itching to cross my face, which wasn’t easy.
“I heard rumors about you and your moves when we were in school.”
“I’m sure you did.” I focused on a small vessel on the ocean, its little light bobbing up and down on the horizon. “What’d you hear?”
“Oh, you know, the typical stuff. Great body, good sex…big dick.”
I smirked. “Won’t argue with that.”
“I also heard you never text the day after, or any days after. You’re shit at the follow-up. You’re a pro at the one-and-done scenario.”
I pushed my free hand, the one not around her shoulder, through my hair. “I was different back then in school. I never made promises and left women with a maybe-I’d-call understanding.”
“And now?”
“These days, I don’t have the time or energy to go looking for dates.”
