Page 40 of Spyder
I laugh so loud, I draw the attention of the other people sitting in the sushi bar, who cast disapproving looks my way. That’s one thing about Blue Rock that hasn’t changed… the uptight crowd that doesn’t know how to cut loose and have a little fun. They’ve always looked askance at those who like to laugh and enjoy themselves.
“You’re being silly. I don’t think he’s a sociopath,” I say.
“That’s what a sociopath would want you to believe.”
“He’s just a lonely guy with a lot of problems, apparently. Just lost his job, his home… it’s sad, honestly,” I tell him.
“What was his name again?”
“Jacob. He goes by Jacob,” I respond.
Derek chews on the last piece of sashimi and looks lost in thought for a moment. He sets his chopsticks down and turns his eyes to me.
“I thought you said his name started with a P?” he asks.
“It does. But he said he’s always gone by his middle name, which is Jacob.”
“Tell me what he looks like. Did you happen to get a last name?”
I arch an eyebrow at him. “Are we really going to talk about him all night?”
A small grin curls the corner of his mouth upward. “Sorry. I don’t mean to go on like that. You’re right, it’s probably nothing.”
The truth is this protective side of Derek is endearing. I wouldn’t have expected it from him. I’m sure the feminists would take my girl card away from me, but I like that he’s so protective. It’s sweet, but I find it kind of sexy, actually.
“Ready to get out of here?” he asks.
I nod. “I’m stuffed to the gills. This was amazing.”
“Yeah, this place isn’t bad at all.”
Derek pays the check, and we head out, strolling arm in arm up and down the street for a little while, doing some window shopping together. It’s strange to think that this is only our second date, but I already feel so comfortable with him. Walking along the street together like this makes it kind of feel like we’re a couple and not two people out on their second date.
It’s probably because there’s some sense of shared history between us. Well, maybe no history, given the fact that we didn’t hang out together, but at least some shared feelings. Unrequited on both ends, obviously, but we’ve both admitted to having feelings for each other back in the day that neither of us ever acted on. But it could go a long way to explaining why we’re so comfortable together now and things seem to be falling together so easily for us.
We end up back at his place and the first thing I do is inspect the place to see if he was lying to me about how tidy he keeps his home. Subtly, of course. And much to my shock, he wasn’t. Everything is neat and clean, just like he said.
“I told you so,” he says and tips me a wink.
“What?”
“I see you pokin’ around, seeing if I actually keep my place clean, or just stuff everything in the closet when I have company over. Don’t think I didn’t catch you scopin’ it all out on the sly,” he says.
I feel my cheeks flare with heat. I thought I was being clever about it, but apparently, not so much. Like I said, Derek is a man who doesn’t miss much. He sees me blushing and laughs.
“Coffee?” he asks.
“Please.”
He leads me into the kitchen and sets about putting on a pot of coffee. I notice he’s using some fancy gourmet brand of coffee I’ve never heard of and for some reason, it strikes me as funny, and I can’t help but laugh.
“What’s so funny?” he asks.
“It’s just… I was expecting you to break out some Folgers or maybe even some kind of instant coffee or something.”
He rolls his eyes at me but grins. “Because I’m a biker?”
“No, because you’re a guy,” I reply. “You might be the first guy I’ve ever come across who uses fancy, name-brand, designer coffee.”
