Page 29 of Screwed

EIGHT

Iris

“Hey,”I say as I make my way out from behind the counter.

“Hey, I was wondering where you went off to.”

“Yeah, I had to get to work,” I say.

It’s only a half lie. When I woke up, I could feel the weight of our night together starting to hit me so I made a to-do list to take my mind off the fact that I had no idea how to react on the morning after a steamy night with someone.

“Did something happen?” He asks and it’s only then that I notice that it looks like he just rolled out of bed and he looks slightly panicked.

His hair is sticking up in the back and it makes him look younger. His shirt and shorts are wrinkled and I wonder if he just grabbed the first thing that he could and came straight here.

Maybe I shouldn’t have snuck out. I didn’t mean to worry him.

“What? No, like I said, I just had to get to work. I had a lot to get done today for the insurance stuff and with the security company,” I tell him.

He nods, studying me and he must see that I’m telling the truth because he relaxes.

“Are you all caught up?”

“For the most part.”

“Want to take a quick break and grab something to eat?”

“Another date already?” I try to tease him.

“Yeah, I want to see if I can get lucky again today.”

“I think the time for morning sex was this morning before I left,” I try to joke and his mouth drops open.

“What?”

“What?” I ask nervously, wondering if I just overstepped or made some dating faux pa.

“I meant see if I was lucky enough to get you to go out with me again, but I like your idea too.”

He gives me an affable grin and I can feel my cheeks heating. I try to look away since I’m sure that they’re turning a terrible shade of red.

“So, what do you say?” Arlo asks, throwing me a life rope. “Dinner tomorrow night?”

“Sure, what did you have in mind?”

“What are you hungry for?”

“Honestly?”

He nods and I bite my lip. I wonder if I should say something fancy like steak and frites but that’s not what I’m in the mood for.

“Pizza,” I admit, wincing slightly.

I really wish that I knew more about dating etiquette. I don’t want to mess anything up with Arlo. I love being around him. I love how he makes me feel and I don’t want to do anything to screw this up.

“That actually sounds really good,” Arlo says with a relieved sigh and I relax.

“Mancino’s?” I suggest.

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