Page 19 of When love and Hate Collide

I redden profusely when my date turns and catches me watching him. “Oh my God please stop talking, I’m hanging up now.”

“Wait! Don’t forget to share your location.”

“I will, now bugger off.” I murmur through clenched teeth and end the call.

“Sorry about that,” I apologise, brushing my hair away my face when the gentle breeze blows it in my face.

“Everything okay?” he questions, his eyes thinning ever so slightly while he observes me. I nod, moving to join him by the steel bar railings.

“Yeah, just my friend checking in when she couldn’t find me at the party.” I inform him with a coy smile which he returns. As the time ticks on into the early hours, the temperature starts to drop, especially combined with the cool breeze coming off the water. I wrap my arms around myself to shield off the chill when a shiver passes through me and goosebumps breakout over my skin. “Are you cold?” Despite the shivering, the way those startling eyes of his are staring directly into mine heats up my insides.

“Just a little,” I answer, veering my gaze from his to stare my feet. When I look up again, he’s looking at the watch on his wrist smiling.

“It’s almost five in the morning. The sun will rise soon, but if you’re cold we can go?” he offers, stepping closer to place his hands at the balls of my shoulders and draw me closer to him. He does nothing to mask the displeasure in his tone at the possibility of the night being over.

My brows rise in surprise. I mean, I figured it was late but staying up till almost dawn talking with a guy is a first for me. I glance over at the river again and smile. I wasn’t ready to call it a night just yet, so I turn my gaze back to him and shrug. “I would hate to miss out on a beautiful sunrise on account of being cold. I’d like to stay a little longer if that’s okay with you?”

His smile broadens into a full-on grin, “That’s more than fine with me. Besides, I may have a couple of ideas in mind to keep you warm.”

“Oh, I bet you do,” I laugh heartily. “I’m still not sleeping with you.”

* * *

“Here is good.” The car pulls over and rolls to a stop on the side of the street I’ve been to many times before throughout my childhood. I may have fibbed a little and gave him directions to a former friends address and told him I’m staying there for the summer. I’ve known this boy two days and I absolutely don’t know him well enough to give him my parents’ address. It’s not like we’re dating, it’s just a casual summer fling and I have every intention to keep him that way.

“So, this was fun.”

Smiling demurely, I shift in my seat to face him properly and nod, “Definitely not how I saw my night ending, but yeah it was most certainly memorable.” I express courteously. Our eyes interlock and we stare at one another, a knowing smile on both our faces. Jesus, those eyes and the meaningful looks he gives me does things to me—unspeakable things.

Clearing my throat, I force myself to break eye contact, because a second longer staring into those eyes I would have shamelessly hurled myself at him and attacked that beautiful mouth of his while simultaneously begging him to fuck me hard enough to split me in two.

Images of the night we slept together flood my mind and my clit pulses with need causing me to almost moan out loud.

Ugh! Since when have I become a sex crazed harlot?

I stare down at my handbag, mentally reprimanding myself for thinking such vulgarity.

I can feel his piercing gaze right through the side of my head while I pretend to look for my keys in my clutch.

“I really want to see you again.” I stop fumbling and slowly turn my head to look over at him again.

“You do?”

He nods and reaches over to take my hand into his and chuckles somewhat awkwardly before he lifts his gaze to mine. “This might come as no shock to you, but I’m not really a relationship kind of guy. I honestly can’t remember the last time I had such an incredible time with a girl–one that didn’t wind up with sex.” He explains, licking his lips. “I like you. I like you a lot and I meant what I said to you that night we first met. This wasn’t just a one-time thing. I would like to continue seeing you, if that's something you want, too?” I stare at him for a beat, too stunned to speak while I try to sift through my thoughts.

Do I want to see him again? Yes,hell yes. Am I terrified of getting sucked into another relationship before fully recovering from another?Most definitely.

“Um, y-yeah, I would like to see you again, too.” I say and lower my gaze to our hands clasped together before speaking again. “I just, I need be honest. I’m not looking for anything serious. I’m only back for the summer and I’ll be leaving in a few weeks for Uni and the last thing I need is to complicate my life further by adding an unattainable relationship into the mix. Do you understand?” I explain ruefully.

“Actually, I completely understand. I’m not looking for anything serious either. I'm not asking you to be my girlfriend or marry me,” he says with a chuckle. “We don’t even have to put a label on it. We can just hang out for the summer, as friends?” he finishes and I pin him with an incredulous look to which he responds to with a smirk.

“Friends?” I intone warily and he nods.

“Friends,” he repeats, smiling charmingly. “Honestly, I think I need a change. I’m tired of being around the same type of girls. I think you’re the change I’ve been looking for.”

I laugh. “Oh, come on, I’m sure a guy like yourself has a catalogue of women he can choose from.” I tease him and he shakes his head, grinning.

“Yes, but not one that isn’t always looking for or wanting more than I’m willing to offer, you know?” I purse my lips and narrow my eyes at him, and he chuckles amused, “What? Don’t give me that look, I’m not in the market for a wife or looking to settle down just yet.”

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