Page 9 of September's Kiss (Loving the Curvy Girl)

I was going to marry that woman. I was going to march over there, sweep her into my arms, and kiss her the way I’d wanted to kiss her Saturday night.

“Oh shit,” I hissed when her gaze turned toward me. I slipped inside the building I’d been lurking in front of and turned the corner, hiding from her.

Hidingfrom her.

What in the hell was wrong with me?

I’d faced armed insurgents for months in the desert but being seen by the woman of my dreams had scared me to the point of actually hiding. Jesus, I was a mess.

Glancing out the door I saw that they’d gone, so I stepped back outside, scanning the area for another sight of her.

She was in the bookstore parking lot, standing by her car and looking around. From this angle I could see her, but she couldn’t see me. That was probably good. I didn’t know how I’d ever explain what the fuck I was doing.

September got in her car and pulled out of the lot, and I got back in my own vehicle and headed home, totally ashamed of my cowardice, but still a little happy that I’d gotten to see her again.

When I got home, I tossed the wedding invitation on the counter and grabbed a beer from the fridge. I took it to the kitchen island and picked up the invitation again, reading over it.

Honestly, it was a lot more than Geoff could have offered me. It also gave me hope. If he was encouraging my pursuit of his friend, she must have been at least a little interested in me as well.

Right?

So, why hadn’t she called? Why was I being such a little bitch about all of this?

Because, I answered myself, I’d never believed in love at first sight. I’d kind of given up on believing in love at all. It was all well and good for other people, but I’d kind of figured I’d end up alone.

And September had royally fucked up that vision in just a few moments. She’d turned my entire world upside down.

My phone rang and I picked it up, not bothering to check the caller I.D.

“Yeah.”

“Oh! Um, hi. This is Ember. Ember Brooks.” She paused for a minute and I could almost picture her biting her lip the way she’d done at the wedding. “I was looking for Joshua?”

“Ember?” I tested out the nickname and very much liked the way it sounded. “This is Joshua.”

“Oh! Hi.” She blew out a sigh. “Jen gave me your number. I hope it’s okay that I’m calling.”

Muscles unclenched in my body that I hadn’t even realized had been tight for days.

“Of course, it’s all right,” I assured her. “I’m glad you did.”

Chapter Seven

~Ember~

I sounded like a total moron. Why was I so nervous? It was a phone call. And he’d just said he was glad that I’d called.

Silence stretched over the line. I had no idea what to say to him. And apparently he had nothing to say to me either.

“How was your day?” he asked finally.

“It was good,” I said, a little too quickly. “How was yours?”

“Fine,” he confirmed. I could hear a smile in his tone. Great, he thought I was a moron, too. “What are you up to?”

“Nothing,” I answered honestly. “I just got home from work and thought I’d…you know…give you a call.”

Oh my God. This was why I didn’t date. I didn’t know how to speak to other human beings. Let alone men.

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