10. Like The Thing To Say

10

LIKE THE THING TO SAY

“ Y ou look nice,” Michael said to her three days later.

“Thank you,” she said. “I’m glad it’s not going to rain today. Should be a nice day, all things considered.”

She put a light jacket on because she knew she’d need it even walking around.

If she changed her outfit five times this morning, she wouldn’t have told a soul, finally settling on dark jeans that were fitted to her body with some nice stretch and showing that she worked out and took care of herself. Her top was a burnt orange color that she felt looked good against her skin color. She wasn’t pasty white like her father but had some of her mother’s olive Italian genes in her.

She had blue canvas striped sneakers on her feet and a tan jacket that had one big button in front to keep it closed.

“I hope so,” he said.

“No problems with Ty?” she asked.

“No,” he said. “He was fine and went right in like he always does.”

“That’s nice,” she said. “I know you want him to spend time with his mother.”

“I do,” he said. “And he does. When it works out. Ready to go?”

She wouldn’t talk about it anymore. There didn’t seem to be a reason to.

Kelly was just happy that he’d texted her on Thursday first to see how her day was going. So she did the same on Friday.

Not long texts, but keeping in touch and saying they were looking forward to today.

“I am,” she said, putting her small crossbody purse over her shoulder. It’s not like she thought she was going to spend the night with him.

She wasn’t sure if they would go back to his place or come back here. Keeping her purse small let him know she wasn’t pushing things.

But if they started to kiss again and it developed to their clothes being removed, she wasn’t going to fight him off.

She might even tackle him to get it going.

When that thought popped into her head she had to suppress a giggle and ended up coughing.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yep, sorry. A funny thought entered my head and I didn’t want to laugh but ended up coughing.”

“Are you going to share that thought?”

“No,” she said, but felt the flush fill her face.

“That’s fine,” he said, smirking. She wasn’t sure if he could guess and decided it was best not to know.

They got in his SUV and drove to the fairgrounds. It was already pretty packed when they got there close to one as he drove around for a parking spot.

“Are you hungry?” she asked.

“Starving,” he said. “You said I couldn’t eat anything.”

She gave him a tiny shove and he didn’t budge. Not that she thought he would. She’d never dated anyone as big as he was and she kind of loved it.

She felt safe and secure around him.

“I don’t know that I said you couldn’t eat anything,” she said.

“True. Maybe I read into it that way.”

“But now you’ve got lots of room for food. We can try all sorts of fattening and greasy things. I wore pants with stretch and worked out this morning.”

He turned to look at her in the car, his eyes moving over her legs and up to her face. He was grinning.

“What do you do for a workout?” he asked.

“I walk on a treadmill. They’ve got a gym at my apartment complex. I’m not running. Never could do that. If I don’t get on the treadmill then I ride one of the bikes. I’m not one for lifting weights. I always wanted to try, but I’m intimidated by it or the men coming over to give advice. It’s best to be the little lady on the exercise equipment sweating through my clothes.”

“I’ve got a home gym,” he said.

“You own a home?” she asked.

“I do,” he said. “Had an apartment for years. When Ty came about, I knew it was time to get my own place. I needed the space and didn’t want to be that guy with a screaming kid in the building.”

“There is always someone that has to be it,” she said, laughing. “If not that, then a barking dog they shouldn’t have or cigarette smoke that isn’t allowed.”

“Very few follow the rules,” he said. “But I bet you’re a rule follower.”

“Actually,” she said. “I’m not sure I am. I try to be, but sometimes, it’s fun to break a rule too.”

“I’ve been known to do that a time or two.”

“Good,” she said. “Let’s see if we can break a few things today.”

“Things or rules?” he asked.

She shrugged. “No clue. Just felt like the thing to say.”

He bought their tickets to get in and she was annoyed that he wouldn’t let her pay since it was her idea to come today.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him toward a bunch of food vendors. “Hot dogs or corn dogs?”

“Hot dog,” he said. “With meat sauce.”

“Yes!” she said, doing a fist pump. “Can we have two hot dogs loaded with meat sauce please?”

She pulled her wallet out and handed over the cash after she playfully slapped his hand when he tried to pay.

“You’re feisty,” he said.

“Does that bother you?” she asked.

“Nope,” he said, reaching for the hot dogs that were handed over.

He walked with them over to the side with the condiments. “Mustard or ketchup?” she asked. “That is the important question of the day.”

“It’s not a question. There is only one answer,” he said, putting mustard on his.

She pulled hers out of his hand. “I’m a rule-breaker. Ketchup.”

“Good thing I knew you before I found this out.”

She laughed. “Wow, ketchup is a deal breaker?” she asked, opening her mouth and taking a huge bite, then her tongue coming out to lick some of the mess left on the corner of her lip.

She must have still missed some because he reached his hand out and wiped it off. “Sorry. I’m in Dad mode.”

“Were you thinking of that when you did it or thinking of something else?”

He shut one eye at her, but she could see the heat jump into his face and then his gaze. “No comment.”

The two of them stood there leaning against the counter inhaling their hot dogs. She didn’t realize how hungry she was too.

“Now what should we get to eat?” she asked, looking up and down at the vendors. “Pretzel? Cheesy fries? Oh man, I’m going to be a glutton. I love blooming onions, but I want a kiss later, so you know, it’s best not to have heartburn on either of our parts.”

He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss just then. “We are covered just in case as we’d both have it. Get your onion if you want.”

“Awww, very sweet. But I’ll pass and get cheesy fries if you’ll have some with me. Then I want a churro or funnel cake.”

“We could get one of each of the desserts later and split them.”

“Now you’re speaking my language,” she said.

She bought their fries and two drinks and they found a small table to sit at and eat. He’d grabbed napkins that she’d forgotten and knew it might have been Dad mode again.

“Are you a ride girl?”

She coughed on the fry she’d just put in her mouth. “Sorry. The naughty dial controlling my mind just swirled up some.”

He smirked at her. “I’d like to know the answer to that too, but wasn’t asking it for that reason.”

“Then to your first question, the answer is no. I’m not big on carnival or fair rides. I have no idea how safe they may be. If we were at an established amusement park, I’d get on water rides or maybe a rollercoaster or two, but nothing that spins and makes me sick. Especially since I like to eat.”

She put another messy fry in her mouth and then licked the cheese off her fingers.

“Okay, the same,” he said. “I always worry they can’t hold my weight.”

Her eyes covered a lot of ground looking him over. She took her time so that he knew she was doing it too. “I might feel the same way if I were you.”

“And the answer to the other way the question might have been taken?” he asked.

“That answer is yes,” she said. “Duh.”

“Duh,” he said, mimicking her.

“I do want to see Lady Houdini though and don’t mind the petting zoo. Maybe you can win me a stuffed animal?”

“I can try,” he said. “Might be a small one because we know these games are rigged.”

“They are,” she said. “But it’s fun just trying more than anything.”

They finished the fries. She pulled a little bottle of hand sanitizer gel out of her purse and cleaned up the mess that the napkins didn’t take care of.

He put his hand out for some too. “I guess you could be in Mom mode at times.”

“I could,” she said. “I like kids. Just putting it out there for whenever the time might present itself.”

“Thanks for that,” he said.

“No pressure at all. I don’t think either of us needs or wants it. Just saying.”

“Got it,” he said.

They walked around for hours. Had more food, played games, watched a magic show, and pet a bunch of farm animals.

They had two steak sandwiches in their hands for dinner, with a caramel apple and deep-fried Oreos for dessert. They’d put away the churro and funnel earlier.

“I don’t even want to think of the amount of calories I consumed today.”

“We could work them off,” he said.

“In your home gym?” she asked.

“Sure,” he said. “We can go back to my place if you want to see it.”

It wasn’t what she was offering, but she wouldn’t say no. “I’d like to see your house.”

They got back to his SUV and pulled out. It was a little after five and they’d spent more time there than she’d thought they would but was thrilled the night didn’t seem to be ending any time soon.

It didn’t take long to get to his house. It was an older established neighborhood with some bigger houses. Not modern but not that old in her eyes either.

His house was a brick two-story colonial. He pulled into the driveway and then the garage and shut the door while they got out.

“It’s nothing fancy,” he said. “Just a lot of space but not a lot of decor other than toys.”

She smiled. “I wasn’t expecting it to look like it was staged for an HGTV reveal,” she said.

They walked into the mudroom and there were coat racks on the wall, a bench to sit on and take off shoes, and a chalkboard with some pictures on it that Ty must have drawn.

He caught her eyes there. “He went through a phase where he was writing on the walls. This was better and in a good spot out of the way.”

“Good idea,” she said. “Shoes on or off?”

“You can keep them on. I’m not fussy about those things.”

They moved down the hall into the kitchen. It was a lot of wood and shades of brown. The cabinets were a yellow maple color, the floors were dark wood throughout, the countertops were a cream color, and the walls were almost white, but had a hint of yellow to them.

“This suits you,” she said. “Are you a cook? It’s a big kitchen and pretty modern.”

“I’ve been here four years,” he said. “I haven’t done anything major. The kitchen was updated maybe ten years ago. I’m not sure I’d say it’s my style, but it’s not horrible enough that I’d pay someone to redo it.”

Which made sense. “Did you make any changes to the house?”

“Paint,” he said. “I didn’t paint in here, because I wasn’t sure what color I’d use anyway and that was good enough.”

There was a seating area by a window off the kitchen where she was assuming they took most of their meals and then she walked over off of that and saw a dining room that faced the front of the house.

“Is there another living room in the front?” she asked.

They moved through the kitchen to a family room in the back. Still hardwood but a big throw rug in multiple shades of blue over it. The furniture was cream and blues and the walls blue too.

“There is,” he said. “But it’s a playroom now. It’s best to keep everything in there and I can shut the doors.”

“Did you paint this family room?” she asked.

“Did the blues give it away?” he asked. “They had this whitish color throughout the whole first floor. It felt sterile to me.”

“It looks nice.”

“But my walls are bare,” he said. “I’ve heard it before.”

She was going to assume it was from other women but wouldn’t ask.

“Why don’t we sit and eat while this is still warm,” she said. “I can’t believe I’m still hungry.”

“We worked off a lot of it walking and playing games,” he said.

“I lost at everything, but I do appreciate you winning me the pig.”

“Had to show you how manly I was,” he said, making a muscle with his arm. She wanted to reach out and wrap her hand around it knowing her fingers would only cover half his bicep, but held off.

She laughed and then snorted when she tried to control it. The pig fit in the palm of her hand. “It took four tries for this. I think they dull those darts. No way they should bounce off a balloon like that.”

“I’m lucky I didn’t dislocate my shoulder throwing it harder.”

“My big strong hero,” she said. “Want to flex for me again?”

He did and she fanned her face. Oh boy, she’d had no idea he’d be this playful. Where the hell had this been hidden for years?!

Michael pulled out two plates and she unwrapped their steak sandwiches. “Do you want water, beer, or juice? I don’t have any soda in the house.”

“I’ll pass on the juice and the beer. Water is good.”

He grabbed a bottle for her and then cracked open a can of Fierce beer and poured it into a glass for himself.

They sat at the little table off the kitchen and talked while they ate.

She wasn’t even sure how they got on half their conversations other than there were never any awkward lapses between them. That was surprising considering most of the time she’d known him they barely talked and if they had it was only about work.

Their dinner was gone fast and he cleaned up while she wiped the table.

“Now what?” he asked. “Do I show you my exercise room?”

“How about we check out your couch,” she said. “We can burn calories kissing, right?”

“We can,” he said, holding his hand out to hers.

She put it in his much larger one, their fingers entwining, the heat warming her body in more than one place.

He sat on the couch and pulled her down so she landed on his lap and he wasted no time slanting his mouth over hers.

This was what she’d been waiting for for weeks.

Their tongues were dueling, his hand was on her waist and slowly inching under the material of her shirt and she didn’t care in the least.

Kelly wasn’t sure there was anything that could stop whatever was going to happen from being done.

Then there was a buzzing noise. “Um. Something is vibrating in your pants, I think. I mean I’m good, but don’t think I can cause that kind of reaction.”

“Hang on,” he said, shifting his hand into his pocket. “Fuck.”

“Everything okay?”

“It’s Electra.”

She slid off his lap. “Go ahead and take it.”