Present Perfect(79)

Looking at me, Noah asked, “Do you still live on Sycamore Drive?”

“I believe I do,” I said, proudly.

“Joshua, where do you live?”

“Beechwood Street on the Isle of Palms.”

“That’s in the opposite direction of Sycamore. It will take you about an hour and some change to get back home. Listen, I’m headed that way. Let me take her home for you.”

Stammering, Joshua said, “Uh…that’s okay. I’m fine taking her back home.”

“No, let me do it as a thank you for picking up the check. I insist. I won’t take no for an answer.”

Looking at me Joshua asked, “Uh…are you fine with that?”

“Fine by me, puddin’ pop,” I slurred, slightly.

“Okay, if you’re fine.” Joshua stared at me as the valet pulled up in his BMW.

“Your rides up, Josh,” Noah said.

“It was nice meeting you, Amanda. I’ll call you.”

“Okie dokie.”

Joshua leaned in, giving me a quick kiss on my cheek. There was one more moment of awkward silence before he got in his car and drove away.

Once the BMW was out of sight, Noah snaked one of his arms around my waist and pulled me abruptly against his chest. I place both hands on his muscular biceps to brace myself. My body aligned with his perfectly. Our lips were close, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of his. If I were to stick my tongue out just a little bit, I would be able to graze his bottom lip.

A low sultry voice interrupted my fantasy when Noah said, “Tweet.”

“Mmmhmm?”

He stared at my lips for a moment. Between the Cosmos and the feel of his body pressed against mine, I was feeling all kinds of tingles in all kinds of places.

“Do you think Joshua will call us for a second date?” I watched as his lips slowly turned into a sensual smirk.

I burst out laughing. “I doubt it since you wouldn’t put out.” I threw a wink and a smile his way.

“Bastard! Men are such pigs,” he said as he spanked my ass, causing me to jump and yelp a little.

The valet pulled up in the car. Taking my hand, Noah led me towards the passenger’s side and helped me in. He rounded the front of the car and slid into the driver’s seat. Holy moly, his ass looked incredible sliding into that seat. Before he started the car, I placed my hand on top of his thigh and squeezed slightly.

“Thank you for tonight. It was the best blind date in the history of blind dates.” I shyly smiled.

He picked up my hand, brought it to his lips, and placed a soft kiss on my palm, keeping in constant eye contact with me. It made me shudder. I had to squeeze my legs together tightly. The tingles were quickly turning into vibrations.

He placed my hand back on his thigh and smirked at me. “Pleather portfolio making Noah from Saskatchewan knows how to show his number one girl a good time.” He threw a wink my way.

I wanted to jumped across the seat, straddle him, and suck on his tongue and other body parts. I wouldn’t do it, of course. Nope, we were in the friend zone and I wouldn’t jeopardize that. Besides, he was with Brooke and I was with…what’s his name. This was the way it was supposed to be all along. Noah and I dating other people while remaining best friends, even though I still wanted to suck on his bottom lip.





In the immortal words of Sally Brown (Charlie’s sister), “All I want is my fair share. All I want is what’s coming to me.” Words to live by.





I knew it was cold from the cloud of smoke that escaped my mouth whenever I exhaled. I certainly couldn’t feel the cold. I couldn’t feel anything. I was still in that stage where you know intellectually what’s happening to you, but you haven’t allowed yourself to feel it yet. I sat at our spot staring out across the pond thinking of nothing and everything. Somehow my life had changed, turned upside down in a matter of minutes and I never saw it coming.

I heard the crunch of the gravel behind me. My phone had been blowing up with calls and texts from my family. None of them knew where I had run off to. If they knew I was literally three blocks away from them, they’d be furious. I wasn’t surprised that he knew exactly where to find me. I heard more gravel crunching as he rounded the picnic table I was sitting on top of. They replaced the one Noah demolished several months ago. He moved closer to me, neither one of us said a word. I continued to stare across the pond.

“Tweet,” he said. His voice was low and shaky.

He moved in closer, getting ready to wrap his arms around me. I leaned away from him and held my hand up, palm out, signaling him to stop.

“Don’t touch me.”

“Why?”

“Because, if you touch me, I’ll fall apart. I’ve already pulled myself back together once today. I don’t think I could do it again.”

I could see out the corner of my eye he was texting someone, probably my family letting them know he found me. I knew he wouldn’t tell them where I was, so I didn’t protest.

He sat down next to me, but kept a safe distance so we wouldn’t be touching. We sat in silence. Noah knew I would talk when I was ready.

I let my thoughts drift back through the last few months. I started with the beginning of school. It was a good semester. I made the Dean’s list, I was getting used to being away from home, I loved my roommate, and I got Noah back.