Hey, real quick though. I was planning on going to the farmer's market and then taking Brody to the dog park tomorrow morning. If you're not busy, want to come with? Not sure if you're working
The dots pop up and then disappear. Then do it again. I'm starting to second guess myself. Rationally, I know it's probably something simple like he's working or has plans. I'm bracing for rejection,all the same.
Of course, I'd love to. What time should we meet up?
Oh, and don't worry. I won't let this invite go to my head
You better not. I like sleeping in on the weekends if Brody lets me. Is 10 ok?
Perfect, I'll see you then. Goodnight, Firecracker
Ugh, why am I starting to like that nickname. Goodnight Taran, see you tomorrow
A little cautious hope blooms in my chest, and I go to bed smiling for the first time in a while.
Chapter 8
Taran
Ihave never been more happy to have a Saturday off. This will be the first time I get to spend some real time with Lyra and hopefully get to know her more. It's not lost on me that it must have taken a lot for her to invite me, and there was no way in hell I was turning her down if I could help it. It feels like there is this tightrope I'm walking. I want to make sure she continues to know I'm interested, but I also need to be chill and not scare her away. I've unfortunately never been that good at having any chill with people and things I like. I'm also nervous how it will go without loud music and dancing, or the excuse of delivering work to her to fuel our conversation. So I pull into the farmer's market trying to push those nerves down.
It's an incredible market with so much gorgeous produce. I've come here plenty of times to shop and it's always a good selection. New Jersey is the Garden State for a reason. There are stalls upon stalls selling seasonal apples, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, cabbage, pumpkins, peppers, lettuce, mums, and so much more. Ispot Lyra near the entrance taking a look at the produce in the first stall. For a minute, I simply watch her. She smiles at the vendor, asks a question that I can't quite make out, and the vendor laughs and points at the cauliflower. When I start to walk toward her, she sees me and gives me a smile that looks a little shy and uncertain. It brightens though when I give her a huge smile back. She looks ridiculously pretty with her curls wild, jeans that hug her curves, ankle boots that have leopard print on them, and a really soft looking cream colored sweater. When we're close enough I pull her into a big hug, and I swear I hear her sigh quietly. She smells like roses and apples, and I breathe her in shamelessly.
“Hey, it's good to see you,” she says as she pulls back.
“Good to see you too, I'm glad you invited me,” I tell her as I rub her arms a little.
We fall into step, walking the path between the stalls. My hand goes to her lower back when she almost trips over an apple that fell on the ground.
“Have you ever been here before? I only discovered it last weekend and I love it,” she asks. She doesn't remove my hand from her back, so I keep it there while we navigate around a few people.
“I love it too, I've been here plenty of times. I help my mom cook a lot since she's alone.”
“Did you cook for her the other night when you texted me after dinner with her?”
“I made chicken parm that night, but it will never be like hers,” I say as I smile down at her.
She groans a little, and the sound goes right to where it shouldn't in public. “Chicken parm is my favorite. Basically any Italian food is my favorite.”
I keep my voice low and bend closer to her ear when I tell her, “I’ll definitely make it for you sometime,but I'm going to need you to please not groan like that unless you want me to react embarrassingly.”
Her eyes flare, and she goes a little pink in the cheeks. She swats at me playfully, though. “Typical man, telling me what sounds I should and shouldn't make,” she huffs quietly. She's smirking a little as she says it, the little minx. Oh, she enjoys riling me up, huh?
I bend even closer and whisper right into her ear, “You can make any sounds you want, Firecracker, but no matter how much of a gentleman I try to be, I can't help that you groaning makes me hard.”
Now I'm smirking as I watch her shiver, loving the effect I’m having on her as her eyes go a little dazed. I can be as patient as needed, but it's good to know the attraction isn't completely one sided. She gives her head a little shake, as if to clear up the daze.
“Well, getting each other hot and bothered won't be a problem, then,” she murmurs quietly, as if to herself. It almost sounds like her voice goes a little British.
I lean in again and whisper. “Lyra, I know we're keeping boundaries, but I'm still going to be honest that you've made me hot and bothered since the moment I saw you.”
Her head snaps up to look me in the eyes.
“Seriously?”
“Dead serious.”
She looks around, her eyes churning with some emotion I can't identify. Finally she looks back at me.