Chapter 66

Mark The world is a strange place.

I’m staying with my therapist, Linda, in a hotel room. It’s the weirdest turn of events ever. Yet it feels so right. Our date night was amazing. I had fun and didn’t want to go home by the end.

I think Linda felt the same way if I’m to judge by her suddenly saying she lives far away. I took it as a hint of her wanting to spend more time with me since we both know I could easily have ordered a cab for her.

But that didn’t happen.

Instead, we are getting ready for bed in a shared couple’s room. I’m sitting on the small couch inside, grinning at Linda, who picks up a clean, folded towel from the edge of the bed.

“Do I get to join you in the bathtub?” I tease, knowing she is tipsy and might say yes if I try hard enough.

I put on the charm and flutter my eyelashes at her. Linda rolls her eyes, and I have to fight a smile. I’ve always been flirtatious by nature. In my youth, I’ve said things to girls I don’t really mean. But Linda can see straight through me. She knows I’m a guy who jokes around, but I fear I might not be joking.

I’m fully serious and one hundred percent attracted to Linda.

“Harr-harr, very funny,” Linda says and opens the bathroom before taking one last glance at me. “I appreciate the fact that you’re taking the couch. You’re a true gentleman.”

My lips twitch. I hadn’t planned on taking the couch, and it won’t be fun sleeping on it either. Since I only wear my boxer briefs and t-shirt, I understand why she thinks I’m taking the couch.

I don’t want it, though. I want us to share a bed together, but I will just play along for now. “Yeah, sure.”

She smiles. “Thanks.”

Linda enters the bathroom, and I stare at the wall until I hear the water come on. There is a bathtub, and I know she will be bubbling. But… she didn’t lock the door… is that an invitation?

Or am I reading too much into it?

Probably the last.

Though, can anyone blame me?

After an excellent dinner and a few more hours talking into the early morning, I’m crushing hard on this woman. Linda is out of my league, though, and I doubt she is interested in me.

More than once tonight, Linda has told me she is looking for an older man. At thirty, she isn’t interested in a guy soon- to-be twenty-three. Which sucks since I’m beginning to love that she is older than the other women I’ve dated in the past.

Honestly, I could definitely see myself dating Linda. But Linda probably thinks I’m a kid compared to her since I lack her life experience. I mean… she was married before, so yeah. We come from different worlds.

Yet I don’t want to just give up.

I rise from the couch and head for the bathroom, but I hear Linda shriek before I even make it there.

Adrenaline pumps into my veins, and I pull up the door, ready to help her.

“What happened?!” I exclaim.

“Get out!” Linda hisses at me. “You can’t just come into the bathroom when a woman is bathing!

Leave!”

“Why not?” I ask. “You shrieked, and it sounded like you might need my assistance,” I look around the room.

Though… I have no clue why you shrieked. Did something happen?”

“I slipped into the bathtub,” Linda admits. She is surrounded by bubbles, and I find myself wishing they weren’t hiding her breast, which surely are fuller than my hands.

“I see…” I grin. “Do you want my help coming out then? We wouldn’t want another accident.”

Before she can tell me to leave, I approach the toilet and lower the lid to sit on it. She looks at me suspiciously, but she laughs at me when I send another smile her way.

Good.

Am I finally infiltrating her heart?

“I will still be sitting here for a while, Mark. I just got into the tub, and the water is just perfect,” she relaxes her back and closes her eyes with a half- drunk smile on her lips. “This is nice.”

“Hmm… you want me to rub your back then?”

This got her opening her eyes to stare at me. I can’t read her expression. Is she happy about my offer or weirded out? Doesn’t matter. I have to win her over, even if I’m being cringe.

“I would be very gentle,” I say in a slightly deeper voice. “And I will let you know that I’ve been praised for being a good masseur. I would spoil your back and get in there with my thumbs.”

Linda shudders. I have no clue if that is a good thing, but then she glares at me, and I decide it must be a bad sign.

“Will you stop that?!” She snaps.

Ah, she dislikes my flirting?

I need to make sure. “Stop what?”

“You’re using that deep and sexy voice again,” she whines and sighs heavily in her seat. “It’s making me confused.”

Again, I have no idea if that’s a good thing. “Confused how?”

“Like…” she looks up at me and blushes. ” I’m already sitting in the bathtub but can feel myself getting wetter.”

At that, I throw back my head and laugh. I did not see that response coming. Shit. Did she really say what I think she did? I keep laughing but rein in my chuckles when I notice Linda is frowning at me.

“Why couldn’t we possibly be together?”

I ask.

Her blush turns redder. “Sorry, that came out wrong… I skipped the dating part and everything, but-”

she sinks her teeth into her lower lip, seeming to hold back a laugh.

Anger rises to my chest. Is she laughing because I don’t find us being together impossible? Dating, of course, comes before that, but shooting me down without giving me a chance feels cruel.

“You don’t think I’m a relationship- material kind of guy?” I prod the issue, needing her to answer me.

“Oh, it’s not that,” she hesitates. “Can I tell you something without you getting mad at me?”

“Of course.’

“You don’t seem like a person who is looking for something serious right now, and I’m looking for just that. I’ve been married, and now, after some inner healing, I’m ready to date again. But I want to be exclusive with someone, you know?”

“You don’t think I can be serious?” My words come out like a challenge, and Linda laughs at me.

“Sure, with the right girl, but Mark, you’re twenty-two, and I’m not saying this to be mean, but… are you sure you’re ready to settle?”

She looks up at me with her kind, big eyes, and I’m tongue-tied for the first time tonight. Linda blew away my mind tonight, but she has a point: I might not be ready for forever J K L M A M M W Zomeone.

I want to date and have fun… have some sex, and date someone, but then I don’t know where I want it to lead. There have been rumors about me being moved to another team next season. So there is that too.

I sigh and stand up from the toilet seat. Alright, I hear you,” I meet Linda’s eyes and grab the hem of my t-shirt. “Then how about you just give me tonight?”

Since I know another excuse will leave Linda’s beautiful lips, I get shirtless as fast as possible. Without looking at her, I get rid of my t-shirt, but when it hits the floor, I get insecure.

What am I doing?!

This might be a stupid idea, but I can’t help the wave of satisfaction washing over me when I face Linda. Her eyes are bulging out of their sockets, and admiration is written all over her face.

I wink at her. “If you let me share the tub with you, I will let you touch me in return. then? See if it really is as big as it appears? “A sly grin spreads over my lips, threatening to split my face in half. I can’t resist teasing her. I grab the hems of my boxer briefs while keeping eye contact. “I could remove these…”

“No, don’t do that!” Linda exclaims. ”

Please don’t remove them!”

My smile disappears. Linda’s eyebrows are furrowed, her face stuck in an expression I can’t read. Is she afraid of me? I don’t like that.

Despite my disappointment with her reaction, I plaster a smile onto my lips to not further scare her. “I see… sorry for reading the atmosphere wrong… I will leave you alone. Enjoy your bath.”

I pick up my t-shirt from the floor and then head for the door without turning around to look at Linda. But before I leave, she calls out to me. Wait!”

I turn around. “Hmm?”

Her lips form a brief smile, and she sighs.

“Let’s do it.”

“Let’s do what?”

She rolls her eyes. “Oh, don’t play coy with me.”

“Play coy?” I literally don’t know what she means.

“Do I have to spell it out for you?” She glares at me. “I will do the one-night stand thing with you! Now, get over here before I get up from here and come and collect you myself!”

I snort. “You wouldn’t be able to carry me.

“I’m stronger than I look.”

That makes me laugh again. “You’re funny.” And in danger because I don’t think I will settle for just a one-night stand. I don’t know what I want yet. But I’m crushing on her; one night together with this amazing woman won’t be enough.