Page 57 of Inked Temptation
“Good to know.”
“So, what is it that you want, Killian?” Archer asked after a moment, and I looked down at our joined hands before I squeezed his and pulled away, just needing to think.
Archer seemed to realize that because he didn’t look sad that I had pulled away, instead he looked like he was thinking as well.
“I don’t know what I want. I do know that I’m a mess. A huge fucking mess that’s going to need time to think and will make mistakes. But I’m not sorry for what happened in my kitchen.”
“I’m the one who walked away. But I’m not sorry either,” Archer muttered.
“That’s good,” I said. A severe understatement, since it felt like the weight of a single world fell off my shoulders as five more piled on top of my chest.
“So, what happens now?” Archer asked.
I shook my head. “You tell me. I don’t know anything about doing this.”
“And what’s this?”
“You’re really going to make me say the D word?”
“I don’t think you’re talking about dick, are you?” Archer asked, grinning, his eyes twinkling.
I laughed, throwing my head back, my body shaking. “I meant dating.”
“Oh.ThatD word. Well, I used to be good at it, at least I thought so, not so much anymore. I guess we can figure it out.”
“So, what does that mean?”
“That means tonight I’m going to turn on my movie, we’re going to watch Chris Evans walk around in very tight leathery spandex, and then I might kiss you before you go home.”
“I could do that. I like Chris Evans.”
“I was sure you would. Everyone likes Chris Evans.”
I snorted. “And then what happens?”
“And then we go about our days, we work, and maybe we go out to eat. And maybe I tell you a bit more about my family. And maybe you tell me a bit about yours.”
“And then what happens?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“And then we see where it leads us. We don’t need a rulebook or a path. But I don’t want to hurt you.”
I looked at him and let out a shaky breath. “I don’t want to hurt you, either. Because I don’t know if I’m ready for anything beyond maybe this movie. And Chris Evans,” I teased, trying to lighten the tension, even though it did nothing about it.
“I don’t know if I am either. So we figure it out. Together.”
“Together.”
Then Archer turned on the TV and we watched Chris Evans smile at the screen and tell us he could do this all day.
And I had to hope that was a good omen for exactly what was going to happen next.
