Love at First Spark

10 | September: Loopholes*

*Disclaimer: This chapter contains non-explicit sexual content

"Ames." A tiny shake woke me minutes later. I rubbed my eyes, realizing at some point I had fallen into a horizontal position into Braden's lap.

Then I glanced at the clock.

11pm.

Crap! I had been asleep for way longer than just a few minutes. Damn Braden and his comfortable body.

Blinking through the sleep that still clouded my eyes, I saw Braden's chest heaving with laughter from aside me.

"How far did I make it?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"Through the opening credits," he replied, a teasing smile on his lips. His fingers still wound themselves through my hair.

I groaned. "Why are you so damn comfortable?"

His grin widened. "It's a blessing and a curse I guess. I hope it was okay for me to be playing with your hair?"

"Yeah, of course. That's probably why I fell asleep if I'm being honest. It's something about the ASMR sensation, it just puts me to sleep."

"Seems like you needed it. And I'm glad I made a good pillow." He glanced at the clock then back at me. "So, um, do you want me to take you back? You can also stay over if you want. I don't mind."

I tucked my hair behind my ears. As much as I wanted to stay over, it was probably best that I didn't overstay my welcome. After all, we wanted to go slow.

"I think it's best if you take me back home tonight," I said. "We haven't exactly figured out what we are and I, um..." I trailed off. I don't know if I can bear the strings attached.

Braden nodded. "Let me get my keys."

I went to collect my wedges by the front door then followed Braden down to his car.

We drove back to my apartment in silence. A tension of something more lingered between us. Right now, we were just two people who'd enjoyed a night of home cooked meals and casual conversation.

But both of us wanted something more.

"Thank you for dinner," I said, staring down at my hands in my lap. I turned in the passenger seat. Here went nothing. "I, um, I want you to know that I really did have fun tonight and I'm sorry about falling asleep. It's not something I normally do, especially when I'm having fun on a date. And I don't even know if we can consider tonight a date because if we do then it means we're dating and that's just not something I think is in our best interest given our circumstances. Which sucks because I want to keep going out with you. We really did have such a connection that night we met and the supplemental times we've seen each other and I didn't want to admit it but now that I have, I'm wondering what it would be like to kiss you, and..."

I took a deep breath.

"Are you done?" Braden asked.

I frowned. That's all he had to say? Was he even listening? "Yeah, I-I guess so." My fingers hovered over the door handle.

"Are you sure? Because I think you forgot something."

"What?" My eyebrows knitted together.

Braden leaned across the center console, cupping my face in his rough, strong hands and kissing me.

Softly. Sweetly. Sensually.

He pulled back, desire swimming in his eyes.

I sat back in shock, an almost idiotic grin sliding over my face. "Take it back."