Kiss Me

Chapter Four

Malorie sat on her living room couch, waiting nervously. Josh should be arriving any minute. She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt and questioned her attire again. She had pondered what to wear for far longer than she ever had before in her life. After messing up her formerly organized closet by rifling through it a dozen times, she had decided that she would dress casually in skinny jeans and a long, form-fitting shirt. She thought she looked good; but, most importantly, it was an outfit that she wore all the time.

After much contemplation, Malorie had chosen to just be herself. It would serve her no good to pretend to be someone she wasn't. She wanted Josh to get to know the real her and fall for that girl.

Okay, so she might have dug some mascara out of the bottom of her make up bag and dusted it off to make her eyelashes look longer. It wasn't wrong to make her eyes pop a little more than usual, right?

A sharp rapping sound had her bolting out of her seat and grinning broadly as she pulled open the door. Josh looked amazing in a white t-shirt and faded jeans. Malorie held in a sigh as she took him in. Last night's dreams had really not done him justice.

"Hey. You ready?" He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, looking somewhat uncomfortable. Malorie remembered what Isaac said about Josh not being a lady's man. Reminding herself not to put any pressure on him, she nodded and stepped out into the hall. She locked up quickly and followed him down the steps.

He nodded towards a black car and she headed towards it. He was behind her now. It seemed like a good time to start getting his attention. She tried to swing her hips tantalizingly. Malorie imagined a smooth, flowing strut, but instead her hips jerked awkwardly, much to her dismay. Her erratic movements threw her off-balance so she tried wiggling her butt more. She felt ridiculous; when she glanced back at Josh, he was lagging behind and looking at her like she was crazy.

Okay, this sexy-walk thing was not as easy as she had thought. When she almost tripped over her own feet, she officially abandoned it. Her face flushed as she lowered herself into the passenger seat of his car as gracefully as possible. Not a good start. He got into the driver's side without making a comment, thank God.

Josh only drove them about a mile away. They pulled up to a little cafe right next to the university. A big sign above the door marked the place as Dottie's. As they walked in, Malorie studied the restaurant. It was absolutely charming. That was the best way she could think to describe it.

The interior of the cafe was small, with only a couple tables and a long counter along one wall. The walls were brick with colorful photography displayed. It seemed to be local landscapes. Large windows allowed bright sunlight to stream in and gave the place a cheerful feeling. Malorie inhaled deeply and the rich smell of baked pastries combined with coffee made her stomach rumble.

It was just after noon and the place was packed with the lunch rush. Most of the people here looked like college students and many had their computers with them. A sign by the door proclaimed the cafe had free wifi access.

There were no seats available inside; so, after they got their food, Josh and Malorie headed to the outdoor seating area. The day was sunny with a light breeze, typical of a late August afternoon in the midwest. The blue sky was cloudless.

Malorie supressed a moan of pleasure as she sipped her mocha. It was delicious. Josh smiled knowingly at her at he drank his own coffee.

"So, what do you think of this place?" Josh asked. Malorie smiled easily.

"I really love it. This might be the best Reuben sandwich I've ever had. It's so fresh."

"Yeah, they bake their own bread everyday," Josh took a bite of his own sandwich, studying her. "I'm glad you like it," he added, somewhat shyly, when he had swallowed his food.