Tales of a Single Girl....

Chapter sixteen: Lies and Manipulations

I looked at the phone screen one more time and decided that I couldn't be bothered with that person. I quickly slipped the phone back into my bag.

Robert came out then, looked at me and grinned. "Hey," he said. He suddenly seemed shy which I couldn't help finding totally endearing.

"Hi," I replied.

"Have you forgiven me?" he asked.

I felt surprise at the question. "For what?"

He shrugged. "For letting everything go wrong yesterday."

"But I wasn't your fault," I said. "And everything was okay in the end. You pretty much saved my life from that creep I ran into."

He smiled then, almost smirked, and I couldn't help wondering what he was thinking about.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked.

"I guess just how things work out?" he replied.

Not knowing what to make of the situation, I stood up, feeling awkward and vulnerable and not really understanding why. I swallowed hard.

"Are you okay?" Robert asked, suddenly sounding concerned.

"Oh yes, I'm fine, " I responded quickly. "I was just thinking that it might be an idea if I headed on home. You know how it is."

"Why don't you hang out here for a while?" Robert asked.

I looked at him. "You really think that it would be okay?" My heart started pounding and I wondered if he could hear it.

He grinned, seemingly amused. "Yes it would be fine. I'd like it if you did."

I smiled at him. I didn't understand anything about what the rules were when it came to dates and whether you can have sex with someone on the first date and whether it was appropriate to just hang around their place, even if they did invite you to. Maybe I was imposing on his hospitality. Or not. He did invite to hang around his place after all. Get a grip, I told myself sternly.

"I'd like that too," I replied.

It was kind of awkward trying to work out whether I should wear the same clothes from the night before. At any rate, it probably wasn't the smartest thing in the world, hanging around his place in just a towel. He seemed to read my mind because he lent me an oversized shirt and a pair of shorts to wear.

"You're not going to the restaurant today?" I asked.

"No, I'm not on the roster," he replied lazily.

It really was a very laid back day, precisely what the doctor ordered, I couldn't help thinking. Robert and I spent most of the day watching DVD's. I had absolutely no idea what we'd even watched because I spent most of my time with my head in his lap, with him stroking my hair. A silence settled over us, but it wasn't one of those weird uncomfortable silences, it felt completely natural, as if we didn't need to talk to each other about stupid things. It was so weird that we somehow had managed to go from a nightmare first date to being so comfortable with each other, as if we'd been together forever. It felt good and I didn't want the feeling to ever end.

I must have dozed off at one point because the shrill ringing of my mobile woke me. I jumped a mile and I noticed that Robert also looked as if he'd woken up.

"I think that's my phone," I said sheepishly. "Sorry."

He grinned. "Guess you'd better answer it."

I pulled my phone out of my handbag and answered it, without looking to see who it was from. "Hello?" I said, hoping my voice didn't sound too croaky.