Page 17
Story: The Christmas Bet
I walk over to the jewelry counter and look to see if anything jumps out at me. Brenda Lee’sRockin’ Around the Christmas Treeis coming out of the speaker above me. As much as I love this song, today I’m just too upset to care.
I thought there was a connection between Conner and me. Never had I ever felt that spark or intensity before. From the moment he came over to me in the bar, the air was always thicker when he was around. My skin prickled at his touch, and my breath caught when my eyes locked in on his.
“But he still called and asked you out again. Maybe thereisa reason. Just hear him out.” Lacy wraps her arm around my shoulder. “And if he gives you some bullshit excuse, drop him like a bad fucking habit.”
“Why are you defending him?” I turn and frown at her. She’s my best friend, and she’s supposed to be loyal to me. I can’t deny what I felt with him, but I can acknowledge what I feel right now, which is disappointment.
“I’m not. Allie, I know what I saw that day in the bar. There was a spark between the two of you. A pull. Something shifted that day, I just know it. It’s different with you two.” She purses her lips.
I let out a sigh as my finger taps against the glass case in front of me. One chance. Thats all I need to give him. If he lets me down again, he’s getting written off like the rest of them.
* * *
I standin front of my full-length mirror as I put my small diamond stud earrings in. I give myself a once-over, making sure I look good in my black and red color-block sweater dress with a V-neck and short, dolman-style sleeves. I decided to pair my dress with some red suede boots. Feeling confident in my outfit choice, I grab my black leather jacket and throw it on as I leave to meet Conner at the front of my building.
He texted this time and didn’t come up to my door. Not a good start to the night as far as I’m concerned. It takes everything in me to not just tell him to forget it.
I head out of the building and find him standing in front of a black SUV.
He doesn’t smile, merely nods to me. “Hi.” He pulls open the door, and I slide in the front passenger seat. Conner shuts the door and walks around the front to his side, giving me a moment to breathe without his presence, which is quite overwhelming.
He slides into the driver’s seat and starts to pull out into the street. I stare out the window and watch the city pass by as we drive along. Out of the corner of my eye, I see how tense he is. His hand grips the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles are white. Turning my head more I can see him clenching his jaw and trying to avoid looking at me.
I should have stayed home.
The ride is silent, all fifteen minutes of it. The air is thick and tense—I feel like I’m suffocating. There’s Christmas music softly playing on the radio, and it’s the only noise between us. We pull into a parking garage on 29th Street, and I squeeze my purse tighter as Conner finds a spot to park in.My entire body is tense, my eyes facing forward and not sure where to look.
He throws the car in park and lets out a huge sigh. I see his hands go to his thighs, and he looks at the dashboard before turning to me. “Before we go in, I need to say something.”
My hands wring together on top of my lap. “Sure.” My eyes meet his as I bite my bottom lip. Whatever he has to say, it would have been nice if he’d said it before we left.
“I need to apologize.” He takes a deep breath. “I ran out on you on Wednesday, and I lied about the reason why.”
“I figured as much when Lacy saw you at Legends the next day and you hadn’t contacted me. Look, Conner, I don’t have time for the games. I get it, you don’t like me, so there’s no need to try and play this like you are.” I grab the door handle and open it, jumping out of the SUV before I spin to face him. “I don’t appreciate liars, and I really don’t appreciate a pity date. I’ll find my own way home.”
Slamming the door shut, I take off toward the stairwell exit and find my way out on to the sidewalk and street. When I pull up my phone, my name is called by the man I just ran from.
“Allison, wait!” Conner comes running up alongside me as I turn my back to him. “Please. Please, look at me. It’s not what you think.”
“No? You force me to go on a first date with you, which ended up actually being a nice date. Then you send me roses and ask me out for a second time only to end up never taking me out and leaving me on my bed, stunned and exposed. You make up some ridiculous lie about a family emergency and confirm to me what I already know, which is that it was never true. So please, Conner, tell me it’s not what I think, because from where I stand, it’s exactly what I think.”
Tears start threatening to fall. I hate being made to feel like a fool. I start to walk away, already sniffling.
“I’m scared!” he calls out. I stop dead in my tracks and turn back to him. “I’ve never dated a woman or even wanted to. You … you’re different. There’s something about you, and it fucking scares me.” He slowly walks up to me, his hands in his pockets. “Wednesday night, I just panicked. I don’t do relationships, and I don’t normally care about what’s going on. I’m just there to get off and that’s it. But you’re different. And that … that scared me. I’m sorry. Please let me have a do-over.”
“You’re asking for another do-over? How many do you need, Conner?” I scoff at him. My eyes narrow, and I grind my teeth together to keep myself from saying something I’ll regret.
He runs his hand over his face. “I know. I know. But please. I really like you, Allie. You’re absolutely gorgeous, bright, and I’ve never laughed as much in my life as I have with you. And when I kiss you. Fuck, Allie, I want to devour you.” I let out a gasp as he continues. His voice becomes low as he steps closer, “You make me feel something I’ve never felt before.”
I let out a shuddering breath. “I could say the same.”
“So give me this last do-over. Let me show you how I feel, make it up to you for lying and leaving you. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“Don’t let your mouth write checks your ass can’t cash.” I shake my head at him.
Conner chuckles. “Yet another reason I like you. You don’t tip-toe around things.” He comes up and takes my hands in his. Our eyes lock in on each other, and I can feel the intensity running though him. “I will make damn sure my ass can cash that check. I won’t hurt you again, Allie.” He leans in and softly brushes his lips on mine.“I promise.”
I nod as he takes my hand, and we walk down the sidewalk to the restaurant. Even with everything that just happened, walking next to him, I can’t deny how I feel when we’re together. The pull, the need, the sexual tension.
I thought there was a connection between Conner and me. Never had I ever felt that spark or intensity before. From the moment he came over to me in the bar, the air was always thicker when he was around. My skin prickled at his touch, and my breath caught when my eyes locked in on his.
“But he still called and asked you out again. Maybe thereisa reason. Just hear him out.” Lacy wraps her arm around my shoulder. “And if he gives you some bullshit excuse, drop him like a bad fucking habit.”
“Why are you defending him?” I turn and frown at her. She’s my best friend, and she’s supposed to be loyal to me. I can’t deny what I felt with him, but I can acknowledge what I feel right now, which is disappointment.
“I’m not. Allie, I know what I saw that day in the bar. There was a spark between the two of you. A pull. Something shifted that day, I just know it. It’s different with you two.” She purses her lips.
I let out a sigh as my finger taps against the glass case in front of me. One chance. Thats all I need to give him. If he lets me down again, he’s getting written off like the rest of them.
* * *
I standin front of my full-length mirror as I put my small diamond stud earrings in. I give myself a once-over, making sure I look good in my black and red color-block sweater dress with a V-neck and short, dolman-style sleeves. I decided to pair my dress with some red suede boots. Feeling confident in my outfit choice, I grab my black leather jacket and throw it on as I leave to meet Conner at the front of my building.
He texted this time and didn’t come up to my door. Not a good start to the night as far as I’m concerned. It takes everything in me to not just tell him to forget it.
I head out of the building and find him standing in front of a black SUV.
He doesn’t smile, merely nods to me. “Hi.” He pulls open the door, and I slide in the front passenger seat. Conner shuts the door and walks around the front to his side, giving me a moment to breathe without his presence, which is quite overwhelming.
He slides into the driver’s seat and starts to pull out into the street. I stare out the window and watch the city pass by as we drive along. Out of the corner of my eye, I see how tense he is. His hand grips the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles are white. Turning my head more I can see him clenching his jaw and trying to avoid looking at me.
I should have stayed home.
The ride is silent, all fifteen minutes of it. The air is thick and tense—I feel like I’m suffocating. There’s Christmas music softly playing on the radio, and it’s the only noise between us. We pull into a parking garage on 29th Street, and I squeeze my purse tighter as Conner finds a spot to park in.My entire body is tense, my eyes facing forward and not sure where to look.
He throws the car in park and lets out a huge sigh. I see his hands go to his thighs, and he looks at the dashboard before turning to me. “Before we go in, I need to say something.”
My hands wring together on top of my lap. “Sure.” My eyes meet his as I bite my bottom lip. Whatever he has to say, it would have been nice if he’d said it before we left.
“I need to apologize.” He takes a deep breath. “I ran out on you on Wednesday, and I lied about the reason why.”
“I figured as much when Lacy saw you at Legends the next day and you hadn’t contacted me. Look, Conner, I don’t have time for the games. I get it, you don’t like me, so there’s no need to try and play this like you are.” I grab the door handle and open it, jumping out of the SUV before I spin to face him. “I don’t appreciate liars, and I really don’t appreciate a pity date. I’ll find my own way home.”
Slamming the door shut, I take off toward the stairwell exit and find my way out on to the sidewalk and street. When I pull up my phone, my name is called by the man I just ran from.
“Allison, wait!” Conner comes running up alongside me as I turn my back to him. “Please. Please, look at me. It’s not what you think.”
“No? You force me to go on a first date with you, which ended up actually being a nice date. Then you send me roses and ask me out for a second time only to end up never taking me out and leaving me on my bed, stunned and exposed. You make up some ridiculous lie about a family emergency and confirm to me what I already know, which is that it was never true. So please, Conner, tell me it’s not what I think, because from where I stand, it’s exactly what I think.”
Tears start threatening to fall. I hate being made to feel like a fool. I start to walk away, already sniffling.
“I’m scared!” he calls out. I stop dead in my tracks and turn back to him. “I’ve never dated a woman or even wanted to. You … you’re different. There’s something about you, and it fucking scares me.” He slowly walks up to me, his hands in his pockets. “Wednesday night, I just panicked. I don’t do relationships, and I don’t normally care about what’s going on. I’m just there to get off and that’s it. But you’re different. And that … that scared me. I’m sorry. Please let me have a do-over.”
“You’re asking for another do-over? How many do you need, Conner?” I scoff at him. My eyes narrow, and I grind my teeth together to keep myself from saying something I’ll regret.
He runs his hand over his face. “I know. I know. But please. I really like you, Allie. You’re absolutely gorgeous, bright, and I’ve never laughed as much in my life as I have with you. And when I kiss you. Fuck, Allie, I want to devour you.” I let out a gasp as he continues. His voice becomes low as he steps closer, “You make me feel something I’ve never felt before.”
I let out a shuddering breath. “I could say the same.”
“So give me this last do-over. Let me show you how I feel, make it up to you for lying and leaving you. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“Don’t let your mouth write checks your ass can’t cash.” I shake my head at him.
Conner chuckles. “Yet another reason I like you. You don’t tip-toe around things.” He comes up and takes my hands in his. Our eyes lock in on each other, and I can feel the intensity running though him. “I will make damn sure my ass can cash that check. I won’t hurt you again, Allie.” He leans in and softly brushes his lips on mine.“I promise.”
I nod as he takes my hand, and we walk down the sidewalk to the restaurant. Even with everything that just happened, walking next to him, I can’t deny how I feel when we’re together. The pull, the need, the sexual tension.