We got our shoes and picked out our balls, which of course I had to be given a lesson on picking out the proper ball. Justin insisted that I needed a set of balls, just in case something happened to the other. Because a good set of balls was what really mattered in life he explained.
“I’d like to place a little bet,” he said after entering our names onto the scoreboard. Of course, his name went in as King and mine as Sexy. I was expecting Queen or something since he thought I was so stuck up about some things, but I guess that name would do.
“Of course you would. Let me guess, if you win I owe you some kind of sexual favor,” I deadpanned at those gray eyes that stared back at me, clearly amused.
“What kind of guy do you take me for, Della?” He dramatically clutched his hands to his chest like I had offended him, if that was even possible. “Actually, I was going to say if I win, I get to pick our next date and if you win, you get to pick. Nothing sexual about it. Unless of course you decide that’s how you want it to be.”
“Oh, so you just assume there will be a second date?”
“There will be a second date, Della. I can guarantee it.”
“Whatever,” I stood to grab my ball, lining my feet up with the arrows. Bowling wasn’t something I had done very often, but I had always been competitive. Nash seemed to always bring that out in me and now Justin was doing it. I went to pull my hand back but was stopped mid-swing when Justin grabbed my free hand. “Don’t you think you need some assistance?”
“Not really,” I groaned, yanking my hand out of his grip.
“Really? I figured you’d never done this before. That’s the whole reason why I brought you, I wanted to give you a hands on lesson.”
“Sorry to ruin your fun, but I don’t need any lessons.” I grinned when I saw his disappointed look and took off down the lane, almost managing to knock down all of the pins. Our scores stayed pretty neck and neck for the rest of the game. I laughed more tonight than I had in a really long time. Justin was constantly coming up with some new way to tease or flirt with me but always just keeping it right at the edge of over the top.
“Okay, last turn, this is your chance for the win. Remember you get to pick the next date.”
I ignored his comment about there all ready being another date and stepped up for my turn. I hit every pin, pumping my fist as I spun around. “Strike!”
Justin grinned at my enthusiasm, picking up his ball to finish out his turn. It looked like he purposely threw the ball down the gutter, and he turned shrugging his shoulders at me. “I guess you win. Have you decided where we’re going yet?”
“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.” He beamed at me when I said it, clearly I had okay’d the second date and he was getting his way. I was actually looking forward to it.
“C’mon, let’s grab a bite to eat and then we’ll get you home before you turn into a pumpkin.” He wrapped one arm around my waist and led me out of the bowling alley.
He ended up taking me to one of those drive in places where they bring your food out to you on skates. I hadn’t been to one since before my parents divorced, and it brought back so many good memories. I let myself get carried away, ordering a chocolate milk shake, fries, and a hamburger. By the time I was finished I felt like I was going to explode.
“You have a little something right there.” Justin’s finger grazed the corner of my mouth and I dropped down the mirror to take a look. I figured it was some sort of plot for him just to touch me, but sure enough I had a smear of chocolate across my face. I rubbed at it with my finger.
“Is it gone?” I turned towards him and surprisingly there was no smile on his face. Instead, he was staring at me with a sort of wonder in his eyes. “No,” he whispered quietly. “I think I’m going to need to help.”
His lips landed gently on my cheek and he brushed them across my cheekbone, causing goose bumps to break out all over my body. “And I think you have some right here,” he murmured against my neck, his tongue darting out to lick a trail up to my ear. Normally, I hated this kind of foreplay.
After Chris, things had been all about sex and that was all I ever let it be. But Justin, Justin was a pro. I pulled back slightly when his tongue moved to the seam of my lips. “Justin, wait.” I held up a hand, putting a few inches of space between our bodies that had somehow drawn together like magnets. “What exactly are we doing here?”
“What do you mean, Della?” He asked in a husky voice, his eyebrows knitting together.
I licked my lips, thinking of how exactly to answer that question. I really wasn’t even sure. “I mean…what’s going on between the two of us? Am I just another girl in the long line of those who should feel lucky to have been graced by Justin Parkers presence or is this something more?”