stereotypical woman?”
“Well, I don’t know many people, male or female, who don’t like chocolate.”
“True. And you weren’t wrong. I love chocolate.”
After we finish dessert, Brian takes me home. He walks me to my door holding my hand, only letting go so I can fish for my keys in my purse. I finally find them and pull them out. I can feel his gaze on me as I get out the key to my apartment. I have the sudden urge to start babbling and my hands are trembling slightly.
He brushes a strand of hair away from my face, then gently tips my chin up so I’m looking him in the eye. He’s only a few inches taller than me. He looks at me for a moment, then leans in, hesitating slightly with our mouths inches apart. He gives me time to turn my head or protest before he softly touches his lips to mine.
The kiss is soft, tender. And brief.
I open my eyes as he pulls away. He smiles at me, still looking at my mouth. “I’ll call you this week. We can schedule a showing of The Princess Bride .”
“Okay.” I fit my key in the lock and turn it.
“Good night, Jenna. I had a nice time.”
“Me too.”
I step through the door and turn to say goodbye. He steals another short kiss, then turns and leaves without another word.
*
“Spill,” says Amy when she picks up the phone the next day.
“Hello, to you, too. I’m doing well, how was your day?”
“Blah, blah, I’m fine, day was fine, enough social niceties for you?”
“I guess.”
“Okay. Then, spill.”
“We went out to dinner. It was nice.”
“Nice? That’s all you’re going to give me?”
“We talked, he brought me home, he was the perfect gentleman.”
“Gentleman, huh? Too bad. I was hoping for a bad boy for your rebound. Maybe the next one.”
“Next one? I’m moving on already?”
“Wait. Are you going out again?”
“He said he’d call me this week. We’re supposed to get together to watch The Princess Bride . He’s never seen it.”
“What? Has he been living under a rock his whole life?”
“I guess. Anyway, he said I should show it to him to rectify this horrible situation.”
“I don’t know, Jen. Maybe you should move on. Never seen The Princess Bride ? Perfect gentleman? It’s not looking too promising.”
“Not too promising for what? The guy doesn’t deserve a second date? You’re the one who’s been pushing this. I thought you’d be happy I’m going to see him again.”
“Well, the point was to have a rebound, not a relationship.”
“What does that mean?”
“You know what they say—the best way to get over someone is to get under someone new.”
“Amy, that’s disgusting.”
“I just call it like I see it. Besides, the point was to get you unstuck, not stick you into a new relationship right away.”
“Brian’s nice, Amy. I like him. I feel comfortable with him.”
“That’s what I mean, Jenna. I wanted you to go out and get laid. Snap you out of your funk. Not find you a new guy friend. Did he at least hold your hand or something?”
“Yeah. He kissed me. Twice.”
“Twice? Well, maybe this guy has some promise after all. How was it?”
“It was nice.”
“Just nice? That’s all? Open mouth or closed?”
I sigh. “You’re really going to drag all the gory details out of me? Yes, just nice. Closed mouth. On the lips both times. Longer than a peck, nicer than a peck for sure. But not overly long.”
It’s Amy’s turn to sigh at me. “Well, at least it wasn’t a peck. And twice is a good sign. That means he liked the first time well enough. I wonder why he’s moving so slow, though?”
“Probably because he’s not a douche just out to get in my pants,” I say dryly.
“Maybe. I guess it was just a first date. You don’t want him to think you’re easy or anything. But I was hoping you’d have at least invited him in and gotten more than a ‘nice’ kiss.”
“Like what?”
“Oh, you know—a hot kiss, maybe some heavy petting.”
“You’re
“Well, I don’t know many people, male or female, who don’t like chocolate.”
“True. And you weren’t wrong. I love chocolate.”
After we finish dessert, Brian takes me home. He walks me to my door holding my hand, only letting go so I can fish for my keys in my purse. I finally find them and pull them out. I can feel his gaze on me as I get out the key to my apartment. I have the sudden urge to start babbling and my hands are trembling slightly.
He brushes a strand of hair away from my face, then gently tips my chin up so I’m looking him in the eye. He’s only a few inches taller than me. He looks at me for a moment, then leans in, hesitating slightly with our mouths inches apart. He gives me time to turn my head or protest before he softly touches his lips to mine.
The kiss is soft, tender. And brief.
I open my eyes as he pulls away. He smiles at me, still looking at my mouth. “I’ll call you this week. We can schedule a showing of The Princess Bride .”
“Okay.” I fit my key in the lock and turn it.
“Good night, Jenna. I had a nice time.”
“Me too.”
I step through the door and turn to say goodbye. He steals another short kiss, then turns and leaves without another word.
*
“Spill,” says Amy when she picks up the phone the next day.
“Hello, to you, too. I’m doing well, how was your day?”
“Blah, blah, I’m fine, day was fine, enough social niceties for you?”
“I guess.”
“Okay. Then, spill.”
“We went out to dinner. It was nice.”
“Nice? That’s all you’re going to give me?”
“We talked, he brought me home, he was the perfect gentleman.”
“Gentleman, huh? Too bad. I was hoping for a bad boy for your rebound. Maybe the next one.”
“Next one? I’m moving on already?”
“Wait. Are you going out again?”
“He said he’d call me this week. We’re supposed to get together to watch The Princess Bride . He’s never seen it.”
“What? Has he been living under a rock his whole life?”
“I guess. Anyway, he said I should show it to him to rectify this horrible situation.”
“I don’t know, Jen. Maybe you should move on. Never seen The Princess Bride ? Perfect gentleman? It’s not looking too promising.”
“Not too promising for what? The guy doesn’t deserve a second date? You’re the one who’s been pushing this. I thought you’d be happy I’m going to see him again.”
“Well, the point was to have a rebound, not a relationship.”
“What does that mean?”
“You know what they say—the best way to get over someone is to get under someone new.”
“Amy, that’s disgusting.”
“I just call it like I see it. Besides, the point was to get you unstuck, not stick you into a new relationship right away.”
“Brian’s nice, Amy. I like him. I feel comfortable with him.”
“That’s what I mean, Jenna. I wanted you to go out and get laid. Snap you out of your funk. Not find you a new guy friend. Did he at least hold your hand or something?”
“Yeah. He kissed me. Twice.”
“Twice? Well, maybe this guy has some promise after all. How was it?”
“It was nice.”
“Just nice? That’s all? Open mouth or closed?”
I sigh. “You’re really going to drag all the gory details out of me? Yes, just nice. Closed mouth. On the lips both times. Longer than a peck, nicer than a peck for sure. But not overly long.”
It’s Amy’s turn to sigh at me. “Well, at least it wasn’t a peck. And twice is a good sign. That means he liked the first time well enough. I wonder why he’s moving so slow, though?”
“Probably because he’s not a douche just out to get in my pants,” I say dryly.
“Maybe. I guess it was just a first date. You don’t want him to think you’re easy or anything. But I was hoping you’d have at least invited him in and gotten more than a ‘nice’ kiss.”
“Like what?”
“Oh, you know—a hot kiss, maybe some heavy petting.”
“You’re
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