Free Next to Me by AnnaLisa Grant

like, oh, my God…then he kissed me, and I mean really kissed me.” I decide not to tell Spring about the lengths Landon went to meet me. I’ve already chosen sweet and charming over creepy and I don’t want to have to convince her otherwise if she chooses creepy.
    “So far it sounds as amazing as I hoped it would be for you,” she says.
    “It gets better…then it gets worse. We came back here and talked for a little bit before he kissed me again. It got hot and heavy and before I knew it I was…” I bury my face in my hands again so I don’t have to see Spring’s reaction when I say the words. “I was straddling him on the couch.”
    “Who would blame you, Jenna? Landon is seriously the hottest guy I have ever laid eyes on,” she says without missing a beat.
    “I wouldn’t tell Matt you said that!” I chuckle. Matt and Spring have been dating for over a year. Things are going really great between them and I’m afraid I’ll be the one looking for a new roommate soon.
    “Seriously! Don’t be so hard on yourself, Jenna. You said it yourself…you haven’t had any real action since before you moved here. You can’t be surprised when a guy as great, and as hot, as Landon comes on to you that you explode. If you’d stop pushing guys away, you might not be so frustrated. When did he leave? Oh my gosh! Is he still here?”
    “No! I may have bottled up frustrations, but I wouldn’t have slept with him on the first date! Geez, Spring! No…that’s the mortifying part. He stopped us and then he left. Said he had to work today, but that he’d call me. He also told me to have fun with the doctor tonight.” Spring paints a puzzled look on her face. “That was the other super great part of the night. When he asked to see me tonight, I told him about my date with Dr. Fisher.”
    “What is wrong with you?” she asks with a deadpan face.
    “I’m a moron. Next question.”
    “You’re not a moron. You just don’t know what you’re doing. But…if this guy really is as great as you think he is, he’ll call. And if he’s not, then maybe he was just your catalyst guy. The guy to get you off your ass and back into the dating world without finding the stupidest things wrong with every guy you go out with. The guy that makes you realize you’re done with casual dating and that you’re ready to be a big girl. I gotta run. I’m meeting Matt after work, so I won’t be here to meet the good doctor, but I’m sure you’re going to have a great time.” Spring kisses my cheek, grabs her lunch from the fridge and her purse from the hook by the door and is gone.
    With a deep breath and a swig of coffee, I right myself and get ready to
    go dance. I’m hoping I can get some endorphins flowing and start feeling more positive about how things ended with Landon last night.
    The 9:00 am studio class today is ballroom and I can’t help but hope that Landon will be there…that he’s figured out a way to see me today since I can’t see him tonight. I enter the studio fully aware that a stupid look of anticipation is spread across my face. I scan the room and check out each of the eleven students’ faces before I’m left with nothing but disappointment.
    “He’s not here,” Carina tells me. She’s tightening the long, fringed scarf around her waist as she approaches.
    “Yeah, I can see that,” I say. She follows me to the side of the room where everyone dumps their belongings. “We went out last night,” I tell her.
    “Aye! I knew it! He came back later on Saturday and asked a hundred questions about you! How did it go?” Carina asks with immediate excitement.
    “It started out as the most amazing date I’ve ever had, but…I blew it in the end.” I sit and put my ballroom shoes on.
    “How could you have blown it?” she says with disbelief.
    “Let’s just say I came on a little too strong and sent him running. I may have also told him about the date I have tonight with one of the doctors I work