Free All of You by Christina Lee Page B

eyelashes brushed across his cheeks when he blinked and how his five o’clock shadow made him
     
look decidedly more handsome. The guy still knocked my socks off.
     
“I really like hanging out with you,” he said in a gruff voice.
     
“Um . . .” I said finally getting my breathing under control. “Me, too.” His shoulders seemed to unwind as he stood up straighter. He’d been as uptight and uncertain as I
     
was. Maybe this could work. Maybe if we put in the effort we could just be friends.
     
“Where are you off to now?”
     
“Just walking home,” I said.
     
“Can I . . . walk with you?”
     
“Sure.”
     
We stepped out into the chilly fall temperature. I adjusted my sweater and kept pace with him. The
     
wind had picked up and I heard the rustle of leaves in the trees.
     
Bennett leaned down to pick up a red maple leaf that had fluttered to the ground in front of us. He
     
twirled the stem in his fingers. “We used to collect leaves and make collages in grade school.”
     
“Or iron them between wax paper.” I grinned. “I love fall. The crisp air, the colorful leaves, football
     
season.”
     
“Football?” Bennett raised his brow. “I guess that shouldn’t surprise me, but it does.”
     
I shrugged. “I’m in the fantasy football league at work. Last year, I kicked an orderly’s butt. Won
     
myself a couple hundred in cold hard cash.”
     
He laughed and shook his head. “You are one tough cookie, you know that?”
     
“I guess.” I got the impression he was talking about more than just football.
     
“So, what are you up to this weekend?” I asked, trying to keep the conversation light. Hopefully he
     
wasn’t going to tell me he had a date. Although I supposed I had to get used to that idea if we were
     
going to be friends.
     
I mentally kicked myself for staring at his lips again.
     
“Actually, on Saturday I’m driving up to Lakeland for an art exhibit,” he said, picking up another
     
leaf. “I’ll be back Sunday night.”
     
“An exhibit that you’re a part of?” I asked, thrilled for him.
     
“Yeah.” He stepped around a pile of brown leaves on the sidewalk. “I’ve done shows before, but this one is huge. They get a large turnout every year, and my pieces will be for sale.”
     
“That is so awesome.” We turned the corner to our street. “People are going to snatch up your stuff,
     
I just know it.”
     
“That would be cool,” he said. “But I’m just psyched to be part of it.”
     
Our strides matched as we trudged toward our building. I felt lighter somehow, being with him.
     
“So how about you?” he asked. “Weekend plans?”
     
“I’m actually off for the first Saturday in forever. Originally, the girls and I were supposed to drive
     
up to that new casino about an hour away, but then Ella remembered that Joel invited her to some family
     
reunion thing this weekend.” I sighed. “I’ve got studying to do, anyway.”
     
The girls from work had invited me to some in-home jewelry party Saturday night, where you got
     
pressured to buy stuff. But the pieces were always pricey and I just wasn’t feeling it.
     
A kind of melancholy settled over me, knowing Bennett would be gone this weekend. Even when
     
we weren’t talking these past few days, I still tried to catch glimpses of him going in and out of the
     
elevator. Now that we were back to friend status, I secretly hoped he’d want to hang out—get takeout,
     
watch a movie. Sitting far away from each other on the couch, of course.
     
“Bummer. But at least you still have the day off,” Bennett said, pulling open the door. “Hope you
     
have a good weekend.”
     
“You, too,” I said. “And good luck. I expect a full report about how much art you sold on Monday.”
     
He waved on his way to the elevator. I slid my key into the lock, feeling that pull toward him again.
     
Maybe it was best he’d be away this weekend.
     
Just as I was stepping