Free False Start (Love and Skate) by Lila Felix

he told a story, I got totally engrossed. He described everything in detail and I could see what he was talking about in my mind’s eye.
                  “Are you ready? The waiter has been giving me the ‘get out of my table’ look.”
                  “Yes, I am.” He’d already paid the ticket. We were just enjoying ourselves.
                  I wasn’t. I could sit and talk to him forever. And I wanted his hand on my leg again. But I had a feeling, this was going to be a give and take with Rex. And since he’d touched my thigh, I wanted to take my turn. As we got up and headed out of the restaurant, I grabbed his hand in a simple hold. And just like I needed him to react, he threaded his fingers with mine and kept moving.
                  I’d never been so turned on by hand holding—ever. Were hands an erogenous zone? It was usually me analyzing the guy’s hand, too hot, too clammy, his hold too tight or too loose, but Rex was just right. My hand felt like it was being wrapped in an electric blanket, set to Hayes.
                  We got into the truck, he opened my door first and I wondered if we were going anywhere else. I would be exhausted the next day, but that was pretty normal in my world—plus, very worth it. Much to my dismay, he brought me home. But he made no move to get out.
                  “I’m torn here,” he laughed, “I know you need to go home and rest, but I don’t want to wait another week to see you.”
                  “That’s quite a dilemma. You’ll figure it out—I hope.”
                  I hoped he took the challenge.
                  He gave me a curt nod and got out, opened my door and walked me up the stairs to my door.
                  I had absolutely no desire to go inside without him—or with him, it was confusing. I thought it was the problem every woman faced. If you asked him in, he got the wrong idea, if you didn’t you were an ice queen.
                  I looked at him, looking at me and craved the ability to read his thoughts. I wanted to know if he wanted to kiss me as much as I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to know if he’d had as good a time as I did. And mostly I wondered if he really couldn’t wait to see me again.
                  He took a step towards me. It was obvious his eyes were on my lips but he made no further move to kiss me.
                  “Goodnight, Rex.”
                  “Goodnight,” he said and kissed my hand—my hand!
                  He bounced down the steps and into his truck. I waited for him to leave, but he waved at me, more of a pushing motion, indicating he wanted me to go inside before he pulled away. He may not be Southern, but the boy was a gentleman. I went inside and listened for his truck driving away. I kicked off my heels right there at the door and slid down the length of it, carrying a shit eating grin as wide as my face. I felt my phone vibrate in my purse and I opened it.
                  “Hello?”
                  “Hi honey, you answered. It’s over already?”
                  “Yes, but not because it wasn’t good, he was worried because I need to sleep.”
                  “Oh Hayes, that’s the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.”
                  “Right? Oh Mom, he’s just sweet and nice and he said he didn’t want to wait another week to see me.”
                  “Ahhhhh!!!” She screamed over the phone.
                  “I know. I’m gonna go, Mom. I really do want to try to get some sleep.”
                  “Ok, be good.”
                  “Goodnight, Mom.”
                 
                  I almost expected him to be at the bakery the next morning. I practically demanded that