“Only a little,” I protested. “I was just enjoying some libations because it’s was so hot today. And still is. Maybe I should take my clothes off.”
“I could help you with that, you know.”
“No, you’re going to sit over there.”
I nudged him toward a weight bench that looked as though it hadn’t been used in quite some time.
“All right,” he said agreeably. He sat down.
“Is your phone out here?” I asked.
“No, it’s inside.”
I looked over at his work bench. “Does that stereo work?”
“Yeah. There’s actually good, old-fashioned CDs in there.”
“Which ones?”
“I don’t know. Are you looking for anything specific?”
“Um...something with a good beat.”
“Well, let’s see what’s in there.”
He got up and turned the stereo and the receiver on, and the first CD that started to play seemed to be an 80’s hit mix. He skipped over Billy Idol and the Cars, until “Obsession” came on and I told him to stop.
“Okay, go sit back down,” I said.
I didn’t know why I was doing this, other than I wanted to, and I thought that it might make him laugh. I never went out to clubs or anything, but I was pretty good at moving with a beat, and as the music played, I started to gyrate my hips and run my hands up and down my sides. I slowly worked the hem of my shirt up and then I pulled it off, lobbing it over my head where it sailed through the air and landed unceremoniously on a red wagon full of pool noodles.
Cole laughed, then clapped, biting down on his lip, looking at me appreciatively.
I stayed in beat with the song, pushing my shorts down, stepping out of them. I danced around in my underwear, going over to Cole, straddling him, letting my face get close to his but never quite touching.
When the song ended, he ran his hands down my flanks and kissed me.
“You know,” he said, “I think this is the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for me.”
“Happy to oblige,” I said. “I love you.”
The words just slipped out; I certainly hadn’t been planning on saying them right then. But maybe this was like what Amy had been talking about at dinner; that you just needed to let it happen organically.
“Oops,” I said, smiling. “Did I just say that?”
It was probably the alcohol in me, but I didn’t feel afraid of him not saying it back; I didn’t care, I loved him, and that was not contingent on whether or not he felt the same way back to me.
He was looking at me intently, a serious expression on his face. He didn’t say anything.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that. It probably seems like it’s way too soon or something, and now you think I’m this psycho crazy person who just falls in love with anyone. But...that’s not true at all. And you don’t have to feel this way back, it’s okay, I’m not saying it because I expect you to say it in return, I just really wanted to—”
“Allie, shhh,” he interrupted, putting his finger up to my lips. The tiniest of smiles was curving the corners of his mouth. “I actually don’t think it’s way too soon because just the other day I was thinking that I felt the same way about you, too. It’s not something I take lightly; I don’t just throw the word around. I want you to know that. But I love you, too. And I love this little stript
ease you just did for me.”
I gave him another kiss. “Well you know, there’s plenty more of those to follow.”
“After you sleep that hangover off,” he said with a wink.