“That's shitty, sorry to hear that.” He smiled at me, and I was starting to really like his smile.
“It's all part of the game, I'm afraid. It'll heal. I think I need to go have a very hot bath.”
“I probably have a better solution.”
“What's that?”
“I can't believe I'm saying this, but my mom is a massage therapist, and she taught me how to give a pretty damn good massage. I could give you one.”
He stopped in his tracks. He literally stopped walking in the middle of the sidewalk. I almost stumbled over him. “Seriously? You want to massage me, ‘cause that's the best news I've heard in a really long time.”
“Take it easy there, cowboy, let's not get ahead of ourselves.”
“You just offered me a massage, and I am accepting it 100%.”
“Well, hold on. I'm not just offering you a massage. I'm not that foolish. I want a little give and take.”
He raised an eyebrow at me. “Well, what do you have in mind, little lady?”
“Here's the thing, I was invited to go to a wine tasting event with my friend, Brenda. She was the girl in the booth with me the day you bought that picture.” He nodded. “Well, she's going to be bringing a guy, sort of like their first date, but she's really nervous about the whole thing. She doesn't date a lot, and she asked that I go as well, to make sure he's not some weirdo,” I laughed nervously.
“That's a little weird,” he chuckled.
“Maybe, but I can understand. A group event relieves the pressure, ya know?”
“Actually, I don't know, Natalie.” We laughed together.
“I guess maybe you don't. But it's also different for girls; it's not always safe to go off alone with a new guy.”
“So what do you need me for?”
“Well, I'm not really the third wheel type, ya know? Plus, it might be a little awkward for the guy for me to be there. But a double date wouldn't seem like a bad thing, right?”
“Oh, I see where this is going.”
“Come on, be a sport. You'll get the pleasure of my company, plus you’ll get a massage.”
“Wine tastings aren't really my thing. Who is this guy, anyway? What kind of guy takes a girl to a wine tasting on their first date?”
I shrugged. I knew he was just playing hard to get, and that he would cave instantly if I told him to forget the whole thing. “She likes the guy, that's all that matters. So ... are you in or are you out?”
He stared at me, and I could tell that the wheels were turning in his head. I wondered if he was thinking about my hands on his body. Would that be the deciding factor? The thought of me touching him intimately, was that what was going through his head? I almost blushed at the thought.
“Please, Jet, this is a win-win for both of us. Don't make me go to this thing alone.”
“Okay, I will go. It's not my thing, but you are certainly my thing. So I will do it for you.”
“Thank you. You don't even know how much I appreciate it.” I couldn't have felt better about the situation; the last thing I had wanted was to go to the wine tasting alone. Instead, I would have a handsome guy by my side, even if we weren't together.
“So when is this little hoopla?”
“Not for a couple of days yet. Can you handle the suspense?”
He chuckled. “Not sure. The bigger question is, when are you giving me that massage, cause girl, I could sure use one right now.”
“Sorry to disappoint. But it's going to have to wait until tomorrow. I have plans tonight.”
“With who? Not another guy, I hope.”