Hector nodded, pulling out into the street. “All right, that makes more sense.”
“Why? What were you thinking?”
“Never mind,” he said, laughing inwardly.
He wouldn’t tell her he was back to thinking of her as a bit of a snob who walked up to a taco truck with all kinds of greasy Mexican food on the menu and ordered a grilled cheese.
When they got there, he was surprised to see the amount of people standing around the big yellow truck. Obviously he’d been way off. This wasn’t just any grilled cheese. Once they got to the small park just around the corner from the truck where Charlee told him she and Drew ate every time they came here, Hector discovered just how off he’d been. Since he’d never been, he asked Charlee to order for him. Charlee watched him intently as he took the first bite of his grilled cheese. She looked so damn cute. If his mouth weren’t full, he’d just go for it and kiss her.
His thoughts were suddenly on the party going on in his mouth, and he chewed slowly, savoring all the incredible flavors. Looking down at the grilled sandwich he’d barely paid any attention to as he bit into it because he was so into Charlee’s excited eyes, he had to know now. “What’s in this?”
“That’s by far my favorite of theirs,” she said with a very satisfied smile. “It’s mac and cheese and pulled pork with caramelized onions. Isn’t it to die for?”
Hector nodded, taking another bite. It really was incredible. If he weren’t so anxious to talk to her, he would’ve gone back for another when they were done. He gathered up their trash and walked it over to the nearby trash can. On his way back to the picnic table, he saw Charlee spray something in her mouth, and then she turned bright red when she realized he’d seen her. He couldn’t help laughing. “Why does that embarrass you?”
She shook her head and began putting it back in her purse, but he reached out her hand. “Let me have some of that.”
Without making eye contact, she handed it to him. He read the bottle, “Cinnamon Binaca. I didn’t know people still used breath spray.” He sprayed some in his mouth then smacked his lips, sitting down next to her. “Damn that’s strong.”
He handed it to her, and even though the color was gone from her face, he asked her again. “So why did that embarrass you?”
Her cheeks tinged but not nearly as much as the first time, and she shrugged, focusing on the things in her purse. “I just didn’t want you thinking that . . .”
From the moment he’d seen her at the door of her place, the smile had been a permanent fixture on his face. With her getting so excited over a damn grilled cheese and now this, his face was going to start hurting soon. He touched her hair, leaning in closer to her, and she turned to him. With her lips inches away from his now, he couldn’t help himself. “You didn’t want me to think you were getting ready for this?”
Leaning in slowly, wondering if she’d pull away since she had said this couldn’t happen anymore, he was relieved when she didn’t. He pecked her softly, and he was supposed to stop there, but unlike with other girls, with Charlee he had no self-restraint. His greedy lips and tongue couldn’t get enough of her, so he parted her lips with his tongue and went in for more. She allowed him to indulge for a bit longer before pulling away a bit breathless.
“Hector,” she began then stopped. She seemed almost upset.
“I’m sorry,” he said quickly.
“No. Don’t be.” She frowned, shaking her head. “I just wish I wasn’t so damn . . .”
She stopped, and he waited for her to continue, but she didn’t. Instead, she looked away.
“So what?” he asked confused.
Turning back to him, she licked her lips, and that’s all it took to distract him. Then she spoke again. She glanced away, clearly not wanting to make eye contact when she spoke. “I was going to just go along and enjoy today and not think about the consequences, but it’s impossible. I can’t.”
Beginning to understand what she was saying, he slipped his hand in hers. The nerves he felt as he drove to her house today were back in full swing. “That’s exactly what I wanted to talk to you about.”
Now her big baby blues were staring at him, and if he thought she’d let him, he’d kiss her again and again. Instead, he focused on what he’d come here to say to her. “You said it before, and I think it’s what you’re saying now. You can’t do this because you need more than just this.” He squeezed her hand. “I can’t stop thinking about you, Charlee. I’ve never done anything more than just this. I never needed to, but now I . . .” He kissed her hand because his lips needed to be on hers, and he didn’t want to kiss her lips again until he knew she was okay with it. “Now I need it. I need you, and I’ll probably suck at the relationship thing at first, but if you give me a shot—if more is what you want and it’s what I need to give you in order to have this, then you got it—I promise I’ll try real hard to get this right.”
She looked almost alarmed now as what he was saying seemed to sink in but said nothing. He waited for her to respond, because he wasn’t sure if he’d said enough or worse said too much. Apparently, he’d stunned her into silence, and he wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.
“I don’t know what to say,” she finally said.
“Say yes!” He laughed nervously.