I felt self-conscious when I woke up the following morning. Feeling Jim's warmth beside me had been the most pleasant feeling ever, but what if it was going too fast?

Jim and I were drawn to each other in a weird, inexplicable way. He was different from the guys I knew. Jim had a strong personality and knew what he wanted. Yesterday, he wanted me to sleep in his bed, and I agreed, probably too fast and quite unlike me. 

Opening my eyes, I  scanned the room. The city behind the enormous windows was slowly waking up. I couldn't hear any noises, but I saw the grayish morning sky and the equally gray high-rises.

Jim was clad in gray clothes, too. He stood in the doorway with a smile on his lips and his arms shoved into the pockets of his sweats. 

"Good morning, Ava. In case you have no recollection of last night's events, I behaved. I'm sorry for leaving you alone in bed. I had to run to the bakery to get something for breakfast."

I smiled. "It's okay. What time is it?"

Jim wiggled his brows. "Nine o'clock. Sharp. Come to the kitchen when you're ready."

Jim walked out of the room, and I rushed to take a quick shower and put on my clothes. 

When I entered Jim's spacious kitchen, our breakfast— coffee and croissants — was on the table. I barely made a step toward Jim when he pulled me into his arms and planted a kiss on my cheek. "Hey," he said, smiling. "I wanted to thank you for staying with me. I hadn't gotten such good sleep in ages."

"I slept well, too. Do you have insomnia?"

Jim shook his head. "I've been stressed out lately. It was hard to stop thinking about stuff."

"I'm glad you rested well. I did, too."

We sat to eat. "Here you are." Jim handed me my coffee and a still-warm croissant. A few minutes into our breakfast, he stopped eating and fixed his green eyes on my face. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure. What is it?"

"Are you free tonight?"

I smiled into my coffee mug. "I have to write, but I can find the time. I don't think I can stay at your place again, though."

Jim chuckled. "I didn't think you would. I was thinking about a date. I want to show you one of my favorite spots in the city. What do you say?"

Smiling, I shrugged. "Why not?"

Jim winked at me before taking a sip of his coffee. "I'll pick you up at eight sharp."

***

I didn't let Jim take me home. The need for some calm and clarity propelled me to insist on taking the subway instead. Jim wasn't thrilled, but being almost late for a meeting made him give up.

An hour later, I walked up the driveway and let myself into my house.

"Pumpkin!"

My dad's voice made me stop in my tracks. I hung my coat by the door and took off my sneakers before going to see him. 

He was sipping his coffee in the kitchen, sitting at the table. Judging by Dad's frown and the papers in front of him, he must have been preparing for surgery.

"Hey," I said, taking a step forward.

Dad's eyes lit up. "Hey there. Get yourself a cup of coffee, sit next to me, and let's chat."

I obeyed, wondering what Dad wanted to talk about. When I settled at the table, my silent question was answered.

"So," Dad said and paused, looking at me.

"So..."

"That friend you stayed with, who's he? And before you lie to your father for the first time, look at the kitchen counter."

My eyes widened at the sight of a giant flower arrangement. At least three kinds of roses were there, releasing their sweet scent into the air of our kitchen.

"There's a card. I didn't read it," Dad said.

I rushed to take the small envelope next to the bouquet. The note read, "Can't wait to see you again. Eight sharp. Jim."

Blushing, I returned to my seat. "His name is Jim," I said to Dad. "I didn't tell you anything because it's very recent."

"It's okay, Pumpkin. The dude isn't cheap, so that's a relief. I hope he's younger than me. Other than that, it's all good. If he treats you right, you have my blessing."

"Oh my god! Of course, he's younger than you. He's twenty-two."

"Good age." Dad winked at me. "Job? Parents? Last name?"

"He studied Audiovisual Science and works in that field. His dad is a mechanic, and his Mom is a teacher. The last name's Eldridge."

"You two also talk, as I can see. Another good point. Well, that's enough info. Save the rest for your girlfriends."

Dad didn't look offended that I hid the truth, much to my relief. His cheerful mood gave me the courage to finally address the issue I'd been avoiding since I came back home from Paris.

"Dad," I began, "I also need to talk to you about something."

"If it's about birth control, Harper," Dad said, looking at the page in his hand.

"God, no!" I groaned. "But it has to do with medicine."

"Medicine?" He put the document on the table.

Now that I had Dad's attention, I couldn't back down.

"I don't want to be a doctor," I blurted out and braced myself for all the questions that would inevitably follow.

Dad chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "Took you long enough."

"You knew?"

"Of course, I did." Dad smiled at me, sighing. "I didn't want to push and gave you time to make up your mind. It would've been stupid of me to assume you'd want to study Medicine just because I did. You're not me, Ava. You have to make your own decisions and your own choices."

"Thank you. I'm relieved you're not mad at me for taking so long to figure things out."

Dad shrugged. "It's better to take your time and be sure than rush into something and regret it. So, have you decided yet?"

"I think so," I said. "You know I love books."

Dad winked at me. "I noticed."

"Right. So, I was thinking about studying Creative Writing."

"That's a good choice."

"And I also want to look for a job meanwhile."

"You know you don't need to," Dad said.

"I don't feel comfortable asking you for money, Dad. I'm not a kid anymore. There's a new bookstore Harper told me about. I'm going to ask if they're hiring."

"Do it if you like the place and the job. You're too young to spend time on something you don't enjoy."

"I love books. It'd be like working in heaven."

Dad smiled. "I bet. I'm glad you know what direction to move in, Pumpkin. Now, take care of those applications while you still have time."

I fidgeted with my mug. "I already have. I applied before coming back home. The only thing I need is their answer."

"See? You're sure that's what you want. I couldn't have asked for more."

I hopped off my chair and approached Dad. Drawing my arms around his neck, I kissed his cheek. "Thank you for being understanding."

Dad patted my back. "Thank you for being honest about college and the flower guy. Make sure he knows I won't hesitate to kick his ass if he doesn't treat you right."

"You won't need to. He treats me right, and he wanted to meet you."

Dad squinted. "That's nice of him, but no, Pumpkin. Wait till twenty dates. If it lasts, I'll gladly arrange a meeting."

"I think it might last," I said. Dad did nothing but wink at me before giving the work papers his undivided attention.

***

It was almost eight in the evening when I exited the bookstore. Lucky for me, they were not only hiring but looking for a person who read a lot and could recommend books to customers. Speaking French was a bonus, and the job was mine. I'd work part-time, starting the following day. The manager, William, showed me around and explained what my duties would be. 

Since I didn't have time to go home, I asked Jim to pick me up at the store. Standing by the entrance, I observed the stream of cars.

A black Audi stopped by the curb. The window rolled down, and Jim smiled, motioning for me to get inside.

I rushed to plop down onto the passenger seat. Jim leaned in and kissed my cheek before starting the engine and tearing into the evening traffic.

"Have you been waiting for a long time?" Jim asked, glancing at me before redirecting his attention to the road.

"Not at all."

"You were at a bookstore, but I don't see any books," Jim said.

I studied his profile. "That's cause I got a job there. I also told Dad I wanted to study writing."

"Wow." Jim smiled. "You were more productive than me."

"How was your meeting?"

A soft groan left Jim's mouth. "The dude is a conceited, pretentious jerk, and I had to make an effort to keep quiet, but that's old news. I don't want to bore you with my stuff. Tell me how your dad took the news."

"Way better than I thought. He already knew I didn't want to study Medicine."

"I already like your dad," said Jim. "That was very Axel of him."

I giggled. "Very Axel of him?"

"That's my dad's name. Your dad's reaction made me think about when I told mine what I wanted to do. I was relieved when he supported me despite how different my choice was from his."

"You don't like bikes, then."

Jim turned his head to look at me and grabbed my hand, lacing his fingers with mine. "I prefer cars, but my brother Brian learned to ride a bike way before he could legally do it. There was no stopping the little fucker."

"The little fucker." I chuckled under my breath. 

Jim grinned. "That's right. My grandfather calls my dad that. Dad calls Brian and me the same thing. I call Brian the same thing, too, cause he's little, and he's a fucker."

"Little? He's my age," I said, laughing.

Jim winked at me. "You're little too. A cute little thing. That's how I called you that night at the hospital."

My cheeks flushed. "You just had to remind me of my awkwardness, didn't you?"

"It wasn't awkward. It was cute and genuine. Unexpected, too, but the best things usually are." Jim gave me a tender smile, accompanied by the twinkle in his green eyes. The sight almost made me miss the moment where Jim's Audi left the highway and drove onto a narrow road.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

Jim slowed down and parked on a kind of a plateau. As he killed off the engine and we got out of the car, Jim locked the vehicle and took my hand in his.

At first, I didn't see much, but as we made some steps forward, I gasped.

Sprawled in front of us were the high rises and the night city in all its magnificence, lit up by thousands of lights.

A gust of wind ruffled my hair. Chuckling, Jim tucked a tendril behind my ear. "Do you like it?"

"Very much. I've never been here."

"The spot isn't that known. Most people don't venture here because of how narrow the road is, but it's worth it."

I stared off into the distance for a long moment. Then, I looked at Jim's face, studying his features before noticing his expression was devoid of a smile. 

Unsure of the reason behind his seriousness, I lifted my eyes to his. What I saw in them was pure emotion, raw and intense.

Jim brought his hand to my face and ran his knuckles across my cheek. Then, it was the turn of his calloused fingertips. He caressed my skin with tenderness and reverence. Slow and measured, his touch was a contrast to my quickened, ragged breath.

Both of us took a step forward. Jim buried the fingers of one of his hands in my hair and hugged me with his free arm, pressing my body to his.

"Don't run away. Please, don't run away," he whispered. His minty breath blanketed my lips, and then, his mouth covered mine. 

I closed my eyes at the sensation of firm lips parting mine to seek better access. Jim nibbled at my lower lip. Opening my mouth, I welcomed his tongue that slipped inside and touched mine, slowly and then faster, circling it and playing with it. 

I drew my arms around Jim's waist, and he buried his hands in my hair, kissing me much deeper, holding my head in his warm palms, not letting me move.

The noises of the city below us faded to murmurs. What I heard were our breaths and my soft whimper when Jim's lips moved to the shell of my ear. 

"I've been dying to kiss you," he whispered, placing a wet kiss on my neck.

I pressed him to me tighter, feeling it all — his heat, and his frantic heartbeat, and the lean, tightly roped muscles under his clothes. 

All of it was new. All of it was for the first time. 

And I didn't regret a thing.

More of the date in the next chapter...tell me if that kiss lived up to your expectations!  Also, do you enjoy reading about the date from a guy's or a girl's POV more?

Love you,
A.