Ch 8
Natalie sat nervous, extremely nervous and she wasn't quite sure why, he asked her to meet him at Rodi's for a burger... as friends... and as friends... they were never nervous around each other... never ... it was only after the accident when things had made her nervous around him, near him. She started to wonder if this was a bad idea and she suddenly stood and started to walk towards he door as she wasn't fast enough... as he walked in and they almost walked into each other.
"Having second thoughts on this?" he asked and she looked into his eyes, she didn't want to start things off by lying to him so she was honest.
"Yeah... was getting a little nervous for a few minutes there... okay... a lot nervous" she told him and he smiled at how open she was with him at this moment. He didn't speak and guided her to a booth in the back of the bar.
They both sat silently for a few minutes, awkward and neither knew what exactly to do, to act and finally John spoke.
"This is crazy... this awkwardness between us" he stated and she looked at him.
"Yes it is... but... how exactly are we to act... do we act like we just met, like in crossroads, do we act like we have this long tortured past... like we've lo—" her words stopped for a moment, she didn't want to complete the sentence but he knew exactly what she was going to say, and he finished it for her.
"Like we've loved each other for years... like we can't get enough of each other... like we've made some mistakes, big ones... turned into people we don't even recognized and cause of it we need... needed to be a part to find our selves again" he looked at her, she looked into his blue eyes and she nodded , agreeing with his words.
"I think... I think we just try and forget all that is between us for now... just maybe have some fun... let things be light... just be" he told her and she nodded her head again.
"Alright... we just be...so.…" she started to say as she looked towards the pool table.
"Can we just be ... by the pool table... as I kick your ass in a game... or two?" she smiled at him, he smirked at her.
"I guess we can" he said and she stood and led the way towards the table.
"So... let me get this straight... winner buys dinner?" she said and she laughed.
'Yep"
"Okay but why winner... shouldn't the loser buy dinner?"
'No... Not the loser... it should be the winner"
'Okay then what is the incentive to play good, so hard and win then?" she saw his face; he was stumped for what to say... so he didn't say much except.
"You ask too many questions... just shut up and play," he told her and she chuckled as she missed her next shot on purpose.
'Oooopppps" she said and he looked at her with a half grin, the one she loved so much.
"Your turn" she said all sexily and he almost melted on the spot.
"You did that on purpose" he told her and pulled her hand to her chest acting all shocked.
"Me... On purpose... never" she said and watched him finish the game ... win his first game against her in years. He smiled as he walked closer to her, got in her face, found it hard to not kiss her at this moment, to not touch her but... he couldn't.
"I don't think you're so sweet and innocent Ms Buchanan... as a matter of fact... heard thru the grapevine you're a pretty tough AC girl" he told her and she looked at him, her breathing starting to hitch in her throat.
"Yeah... I am... you got a problem with that Mcbain?" she asked and he smiled briefly, this was her, his Natalie... in rare form... flirting with him... relaxed, enjoying each others company and he couldn't help the smirk that was plastered on his face at the moment... and the words that didn't come to him...all he could do at this moment was stare into her beautiful free spirited eyes.
Natalie stared for a few minutes and then looked away as she heard Mac announce the bar would be closing soon.
"Wow... didn't know it was that late" she said as she walked over and put her stick away, he followed her over too, standing behind her, so close. He saw her move out of his way so he could put his up and he did.
John went over to Mac paid the bill and then walked out the front door with her, over to her car.
"Thanks for the burger and the game" she told him and he nodded his head.
"It was fun... I had a good time" she told him and he again nodded. He was having a hard time speaking at the moment, all of a sudden his mouth went dry and he was confused on what to do next, should he kiss her good night? Or was that stepping over the line?
"Well... good night...bye" she said and she started to get into her car as he stopped her from closing the door completely. She looked at him.
"Maybe... maybe we can do this... another...time?" he asked and she smiled...
"Yeah... I'd like that...give me a call... sometime" she told him and he smiled, let her close her car door and he decided not to try and kiss her tonight... to wait.
Thirty minutes later Natalie was undressed and laying in her bed, she had arrived back at her cottage and got her night gown on, got under her covers and was feeling good with things... with life... her house, her home, the night she spent with him... with out any drama... she started to think about how she was finding herself more and more each day and although she had come a long way, she still had a ways to go... she needed to decide on what to do with the rest of her life...what direction she should go in with a career.
She was very much in thought when she heard her phone ring, it was so late and she knew it could only be him; she smiled as she answered it.
"Hey... just wanted to make sure you got home all right... wanted to tell you I had a really good time" he told her and she smiled brighter on her end.
'Me too"
"Good, well... good night" he told her and she was about to hang up when she spoke.
"Wait… you want to come over for a home cooked meal tomorrow night?" she asked and he hesitated for a moment,.. It made her a bit upset till she heard his joking words.
"I'd love too but... whose gonna cook?" he asked being a smart ass and she shook her head.
"7 pm Mcbain... don't be late"
