A Step Closer to Love

“You are going on a date? You?” Ryder was shocked and he was not interested in hiding that fact.

“Yeah so I am taking the day off”

“It all makes sense now,” Ryder said.

“What makes sense?” Kieran asked. He had not said anything confusing to him so why was he making sense of the situation?

“Aurora’s tantrums,” Ryder said. “She knows right?” he added.

“Yep,” Kieran said. He was not interested in defending himself or explaining anything to Ryder. He owed no one any explanation.

“What about Arabella? Isn’t she going to come into work?”

“She is with me”

“What do you mean she is with you?”

“I mean the person I am going on a date with is her” Kieran’s voice did not shake or waver. It was obvious he had wanted to say this before because of the huge smile on his face. Arabella was not hiding her relationship with him but she was not sure about letting it out of the bag so soon.

“So you are finally showing her around the city?” Ryder asked. His puzzled voice was obvious. He was not sure what his friend was saying but he was sure it was not what he meant.

“Showing her around the city?” Arabella mouthed to Kieran with an eye roll. “She does not need to be shown around the city” she added her voice still absent but allowing her mouth to do the full work.

“She does not need to be shown around the city” Kieran echoed.

“So wait it’s an actual date? Like a date between couples?” Ryder asked shocked.

“It is” Kieran responded nodding his head.

“I thought she was not your type?” Ryder asked. “I thought you preferred girls within your age range and that was not nerdy? I feel she is too young for you”Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

Kieran wished that Ryder would just keep shut. He had only confided in him when he was unsure of his feelings and at that time he had refused to acknowledge his feelings for her. He wanted it to be false because he could not believe how much his preferences had changed over time.

Arabella threw Kieran a questioning foul look. “What’s that about?” her small voice almost came out.

“I always knew you and Aurora would not work out but I imagined you with….”

“I have to go now, see you tomorrow” Kieran cut off the line before Ryder could get into details about anything.

“What does he mean?” Arabella asked.

“I don’t want to offend you but I feel like you would hear this later and you would still bring it up so I am going to say it now and just hope it can die down” Kieran said gently.

Arabella waited for Kieran. He was the one to explain so she was not going to say anything and hoped that his matured ass could come up with something that her young brain could understand.

“I hope your matured mind can communicate to my young brain,” she said in a taunting tone.

She could not believe that even though the age gap had been a big worry for her she just pushed it aside and just thought about her happiness while he was so concerned about it.

“Come on Ara”

“Explain yourself”

“I would explain but let’s leave here before anyone sees us” he said.

Arabella nodded her head and slipped her hand away from his. She folded her hand across her chest so there was no way he would be able to get to her.

Kieran let out a sigh before he drove the car out of the parking lot. He drove for a while before coming to a stop in front of a free parking space downtown.

“Let’s talk here first” he said taking off his seat belt and turning to face her. “Look at me,” he said. Arabella pouted as she kept facing the rolled-up window. He had left the ignition running and the AC blasting at full speed on their skins.

“Look at me” he said again using his hand to turn her face to him.

As she caught a glimpse of him she almost cussed out herself. How was she so weak that just a look at him almost rendered her speechless? She was about to give in and forget all that had happened but she pushed forward with strong will.

“Let me explain,” he said as her eyes darted all over the place. “Yes I was wrong but I only said all those things when I was trying to make sense of my feelings and it’s true that you are younger than I am but that does not mean anything”

“I would rather have your immature ass any day any time than have someone who is so mature and I do not feel a single thing for. My feelings are currently all over the place but one thing I know for sure is that out of it all, I like you so very much it’s weird to me because it feels like I have never felt things like this before” he rambled.

Maybe it was the age but Arabella loved how honest and open he was. He did not hesitate to speak his mind and it made her feel safe. He was not contemplating what to say. He just gave it his all.

“So you think I am immature?” she asked with a pout.

“You may be immature but I would not have it any other way” he said rubbing his hands on her forearm. She felt his hands leave a burning sensation on them.

“Are you still mad?” he asked pushing her back and forth.

“Maybe, Maybe not” she said darting her eyes from his lips and trying her best to remain focused.

“Come on, I am sorry” he said shaking her a bit. A smile threatened to break off on her lips and he knew she was no longer angry.

“I am sorry” he leaned in and she pushed her head back.

“What are you trying to do?” she asked trying to make sense of the dancing green in his eyes.

“What I have been restraining myself from doing all these days,” he said leaning in more.

“What?” she asked.

“Can I?”