The date...

We pull up in front of my house and an awkward silence falls over us. It's weird to think of saying goodbye to him in the driveway when we've spent so many nights together already. But I need to stay strong. If we are going to do this I want to do this the right way.

But the right way can mean inviting him in for another drink and talk more, right?

Fuck this. I don't even know how to date. Do people really do this? Spend hours with someone, say goodbye, then start all over? It is so time consuming and strange and I don't know if I like it.

Graham and I started as best friends then turned into more. We would hangout, not go on dates then we would spend all night together until one of our parents called us back home. Then it was a natural progression to living together and then we were nothing.

It was so easy.

"I'm coming in," Ryder says.

"What? You can't just invite yourself in. I was going to ask you to come in but now I change my mind." I open the car door and let myself and Boomer out. Ryder gets out and and comes around the car putting his hand on my waist.

We are close. So close that I can feel his breath on my lips. Ryder you are killing me.

"If I waited for you to ask me in we would have been sitting in that car for another twenty minutes," Ryder says smirking. I want to kiss that smirk right off his face.

Ugh.

"You might be right."

"I'm always right," he kisses me quick. A small touch of our lips then he is grabbing Boomer's leash and heading into my house.

"What the hell, Ryder? You can't just break into my house," I yell as I race up behind them.

He opens the door and lets us all in, "you shouldn't leave your door unlocked then."

I shrug, "oops."

"Seriously, Addison. Lock your door. that isn't okay." He is serious. His blue eyes are wide and his mouth is set in a straight line.

"It's a safe neighborhood." I argue. Honestly, I always forget about the door because Graham always left after me and would handle locking up the house. I'm still getting used to being by myself in a house meant for a family.

"You live alone. It doesn't matter how safe you think the neighborhood is. Lock the door," he makes a point by locking the door behind us. I roll my eyes and grab the discarded clothing from my couch.

Living alone does have its perks.

Why the hell didn't I clean this place up knowing he could come inside? Stupid.

I attempt to lesson the mountain of plates in the sink by throwing them in the dishwasher haphazardly.

"Need help?" Ryder asks coming behind me and resting his chin on my shoulder. He is too close again, but not close enough.

"I know what I'm doing," I say.

"You know what?" I ask him turning around. He raises his eyebrows as he waits for me to explain. I jump up on the counter and ignore the remaining dishes.

"My mom always wanted us to put the dishes in the dishwasher as soon as we finished with a plate. Then my dad would flip out because my mom would flip out so we had to put the dishes away. And then when I moved out I said, screw this, I'll put the dishes in the dishwasher when I want to. Then Graham was even worse about it than my parents used to be!" I throw my hands up in the air and watch Ryder's expression turn more amused.

I can't stop talking, "then when Graham left I really said fuck this and stopped doing it all together until I run out of plates and stuff. But I realized how much easier it is to put the stuff in as I use it and that really pisses me off."

"Are you done?" Ryder is laughing now and I'm sweating from the anger.

"I'm done."

"I'll be your boyfriend," Ryder says closing the distance between us.

I push him away, "what the fuck? No. You said we had to figure this out. We didn't figure anything out."

"You just ranted for twenty minutes about plates and washing dishes and I didn't get bored or annoyed with you."

"Wow, it must be love," I say sarcastically and hop off the counter.

"And now I say no," I tell him moving passed him with two clean wine glasses and another bottle of wine.

"What?" He asks.

"We have to see where this goes first," I answer.

"Fine. But I'm not going anywhere," Ryder says sitting next to me on the couch.

We are touching from our arms down to our ankles. And I swear to myself that is the only parts of us that will touch tonight.

Control yourself, Addy.

"Do you have any siblings?" I ask.

"A younger brother. He's only 7. Different dad though," he says.

"That seems fun," I comment wondering how I would interact with a kid. It probably wouldn't be pretty.

"It's fine. It was just my mom and I growing up so as dumb as this sounds it's still weird for me to share her, even after all these years." Ryder places his arm around my shoulders and kisses my head.

"I don't think it's dumb. It doesn't matter what age it happens, having a change in a family is always a big deal."

"I guess you're right," Ryder says.

"I always am," I wink.

He leans closer and presses his lips against mine, "no kissing on the first date." He mumbles against my lips.

"It's like our third date," I say then push him back onto the couch.

"Wow, we change our minds a lot," he says in between kisses.

I nod, "this is a good change," I say.

"Well, You are always right."