The Pairing

Megan felt completely at ease leaving Pesh to watch Mason. She got them a couple of slices of Mason’s favorite, pepperoni, along with some drinks and then made her way over to a table close to the toddler area. When she caught Pesh’s eye, she waved them over. After several tense moments, he was finally able to convince Mason to leave the play area to come and eat.

As Mason bounced around in his seat, Megan knew she would be doing good to get four bites of pizza down him before he was raring to go play again. She also had a fear that she, Pesh, or the both of them were going to be wearing tomato sauce before it was all said and done.

“This place is very interesting,” Pesh remarked, as he gazed around.

Megan laughed. “Have you never had the pleasure?”

“Sadly no. My brother, Arjan’s, and his children live in Florida, so I’ve really never had a reason to come.”

“You’ve dodged a bullet there. That’s for sure.”

He smiled before taking a bite of his pizza. His expression turned so sour that Megan couldn’t help giggling. “This is terrible,” he muttered.

“I should have warned you not to bother eating. It only seems appetizing to small children who are hyped up on adrenaline.”

He took a long swig from his Coke and swished the liquid around like he was trying to rid himself of the taste. When he caught Mason looking at him, he put on a fake smile. “Mmm, that’s good pizza. You better eat yours before I do.”

“Nice save,” she murmured.

He winked at her as he threw his napkin on his plate. She couldn’t believe when her heart fluttered at his gesture. It was almost impossible to believe that she could be getting feelings for him in the middle of Chuck E. Cheese.

“Done. Go play,” Mason announced, bringing her out of her thoughts.

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. You need to eat more.”

Mason scowled at her before grabbing another bite and shoveling it into his mouth. He managed to clean his plate with a little coaxing from Pesh. Then the two of them went back over to the play area. As Megan watched them, the small ache in her chest began to grow. Pesh was completely hands on, hoisting Mason up where he could reach things and then catching him when he came off the slide. He seemed to genuinely enjoy spending time with Mason. Some guys would have played with Mason only to get on her good side. But Pesh didn’t have an agenda when it came to her, unless it was to have her embrace the idea of a relationship with him.

When the last ticket was spent, she rose off her chair. “Okay, time to go.”

Mason’s face scrunched up, and he looked like at any minute he might throw a tantrum to stay. But Pesh took his hand. “We’ll come back another time.”

His reply seemed to pacify Mason, and he happily slung his and Pesh’s arm back and forth as they walked to the car. When they got buckled up, Megan turned back to Mason. “What do you say to Pesh for bringing you?”

“Tank you, Esh,” Mason said.

His words sent a broad grin stretching across Pesh’s face. “You’re welcome, buddy. I had a good time.”

When he glanced over at Megan, she gave him a genuine smile. “I had a good time, too.”

Taking one of his hands off the steering wheel, he reached over to take her hand in his. While the gesture was a little too lovey-dovey for her liking, she didn’t argue with him. Instead, she just enjoyed his touch.

Once they had deposited a sleepy Mason back home at Megan’s, they abandoned her SUV and gotten into Pesh’s Jaguar. “So where exactly are we going?” Megan asked, as she buckled her seat belt.

“It’s a surprise.”

“Seriously? You’re still playing coy about it?”

“For just a little while longer.”

She shifted in her seat where she could look at him better. “Can I try to guess?”

“I suppose. I’m not sure I’d tell you even if you guess,” he teased.

“Are we going to Atlanta?”

He cut his gaze from the road over to her. “Have patience.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, she huffed, “I don’t have patience for games.”

“Okay, I’ll give you a little hint. Actually, it’s more of a question than it is a hint.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you have a fear of heights?”

She snorted. “No, I don’t. Why?”

He gave her a sly grin. “I told you. It’s a hint.”

“I went skydiving when I turned twenty-one, so I’m totally fine with heights. Of course, I seriously doubt we’re going sky diving in these clothes.”

“No, we’re not.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Please tell me it’s not box seats at the opera or something like that.”

His face fell. “You don’t like the opera?”

“Never been and never want to.”

Pesh appeared almost personally insulted. “I’m going to have to change your mind on that one.”

“Why am I not surprised you like opera?”

“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”

“A bunch of screeching men and women singing in a language I don’t understand? Not my idea of a good time.”

“But there is such love and passion in their delivery,” he argued.

“Um, I’m just going to have to agree to disagree with you.”

“For now at least,” he said, with a wink.

When the car started slowing down, Megan peered out the windshield before turning to Pesh. “We’re at McCollum?”

“Yes.”

“You’re taking me flying?”

He smiled. “Yes, I am.”

Even though she had known he had a plane from how he’d helped get Aidan to Noah’s delivery, she couldn’t believe their date included something as unique as flying.

“So let me get this straight. I’m dressed like this,” she did a little hand motion over her dress, “to go flying?”

An amused look twinkled in his dark eyes. “You have absolutely no patience, do you?”

“No, I don’t.”

As he put the car in park outside the hanger, he turned to her. “By your lack of being able to withhold gratification, I’m assuming you’ve never partaken in any Tantric sex?”

She couldn’t stop her mouth from dropping to her chest. “W-What?” she stammered.

Turning in his seat, he pinned her with a hard stare. “Have I managed to shock you again?”