What the hell had this girl done to me?
“Oh, Ben,” she whispered into my neck.
Jesus. Christ. If I didn’t get some distance and perspective I was going to lose it big time. Blowing my load five seconds in when I was fourteen wasn’t anything compared to blowing my load when I was twenty-four and I wasn’t even in.
When I was making out with the hottest girl I’d ever met at the top of the Rocky steps. In public. Hell the fuck yeah, that would be bad.
I slid my mouth back to hers and loosened my ironclad grip on her ass. It took everything I had to brush a soft kiss across her lips and let her go.
I was aware that a group of guys who had run up behind us were watching and I tossed them a dark look of warning before I grabbed Georgia’s hand and pulled her down the stairs. I didn’t say anything until we reached the bottom, mostly because I had no idea what to say.
Sorry for sticking my tongue down your throat and feeling up your ass in public?
“We should go,” she said softly.
The moment was gone and I said nothing.
We started out at a nice easy pace and I did my best to match my long strides to her shorter ones and after an hour we slowed to a leisurely walk. American pride was everywhere, the stars and stripes, red, white, and blue. Growing up Canadian, I was used to a much more subdued display when my country’s birthday, July 1st, rolled around. But I had to give it to the Americans, they sure liked their flags and parades and it was nice. Real nice.
We stopped at a corner, one I recognized and I knew we weren’t far from Matt’s loft. I spied a coffee shop that advertised all you can eat breakfast across the street and glanced down at Georgia.
“I don’t know about you but I’m starved. Do you want to grab some breakfast?” I pointed to the coffee shop.
“Oh.” She sounded distracted, her eyebrows arched as she followed my finger. “Uh, I don’t have any money on me. I didn’t think to bring any.”
A guy and his overweight golden retriever walked toward us and he slowed down a few feet away. I couldn’t tell if he was staring at Georgia or if he was giving me the once over. I knew the look—that cross between do I know this guy or is he really who I think he is—and I didn’t want any interruptions. I don’t mind signing autographs and if I was at a charity event or a game I’d sign them until my fingers cramped, but not today.
Today I wanted to be a normal guy out with a beautiful girl on the Fourth of July.
I grabbed Georgia’s elbow and started across the street. “It’s all good. I grabbed my credit card before we left.”
The small coffee shop was busy, with a lineup at the counter and from what I could see all the tables were full. A few looked like they’d be clearing out soon but I wasn’t sure how many folks were waiting ahead of us.
A tall man, with a balding head and sharp features glanced up from the cash machine. His white apron was smeared with grease and what looked like ketchup. “Sorry, guys. If you’re looking for fast service you’ll have to go elsewhere. We’re crazy busy this morning.” His eyes narrowed a bit and he got the same look on his face that dog-walking-guy had.
I nodded. “It’s alright.” And turned to Georgia. “Do you want to wait, or go somewhere else, or just go home?”
“Of course,” the man said as he elbowed his way out from behind the counter and through the line of people waiting to pay. “We always make room for one of our boys. Welcome to Philly.”
Usually, I wasn’t a guy who used the celebrity thing to get what he wanted and truthfully most of the guys I knew weren’t like that either—most of us were small town boys—but living in LA, I’d met a lot of celebrities and some of them would do anything for a freebie or special treatment.
But today was different. Christ, today the eggs and bacon in this place were killing me and I had my eye on a booth in the back that a family had just left. It was darker back there, kind of secluded and I could have Georgia all to myself.
I leaned forward aware that a few more people were staring. “I’d appreciate the table in the back and if you want me to sign anything, just send it over.”