Confused

I know I am blogging way after the fact but I feel the need to catch you up on the important things you've missed lately.

A week after Daniel crashed at my house he walked me to my car after our night shift. I had a feeling I'd known what was coming but it didn't make it easier. He was making small talk about one of my uppity over-tanned clients when we got to my car. Talking to him was so easy.

And then he looked at me nervously and I broke out in a sweat.

"So I was wondering if you had plans Friday night?"

"Uh..." What if I'm wrong and he just wants to hang out? "No. Not yet."

He smiled shyly, the dimples in his cheeks showing through. "Well, I was wondering if you'd let me buy you dinner."

"Daniel..."

He put a hand up to stop me. "Consider it my way of making up for passing out at your place the other night."

"I thought that's what breakfast was for." I was stalling---I didn't know what to do. He was a good friend and I didn't want to hurt him. But if this was just to make up for the other night then it would be fun to just go and hang out with him.

"Abby, I made you breakfast using things in your kitchen. It wasn't much of a gift," he said laughing lightly.

"Okay. What time?"

He picked me up at eight and then drove us to a small, family-owned Italian place down the block from my condo. It was fantastic and turned out to be a very pleasant night. Being with him was effortless, and I laughed more than I had in years. We had so much in common outside of work--something I would never have guessed. Before I knew it the place was closing up.

We arrive back at my place minutes later and things started getting...complicated. I made sure I only had one glass of wine on purpose. I needed all my wits about me to make sure and keep him at arm's length.

We sat in his car in front of my building. He had worn a cranberry colored shirt with a charcoal tie and his sun-bleached hair fell in an adorable mess across his deep blue eyes.

"This was fun," I started and playfully rubbed my middle to show how full I was. "I think we are definitely even now. I didn't even know that place existed!"

"Yeah, me neither. One of my client's suggested it."

And then, for the first time that night, the silence between us became awkward. Should I invite him up? Would he take it the wrong way? Looking at his full lips, part of me really wanted him to.

He put the car in park, turned off the headlights, and came around to open my door for me. "Madam?"

I giggled in spite of myself and took his extended hand. The awkwardness faded as I remembered who this was. He guided me sweetly up to my floor and walked me to my door. "Thank you."

I stared at him curiously. "For what?"

"Letting me pay you back. This was nice." I noticed--as his sapphire eyes focused on mine--that, in my heels, we were the same height.

"Yeah," was my witty comeback as I willed my heart rate to slow to normal. "I had a good time."

He leaned in and I could smell the faint scent of his cologne, something slightly citrus that was heavenly mixed with his personal chemistry. I closed my eyes and felt his lips press a feather-light kiss on my cheek. When I opened them again he rewarded me with a crooked smile.

"Good night."

"'Night."