Just One Touch: A Black Alcove Novel (The Black Alcove Series Book 3) by Jami Wagner Page A

arms
and hugging her. The second I realize what I’m doing, her body goes
stiff, and I get the feeling I ruined our good day with just one
move. But then I feel her arms around my waist and I don’t let go.
I kiss the top of her head and pull back.
    “Goodnight, Alex, I
enjoyed your company as well.”
    She blushes as she
backs away, turning for her apartment. When her door is closed I
stand there for a moment. How can I possibly feel this attracted to
someone I hardly know? And why, even though I know so little about
her, do I feel as though I’ve known her forever?
    My cell rings. Heather.
Shit, I should be making this dinner effort with her.
    “Hello?” I answer,
concerned why she is calling me at 10 at night.
    “Hey, Conner, Jake
can’t sleep and says he needs to talk to you before he could try it
again.”
    My heart grows.
    “Put him on.”
    “Dad?”
    “Hey, bud, can’t
sleep?”
    “No. I forgot Donny.”
    I glance around for the
stuffed turtle I saw earlier.
    “Yeah, he’s right
here.”
    “Oh.”
    “Can I bring him to
you tomorrow?” I ask, trying to make him feel better. He sleeps
with him every night. Last night he must have been too tired to
notice he was missing.
    “I just thought I
lost him. Can he sleep with you?”
    “Sure thing,” I
say, completely honest.
    “Okay, ’night Dad.”
    “’Night, buddy.”
    ““I’m glad you
picked up,” Heather says after Jake gives her the phone.
    “Me too. I didn’t
realize he was so attached to one stuffed animal.”
    “You know, maybe one
night you could try staying over here and maybe we wouldn’t run
into this sort of thing. As part of giving us a try?” she asks.
    The reminder is like a
punch to the gut. I don’t know if I can keep going through with
this if I’m developing feelings for Alex. It’s not fair to anyone
involved.
    “It’s probably best
if we take it slow until we know this is what we want for sure,” I
say.
    “I know it’s what I
want, Conner. Are you having second thoughts?”
    “I can’t just make
an emotion appear. It takes time. How about lunch tomorrow?” I
suggest.
    “Conner, we can’t
just keep doing dates.”
    “That’s how people
get to know each other and decide if they want to be in
relationships. They do things together. What do you want to do?”
    “I want to go to bed.
I’ll call you tomorrow.”
    The line goes dead. I
grab my charger and the turtle and head for my room. I’ve got an
amazing son who I love, a woman across the hall who is making me feel
things I’ve never felt before and who I shouldn’t be attracted to
if I’m going to make this work with Jake’s mom, and my son’s
mother who says she wants a family but isn’t willing to put in the
time. Life is about to get very interesting.

Chapter Five
    Alexis
    I walk into the gym,
heading behind the counter where I was told to go after my interview
a few days ago. I clock in the way I was taught to do as well and
then I just stand there. I smile at a couple as they walk in, rubber
mats rolled neatly under their arms, ready for an hour of yoga. Each
of them runs their keys over the corner of the counter until a
beeping noise occurs. They continue on their way past me. There isn’t
anyone else coming in, or anyone else behind the front counter for
that matter.
    Another man and a
woman, who look to be the most fit people I’ve ever seen, walk
through the sliding doors a moment later. He slings a bag over his
shoulder while she shakes a bottle in her hand. They both nod in
greeting, and my hand flies up in an awkward wave slash swatting the
flies away sort of wave. They don’t seem to notice though; they
just walk right on by, not doing the weird key thing the couple
before them did.
    Surely, they’ve got
someone here to train me or at least show me around. Perhaps the lack
of attention at the front desk is why they hired me in the first
place. I take a step toward the gap that allows people behind the
counter but am again distracted