Give Us a Chance by Allie Everhart

didn't give you permission."
    "I'm pretty sure you did." I lower my arms around her waist, keeping her close.
    "I said your name. That's it."
    "It was the way you said it. And the way you looked at me when you said it."
    "You could've misinterpreted what I meant."
    "Did I?"
    She pauses. "No. But I only did it to teach you how to act on a date, since apparently you don't know, which is understandable given that you haven't been on many."
    "And what exactly were you teaching me?"
    "That at the end of a first date, you give the girl a kiss goodnight."
    "And what happens at the end of the second date?"
    "You get to kiss me again. Maybe longer next time."
    "I'm taking you out tomorrow," I say, anxious for the chance to kiss her again.
    "Maybe I'm busy tomorrow."
    "Are you really busy? Or do you just not want to go out with me tomorrow? Be honest. You won't hurt my feelings, although I will be disappointed."
    "I just don't want to rush things. I'm still not sure about you."
    "All the more reason to spend time with me."
    She smiles at my reasoning. She knows persuasion is a skill of mine. That's why I'm so good at sales and negotiation. "So where are we going?"
    "Dinner and a movie."
    She nods. "Very traditional."
    "I've never done it before. I figured I should try it. You can pick the movie."
    "You've really never taken a girl to dinner and a movie?"
    Shit, I shouldn't have said that. It'll just remind her of my history of random hookups in which I didn't even take the girl out anywhere before having sex with her.
    "I'll pick you up at six," I say, deciding it's not necessary to answer her question. She knows the answer.
    "Make it seven. I have to stop at my dad's house after work."
    "Seven it is. Goodnight, Ivy." I press my lips to hers for one last kiss, then tear myself away before I kiss her again.
    Normally, kissing bores me, but I do it because girls expect it before moving on to other things. But kissing Ivy? There was nothing boring about that. I could kiss her all freaking night and not get tired of it.
    I leave and go back to my loft and get to work on all the shit I have to do. But my head isn't in it. It keeps wandering back to Ivy. This is bad. Just one date and I already have feelings for her. Actually, I had feelings for her as far back as last summer but I kept denying it, telling myself I only liked her because she's hot. But it wasn't just that. If it was, I wouldn't have worried about her when she was sick last fall and brought her that gift card. I wouldn't have made sure I was always on site at the Victorian when her shift was over so I could make sure she got safely to her car, even in daylight. I wouldn't have asked Nash to keep a close eye on her at the library to make sure the other guys weren't bothering her. The truth is, I've had feelings for Ivy since the day I met her, and now those feelings are even stronger.
    This is what I've been trying to avoid. I didn't want to ever feel this way about a girl, but I can't seem to stop it, or turn it off, or get Ivy out of my head.

    Even the next day, I still can't stop thinking about her.
    "Can I sit here?" A pretty blonde stands by my table, holding a salad and a bottle of iced tea.
    "Go ahead." I notice all the other tables are full. I'm at a restaurant downtown, sitting at a long table with stools. I just finished meeting with a potential client about renovating an old building into lofts and retail. The meeting went well, but it's a huge project and a lot of other companies are bidding on it so it's a long shot we'll get it.
    The blonde sits across from me but one seat down. She has long wavy hair and a beautiful face. I caught a glimpse of her when she was in line. She's tall and thin like a model and is wearing a black wool coat with a cream-colored scarf around her neck.
    "This weather," she says, unwinding her scarf and setting it on the stool next to her. "I'm getting tired of it." She smiles at me. "How about you?"
    "I don't really notice it," I say,