Matchplay A New Adult Romance - By Dakota Madison Page 0,20

me aback. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all. I actually didn’t know what I

expected but that wasn’t it. Aaron waited patiently, watching me, as I carefully considered how much I

wanted to reveal to him. The look in his eyes was so earnest, it put me at ease.

“I have personal boundaries,” I said. “People have to earn the right to touch me.”

He studied my face. Without taking his eyes from mine, he said, “Were you abused?”

I shook my head. “I wasn’t but my best friend was.”

He was still looking at me intently. He didn’t say anything, just waited for me to continue.

“Jill was my best friend all through elementary and junior high school. Because we were both only children, we became as close as sisters. We were inseparable. When we were freshman in high school, Jill’s mom got remarried and not too long after her step-dad moved in he started molesting her. At first, he was touching her inappropriately. I begged Jill to talk to her mom. And when she did her mom didn’t believe her. Then Jill said her step-dad asked her to do things to him. Sexual things. She got scared but she didn’t know what to do. She felt like her relationship with her mom had been completely destroyed.

By the time we started our sophomore year, Jill told me that her step-dad would sneak into her bedroom at night and force himself on her. I was finally able to convince Jill to tell our guidance counselor. Within 24 hours, she was placed in a foster home. Jill’s mom still refused to believe that her husband would do all of the things Jill said he did to her. Even when they presented her mom with physical evidence, she still didn’t believe Jill. Jill’s mom chose her husband over her daughter.

While Jill was in foster care, she was assigned to a psychoeducational group for kids, who had been molested. She was scared to death to go, so she asked the counselor if I could go with her. I attended the group every week for almost a year. I learned a lot about setting personal boundaries and having respect for myself and my body. I don’t just share myself with anybody.”

Aaron nodded but he didn’t say anything. Then the waitress came with our food.

Aaron was right in his assessment of the dim sum. It was delicious.

“Good choice,” I said as I stuffed my fourth dumpling into my mouth.

Aaron grinned. “Okay, I take back what I said about you being too tiny to eat very much. You can pack it away. I hope you don’t bankrupt me.”

“Very funny.” I smiled. I liked seeing the playful side of him.

After the waitress removed the few remains of uneaten dumplings, Aaron looked at me with a serious expression. “Can I ask you another question?”

“Sure.”

He looked down at my right hand then back up at me. “Can I touch your hand?”

I looked at his face and he had an odd expression. Was he nervous? I found it hard to believe that super smooth Aaron could ever be nervous when it came to women.

“Why?” I asked.

“Why what?”

“Tell me why you want to touch my hand,” I said matter-of-factly.

Aaron leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. Then he gave me a grin that was the sexiest I had ever seen. I swallowed.

“No one has ever asked me that question before.”

“I’m not like other girls,” I said as I leaned back in my chair and stared into his eyes.

He grinned. “You are definitely not like other girls.”

I wondered if he thought that was good or bad.

“You challenge me,” he continued. “And I like to be challenged.”

We continued to stare at each other. After a few moments, Aaron uncrossed his arms and moved toward me. “There are a few reasons,” he said quietly, in almost a whisper.

I leaned closer to him so I could hear him.

He continued. “When I look at you, I can only see the outside. That’s such a small part of who you are.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great part but it’s only one dimension. When I talk with you, I get to know your mind and a little bit of your heart. The parts you’ll let me. That’s another dimension. But if you allow me to touch you, I’ll get to feel you. Feel your energy. And connect with a deeper part of you.”

His words took my breath away. It wasn’t what I was expecting. Part of me