nyc prep continued

She reached over and took his hand. "Good. I'm glad you think so." She rested her head on his shoulder.

He interlaced thier fingers and took a deep breath. She had more experience than he did but he wonderd howmuch. What if she wanted more and he...freaked out?

"What are you thinking?" She asked softly.

Something he hadn't thought about till tonight, "that...that kiss."

"Oh," she said softly. "What about it?"

He ran his thumb up and down her hand, "that it was...amazing." he said quietly

She laughed. "Okay. I'm glad."

He smiled at her laugh, "you apparently find that amusing."

"I mean, of all the descriptors... I was worried that you weren't okay with it."

"Should we go back to your place and play more or call it a night?" Paige asked after they finished their dessert.

Now that made him laugh. He pulled away just a bit to try and see her face, "why wouldn't I be ok with it?"

"I don't know," she smiled. "I just worried about it, I guess."

"there is nothing for you to worry about," he said with a smile, "that kiss....fir me at least....it was very memorable." He felt a little breeze and it was cold.

"It was for me too," she assured him.

"trays good. You want to go back in?"

"Now that its just your mom? Sure," she replied with a grin.

He chuckled getting up offering her a hand to help her up

She took the hand, allowing him to help her up. "I'm glad she likes me at least."

"wgats there not to like?" He asked rhetorically as they walked into the house hand in hand. His mom was nowhere to be seen, "what would you like to do?"

"Whatever you want to do," she replied. "What do you normally do with your time?" She asked, then amended. "Besides studying."

He laughed, "ygays pretty much stay I do. Though I do play the cello to break up the studying abs homework. But that's beside the point. I could show you the rest of the house."

"I didn't know you played the cello," she smiled.

"im a man of many talents and much mystery." He said mockingly pyos

She laughed. "That you are. You really are."

he loved being this....this person with her. a little more outgoing, joking, fun person he was never really able to be before, " thank you for noticing how extraordinary I am." he teased, " ok really though...what would you like to do? we have a heated pool, a hot tub, a billiards room, tv....what?"

"Holy cow Carl. You guys have everything." Brooklynn remarked, wide eyed. "Really, everything."

"that isn't an answer." he grinned

"How about we finish the tour?" She suggested.

"Sounds good," he took her hand and led her through the house. it took nearly an hour to show her the whole house. The 10 guest bedrooms, the two and a half livingrooms, there were 5 bathrooms he didnt' feel the need to show her the pool that wasn't really a room but it was something to see all the same. he showed her the library/ study, the gaming room that had a pool table, darts, a huge tv, xbox and wii and even a bar. they ended back in the hall by his room, "and that is everything."

"Wow." Brooklynn said, eyes still wide. "This must have been an amazing house for hide and seek."

he let out a chuckle but there was a hint of sadness, " only kid. no friends...I wouldn't know."

"Then we'll have to test it," Brooklynn decided.

his eyebrows pulled together, " what?" was she suggesting they play now?

"Maybe some other time," she decided. "I don't want to keep your mom waiting."

so that is what she had been suggesting, " oh right." he had completely spaced desert, "I think its chocolate something or other."

"Sounds delicious," she laughed. "Chocolate something or other. I haven't heard of it before."

He laughed leading her downstairs. He called his mom's cell and she came into the dining room.
"i hope you like chocolate caramel lava cake." She smiled sitting down.

"Sounds amazing," Brooklynn replied.

The desert was served with tea and coffee.

Brooklynn went with the tea. It was hard not to scarf down the food, it was delicious, just like the rest of the meal had been.