Page 17 of Catch a Tiger

“Exactly my thoughts,” Mark admits as he stops his treadmill too. He hops off and wipes his face again.

As they head over to the lifting machines, Sean says, “So, you arrived at her place of work and asked her out and she just agreed?”

“Yeah, basically.”

Sean whistles again. “Some serious balls. Are you going to take her out again?”

Stretching out his muscles, Mark admits, “Yes, if she’s willing. I haven’t heard from her since last night, but she doesn’t have my number.”

“So text her.”

“So soon?”

Sean rolls his eyes and begins stretching with him. “If you don’t text her, she’ll think you’re no longer interested.”

Pulling his phone out of his back pocket, Mark stares at the screen. “Like, right now?”

“Yeah, dude. Why are you so nervous? It’s just a chick.”

“She’s not just any girl,” he says under his breath. To Sean, every girl seems like a piece of meat. He doesn’t want to view Maria that way. She deserves better.

“Text her, man.”

Mark twitches his nose, but types in his password. He pulls up his contacts and finds her name. Before he knows it, he’s typing and pressing send.

Mark: Thought about you last night.

He starts to pocket his phone, but it immediately chirps. He frowns and looks at his watch. The sun isn’t even up yet.

Maria: Oh yeah?

Mark: Did you think about me?

The reply is a little longer and he stares at the screen until the little three-dot bubble pops up.

Maria: I did, but don’t go getting full of yourself.

He smiles and types his response.

Mark: You were thinking about the kiss, weren’t you?

Maria: Maybe.

He chuckles under his breath as Sean begins to work out on the leg machine, watching him the entire time.

Mark: Do you want me to do it again?

Maria: Maybe.

“That stupid grin on your face is making me sick to my stomach,” Sean grumbles.

“Shut up.”

Mark: I think you want to. I think it blew your mind as much as it did mine.

Maria: Maybe

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