She laughed but proceeded to share the details, forgetting her bowl of cereal along the way. She sat back in her chair and explained everything that happened, from the moment she saw him, their conversation throughout supper, and she, of course, couldn’t leave out the dancing. “Did I mention that he has the most amazing eyes? Tyler, I swear he could look right through my soul. Captivating doesn’t even touch on how amazing his eyes are.” Not to mention his lips. She silently giggled as the thought of his lips reentered her mind.
“Yeah, I do believe you have mentioned his eyes at least two dozen times. Perhaps even three,” he laughed, “but I’m all ears, Ari.”
She laughed. “When we danced and he held me in his arms, it was incredible. He’s so strong. We don’t even know one another and yet I felt like we were fully in sync. He made me feel safe and secure and damn it felt good.”
He laughed. “I’m excited that you’re saying all this. It does sound like it was an amazing night, but please continue. I’m still waiting for the kiss.”
Aria snickered. She told him about their dancing, their kissing, and how hard it was to pull away and leave him behind. “He earns the best kisser award, for sure,” she finished.
“Wow,” Tyler said in exaggerated breathless fashion. “Double wow, in fact. That sounds hot, and despite all of that, you didn’t wind up getting down and dirty? It totally could have gone there.”
“I know, right? It seemed like the ending of the perfect night.” She hesitated and stared at her bowl of cereal. She sighed.
“Uh oh, then why the sigh?”
She shrugged, forgetting he couldn’t see her.
“Girlie, what’s wrong?” he asked. “Speak to me.”
Tyler was her best friend and she could talk to him just as easily as she could talk to Marisa or any of her other girlfriends. The fact was, she could speak to him almost easier than she could speak to them. He was like one of the girls. So it wasn’t that she couldn’t discuss it with him. It came down to her wondering if he would scold her for wanting to be negative when everything was going so well for her.
“I don’t know, Ty, but what if he doesn’t feel the same? What if he doesn’t think the date was all that great? I mean, he said that he had a good time. He kissed me like that and all, but he could have any woman he wants. Maybe he wouldn’t choose someone like me. Maybe I’m going to find out that he just wasn’t into it or that he blabbed all around town that I’m a lousy kisser.”
When Aria finished talking, she waited for him to tell her how crazy she was. At first, it didn’t come. She waited again.
“T—,” she started at the same time he did.
“—You’re thinking all that?” He laughed and Aria frowned. She didn’t want to be made fun of. They were logical fears. “First off, hon, we live in L.A., so I highly doubt you’ll encounter anyone he talks to. Well, except for Chris, and Chris wouldn’t judge you if Devon said you were a lousy kisser.”
“Are you teasing me right now? I’m being serious. I enjoyed myself and had a great time and haven’t been able to get the kiss out of my mind, but what if he didn’t feel the same way?”
“I highly doubt it, but let’s play worst case scenario. If you’re right and he didn’t enjoy it like you did, then chances are you won’t get a second date. Who cares? He’s only one guy in a sea of alpha males, but he would be crazy if he didn’t. I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you. I’m sure that you’re just worrying over nothing.”
“I suppose you’re right. He’s not the last of a dying breed or anything,” she said. “Thanks, Tyler, for talking me off of that ledge.”
He laughed. “Anytime, but all in all the date sounds amazing and I’m glad you had a great time. I can at least sleep well knowing that you’re not cursing my name for setting this up.”
Aria chuckled. “Nope, not cursing your name. At least not yet anyway,” she teased.
They laughed at that and Tyler said he had to run off to get some things done and Aria agreed. They hung up and she took the cereal bowl back over to the sink to rinse it out. She had just finished running her garbage disposal, when she heard her doorbell. She glanced up at her clock. 10 o’clock.
Who the heck could that be?
She peeked out of the window and spotted a man standing on her porch. He was holding a bouquet of roses. She stepped back and opened the door.
“Hello?”
“Hello, are you Ms. Aria Nolan?”
“I am.”
“These are for you.” He held out the vase full of flowers. “I just need your signature here.” He held out an electronic device, where she signed and then took the flowers.
She entered her house and looked down at the perfectly picked red roses. They were beautiful and the scent of the freshly picked flowers was amazing. She hurried into the kitchen and set them down on the counter, grabbing the note and pulling it out of the envelope to read.
My Aria –
I woke up this morning thinking about you and wanted you to have a reminder of how beautiful you are. I look forward to continuing where we left off last night. I am including my number so that you can reach me. Can’t wait to see you again.
Fondly,
Devon
She read the note a couple times, each one bringing a deeper smile to her lips. She wondered how he had gotten her address, but thought Chris may have helped with that. She picked up her phone to dial his number, not caring that only ten minutes had passed. She wanted to talk to him and thank him for the beautiful flowers, but before she entered the last three numbers, the doorbell rang again.
She frowned and disconnected the call. “Busy morning,” she mumbled to herself.
She left the kitchen and went to the door. This time when she looked out on the porch she saw a middle-aged woman. She was dressed in a brown uniform and holding a box in her hand. She wasn’t expecting a delivery.
“Hello,” she said.
The woman greeted her with a warm smile. “Aria Nolan?”
“Yes, I’m Aria.”
The woman handed her the package and then withdrew a clipboard from her bag. “Please sign by the X,” she said. Aria did as the woman asked and looked up.
“Thank you,” Aria replied.
“My pleasure. Enjoy the rest of your day.” She turned around and left.
Aria went back inside and looked at the package in her hand. She quickly opened it up, anxious to see what was inside. It was another box, this one with gold engraved lettering on the top showcasing a jewelry shop logo. She opened the box and gasped. Inside the box was a velvety trim lining and lying in the lining was a diamond necklace.
“Wow. Is this real?” She took the necklace from the box and looked it over. She had no doubt that she was staring at a real diamond necklace. “I can’t keep it,” she said, fighting with her conscience but wanting nothing more than to put it on and never look back. He bought it for you. He clearly wants you to have it.
She could argue with her brain all she wanted, but the truth was that it was there and in her hands. If he didn’t want her to have it, then he wouldn’t have bought it for her. She was so engrossed with going over what was right and wrong that she hadn’t even noticed the note on the inside. When she pulled it out and opened it up, she read what he had to say.
The diamonds sparkle like your eyes. Wear this necklace on our next date. Details to follow.
Fondly,
Devon
She nearly dropped the box she was holding so she put it down on the couch and undid the clasp of the necklace. Despite her reservations, she was already hooked. She didn’t want to give it up. She put it on and walked over to the mirror and looked at her reflection. “Not bad at all, Aria. Enjoy it.” And that’s what she intended on doing. She was looking forward to seeing what was in store for her next.
IT WAS A QUIET SATURDAY at the office. Jessica and Devon were the only ones in because they needed to get things finalized before the board meeting the following week. He di
aled her extension. “Yes, Mr. Prescott,” she said.
“Will you come in here for a minute?” he asked.
“Sure thing. I’ll be right there.”
When she reached his door, she knocked lightly and he looked up. “Hey,” he said, “did the items get delivered?”
“Yep, they were both delivered this morning. So who is she?” Jessica laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this excited about one woman before. She must be pretty special.”
He shrugged. He wanted to play it off, because he couldn’t show a softer side. It was way too early for that. “Just a woman. Gotta make a good impression, right?”
She nodded. “I suppose you do. It seems that you’re all about making a good impression with her. That’s one lucky lady.” She smiled.
He smiled because just the thought of any woman changing him was laughable. Aria was different, though. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He’d have to use a different approach with her.
“She could be someone special. Only time will tell,” he replied.
“Interesting response,” she said.
His cellphone rang and he reached into his pocket to withdraw. A local number he didn’t recognize appeared on his screen. “I better take this,” he said. “If you want to go home for the day, just make sure to lock up. I won’t be much longer.”
“Great, thank you.”
As she left, he answered the call. “Hello, this is Devon.”
“H ... hello, Devon? It’s Aria.” Her voice was filled with hesitation and he sat back in his chair, rocking slowly. Just hearing her say her name gave him a warmth in his gut.
“Hi Aria, so nice to hear from you. I’m going to assume that you’ve received the flowers and the necklace.” He looked down at his blank computer screen. He was waiting for her reply. It came but only after another bout of hesitation. He wondered if maybe there was a lag in the time that he spoke, to the time that she heard his words. Or, maybe she was a little nervous. He wouldn’t have been surprised in the least if that was the case.
“Uh yes, I received the flowers and they’re beautiful. Thank you.” He considered saying something like they were beautiful just like her, but he held back for a minute. She had yet to say anything about the necklace.
“And the necklace?” he asked.
“Um, yeah, I’ve received the necklace, as well, but I really think you should take it back.”
He suddenly stopped rocking in his chair. He wasn’t accustomed to women returning his gifts. “What? You don’t like it?” he asked. If Aria said she didn’t like it, he would accommodate by offering her an exchange, but he had had Jess pick the necklace and he had agreed that it was lovely.
“No, it’s not that I don’t like it. It’s a breathtaking but it’s too much. You don’t owe me such extravagant gifts. We don’t really know one another all that well. I think you should take it back.”
“It’s not all that extravagant,” he told her, “and besides, I bought it for only you and you should just appreciate it and say thank you.” His words rose another octave and he took a deep breath, attempting to rein himself in.
“To me, it’s extremely extravagant. I feel bad that you splurged like that for me.”
He laughed. “Darlin, I splurge like that all the time for those who make an impression. I’m not taking the necklace back and that’s final.”
She hesitated before finally agreeing to accept it. “OK. If you insist, then I will graciously accept it. Thank you.”
“And you’re welcome. I’m glad you liked it.”
That was an understatement; Aria loved it. She just couldn’t believe that someone who barely knew her would go to such an extent. “I’ll be sure to wear the necklace on our next date,” she began, but then sighed before continuing. “Speaking of our next date ... when might that be?” She was desperate to know when she would see Devon again, but her question only elicited a muffled laugh from him.
“Nice try,” he said. “You’ll find out soon enough. You know what they say, Patience is a virtue. Do you have patience?” The sexy vibrato of his voice kept her reeling with anticipation.
“Sometimes, but it all depends on how long I have to wait. They also say, Never keep a lady waiting.” She bit her lower lip, enjoying the back and forth.
“Trust me, you won’t have to wait long,” he said. “I’ll let you know soon on when and where.”
“OK,” she said, trying her best not to seem too eager. “It’ll be nice to thank you in person for the gifts.”
Hearing her say that and the way it came out stirred a fire throughout his body. She wanted to thank him in person. He hoped that it had more to do with physical appreciation than words spoken. He considered inquiring about it, but he knew that would bring about a blush and if she was going to turn red in the face, he wanted to be there to see it.
“Don’t worry. You won’t have to wait long,” he said.
“Promise?”
He could hear the smile on her lips. He would have promised her anything. “I can promise you that,” he said. “Have a great rest of your day, Aria.”
“You too, Devon. Talk to you soon.”
After he ended the call, Devon set his phone down. He twirled from side to side in his swivel chair and thought about Aria. He had the perfect plan for their next date and would soon set it in motion.
Chapter 5
Three days went by and Aria had to admit that she was questioning if she would ever hear from Devon again. A few times during those three days she even pulled up his number and considered calling him, but each time she scolded herself that she couldn’t. She would look nothing shy of pathetic if she did.
At the end of the day on the third day, she was just packing up to leave work when here was a knock on the door. “Ms. Nolan?” She didn’t bother looking up, expecting it to be one of the pretty boys she had just cast in a TV pilot, or maybe even someone trying to get his name out there. Either way, she didn’t have the time to be bothered.
“Auditions are done for the day. Leave your information or concerns at the front desk.” She closed down her computer, when she heard a shuffling of feet.
“I’m sorry but you are Ms. Nolan?” She looked up, trying not to be too annoyed.
“Yes, I am but the day is done.”
A young man in his early twenties stood before her. Instead of backing off he held out his hand and produced an envelope for her. “This is for you, Ms. Nolan. Have a good evening.” He turned away and left her office. She looked down at the envelope and saw her name on the front of it.
She opened it up and pulled out a letter from within the envelope. It was from Devon.
7:30
14925 Haverhill Court
113276
Don’t be late!
Devon
She smiled. “Haverhill Court,” she mumbled. She wasn’t familiar with the street name, but she was sure she would find it, though she wondered why he went with an address and not the name of a restaurant. What’s more, she was curious about the random number on the card. She shrugged, not wanting to question the small things. The fact was, she was happy to have another date with him. A twinge of desire filled her.
She quickly finished packing and left the office. She didn’t have much time to get home, change, and get to the address that he left her.
At home, Aria went back to her closet. She immediately pulled out the other dress that Tyler had found for her. It was the only thing she had to wear that would remotely go with the necklace. Black, lace down the front, shorter than even the other one, and sleeveless. She put on the necklace and it looked great in the V of her neckline. She nodded with satisfaction and grabbed her purse.
In her car Aria, pulled up her Google maps and entered the address. It said it would only take her twenty minutes to get there. She had plenty of time to spare. She started her car and backed out of her driveway.
She did a few breathing exercises on her way to settle herself down. When
the phone told her that her destination was on the left, she pulled up in front of a house that was easily the size of a mansion.
“Is this where he lives?” she wondered out loud. She stared up at the fence that surrounded the house. The only way to get in was with a passcode, a code that she didn’t know but then it hit her. She did know the code. She pulled up alongside the box and rolled down her window. She grabbed the card from her purse and typed in the number. Sure enough, the gate opened.
Aria tilted her head and tried to steady her nerves, then drove down the driveway and followed it all the way to the back, where there was a turnaround. She looked around. She wasn’t quite sure where he wanted her to park, but there was plenty of room, so she settled on just parking alongside the right of the driveway. That way if anyone needed to come or go, then they could.
She looked up at the door and suddenly she couldn’t move.
You can do this. Remember you’re supposed to be confident. Devon is the type of guy you’re looking for and he’s totally into you, too. You’ve got this.
She opened the door and walked toward the front steps where a large wooden door greeted her. It all seemed so surreal, like something out of a fairy tale, but this was her life and she had to start believing that she was capable of living it. She knocked on the door and stood back. The nerves seemed to somehow increase with every breath.
Aria closed her eyes and let out a slow breath when she heard the door open. She opened her eyes to find a man at the door. He was wearing a dark blue suit. She cleared her throat. “Hello,” she said.
“Ms. Nolan, correct?” he asked.
She nodded. He—they—were expecting her. Another wave of nerves crested in her stomach. “Come in.” He stepped back and she entered the home. Her eyes darted around the foyer. Her jaw dropped as she noticed the etchings on the walls, the chandelier that graced the elegant entryway, and the furnishings that were most likely hundreds of years old.
Once inside, he shut the door behind her with a loud boom. She jumped, surprised that it had made such a sound. She turned back and found the butler looking at her, giving her the most curious of stares, but he didn’t say anything. His face showed no emotion and no sign of what he was thinking. She could only imagine what he was thinking of her. She hurried up to catch up with him as he led her to the dining area.
When I Dream of You: A Valentine's Day Romance Page 5
