by Natalie Ann
She had no idea where she and Caleb were going, so she didn’t overdress. Then again, she was normally in a skirt or dress anyway. This night, she found one of her favorite summer dresses in her closet. It had spaghetti straps on top and she very rarely wore it by itself even though she loved the way it looked and made her feel.
Once she had it on, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. The dress was more fitted than she normally wore, but that was fine, she wasn’t working around the house. It even fell right to her knees and fitted nicely to her lower body. Another reason she had a fondness for it. It showed off the body she always had hidden.
She wasn’t necessarily looking for comfort on this date. Actually, she wanted to be uncomfortable enough to keep her on edge.
Loose-fitted clothes were her go-to years ago during her treatments. Everything affected and bothered her back then. Her skin was sensitive and rashy; she was bloated and nauseated. She found comfort where she could during those times.
But tonight she was looking to impress a man, and when a woman wanted to impress a man, she brought out her biggest arsenal.
Rather than braid her hair like she normally did, she decided to change her appearance up even more, leaving it down and letting it fall freely over her back.
She put her lotions on her face as she did every morning when she woke and every night before bed. This day she would do it a third time, because she liked the way they made her skin feel. She wanted to experience all her pleasures tonight. She wanted to feel alive.
Because she was going on a date. A real honest-to-goodness date that she didn’t even have to ask for…or suggest. He did it on his own.
Not counting her lunch with Caleb, it’d been months since she’d been on a date. Okay, maybe more like closer to a year, but still, she’d fib to herself and say months.
With her lotions smoothed over her skin, then her light makeup, she found her little heeled sandals and a thin cardigan. Once she had the first three buttons closed, pulling it closer to her chest and ribs and showing off curves that she often didn’t expose, she slid her feet into her shoes.
One more final twirl in front of the mirror and she felt almost giddy. There was nothing wrong with feeling pretty in her eyes.
She didn’t have long to wait before Caleb was knocking at her cabin door.
Pulling it open, she saw him standing there in pants and a knit collared short-sleeved shirt. It was probably the most he dressed up, but she was pleased he went to the effort.
His hair was combed again, not messy like it normally was, and she was slightly disappointed in that. She was coming to appreciate his usual casual appearance.
Surprisingly, she was disappointed that he’d shaved. Not that he didn’t look good, because she was right when she said he had potential. Who would have known how handsome he was under the facial hair he was always sporting? Even if it was only a day or so worth of growth, his face was always covered when she saw him.
“I’m starting to feel self-conscious here. Can I come in?” he asked.
“I’m just admiring how you look. It’s different.”
“Different…bad?”
“Oh no,” she said smiling. “Is that for me?”
He handed over the small bouquet of flowers in his hand. The fact he was so embarrassed by it endeared her more.
“Yeah, sorry.”
“Relax, Caleb. Come on in.”
He walked a few steps in while she got her purse, and then she locked the door behind her. When they got to his truck, she asked, “Where’s Sparky?”
“He’s home. I wasn’t sure he’d let me leave and actually worried he’d be sitting in the truck the whole time barking. But he didn’t make a sound when I grabbed my keys and walked to the door.”
“Did you tell him you were going to be with me?”
“I did. Which is why I really expected him to follow me out the door.”
“Did you tell him you were taking me on a date?” she asked, smiling at him, and watching his face flush. “You did, didn’t you?”
“Yeah,” he mumbled.
“There is no reason to be embarrassed over the fact that you talk to your dog. I talk to Sparky about you all the time.”
He snorted. “Really? What do you say?”
“Nothing I care to share. You can ask him yourself if you’d like.”
“I’ll be sure to do that.”
She glanced over at him in the cab of the truck as he put it in gear, looking much more relaxed now than he had moments ago. She enjoyed the little chatty banter that they had. She enjoyed it all the time, but he didn’t often battle words with her as much as she liked.
“You’re good at that,” he said.
“At what?’
“Calming people. Getting them to follow your lead.”
She’d always thought she was, but it was nice that someone actually voiced it to her. “I guess so. Maybe I don’t want you calm, though. Maybe it’s best if you’re a little on edge.”
“Oh, I’m plenty on edge.”
Hmm. Interesting. “No reason you’re going to share though, huh?”
“Not as much as you’d like, I’m sure. I’ll just say my social skills are lacking.”
“No surprise there. Though I’ve got to say you’re doing pretty well right now.”
“That’s because I’m trying. If I wasn’t trying, I’d be lacking even more,” he said. He smirked at her. “But I’ve got some other skills that aren’t lacking in the least.”
“Oh boy. You’re cocky too. I think I might like that trait.”
“Confident, not cocky. Trust me, I know what I’m doing…it’s just if I want to put the effort into doing it.”
“Then I might be one lucky girl since you seem to be putting the effort in right now.”
“Well, you have been giving me your cookies.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “You’re one of a kind, Caleb. I think it’s going to be an interesting date.”
***
He said he was going to put the effort in, and he was. It was the least he could do. So he shaved, found the nicest clothes he owned that didn’t include a tie, and decided to see where the night took him.
So far, it was working out better than he expected. Actually, a few days ago he wasn’t sure he would have even gotten this far.
He’d totally expected that she would shut the door in his face when he came to get Sparky on Saturday. That she hadn’t was a step in the right direction, but when she caught him in the little white lie about not leaving his house at all, well, then he thought he was doomed.
Instead she humored him a little like a game of cat and mouse, waiting to see his next move. Telling the truth—being completely open and honest with her—was the best move he could have made.
He was going to continue with the open honesty. It was really the only way he could at this point.
They pulled into the restaurant he’d made reservations for and climbed out of the truck. “I figured you’d want to eat inside since you have a sweater on against the air conditioning.”
“That’s fine.”
Once they were seated, he looked at her, really looked at her, the way she often did at him. “You look different tonight, too.”
“Different…good?” she asked, angling her head.
“Absolutely.”
He liked the fitted dress she had on. Even though her upper body was still covered, he actually got to see more of her figure. On the slim side, but still more curves than he expected.
And her hair was down. Yeah, that was nice. Not that he didn’t like it pulled away from her face letting him see her eyes, the emotions and expressions that were always so vivid, but with it down she just seemed so much softer to him. He hadn’t been sure that was even possible, but so far, this date didn’t seem possible to him either.
“I’m glad you approve. I like being a woman,” she said, fluttering her eyelashes at him.
“You’re very good at i
t. Can I ask? Why do you always wear dresses and skirts? You do a lot around the house, and yet you still look more dressed up than most people would be.”
“Aside from being a girly girl, it’s comfortable.”
“Wearing a skirt while mowing the lawn is comfortable?” he asked, not sure he believed her.
“Well, it’s hot out and loose clothing breathes more. No material sticking to me while I do those things.”
Made sense, he supposed. What did he know about it, being a man? “Why the long skirts and shirts, even the hats all the time? I was expecting to see it today.”
She laughed a little. “Disappointed? We can go back and get it.” She waved her hand before he could answer. “I had melanoma a year ago. I have to either bathe myself in sunscreen whenever I’m outside or cover myself as best I can. I find the clothes are better than sunscreen that may wear off when I sweat.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, not sure what else he could say. He hadn’t expected to hear her say that.
“Nothing to be sorry about. It was stage one. They cut it out of me and I’ve moved on. Piece of cake. Unfortunately, I’ve had a lot more moles removed too, so my legs, shoulders, upper arms, and back have quite a few scars now. It’s a character builder,” she said, grinning at him.
He couldn’t believe she was so blasé over it. Cancer was still cancer. “Are you trying to hide them so people don’t ask?”
He didn’t know why he asked that and her shocked expression made him wish he hadn’t, realizing he overstepped himself. He wouldn’t have appreciated someone prying that deeply into his life.
“You don’t have to answer that,” he said quickly.
“No worries. Yes, I have a lot of scars, but Max is really good. Dr. Hamilton. Most of the scars are only faint red lines.” She unbuttoned her sweater giving him a glimpse of the cleavage spilling from her dress and pulled the shoulder of her sweater down. “Here are two that were removed about a year ago. Both came back with pre-cancerous cells in them, but nothing major. Just a scar now.”
She said it so matter of fact-like, as if it was a rehearsed speech. “I’m sure it’s more than just a physical scar.”
She put the sweater back in place and waited a second before she replied, “It is.” Then she picked up her menu and said, “So what are you in the mood for?”
They were done talking about it, he knew. Part of him was relieved, the other part saddened.
He didn’t like knowing she went through that, not at all. On the other side, it opened a window for her to climb into his world of pain and hurt and he wasn’t sure he was ready to have it lifted anymore than the crack he’d just put there himself weeks ago.
The Place
It was a wonderful night. Conversation was slow at times, but she tried her hardest to keep up a good flow. He wasn’t good at starting topics, though he could carry one on decent enough…when he tried, and she was pleased he did.
She could also tell he was getting antsy, though—must be the lack of social skills.
“How ever did you manage to own your own company when you struggle to talk to me one-on-one?” she asked, teasing him.
He looked startled by her question and as much as she regretted asking it, she felt it was the elephant in the room. At least in her room. They were close enough in her eyes now for her to at least broach this subject of his past.
“I didn’t do it well for those very reasons.”
“I find that hard to believe.” He sold the company for enough, and he had to know she was aware of that. It wasn’t a complete secret.
“I had a lot of patents. That’s really what they wanted.”
“They didn’t want you?” she asked.
“They did. I didn’t want to be owned by anyone. I still don’t. What I’ve got with Nick works for me.” He seemed to hesitate then said, “I don’t need to work, I’m sure you know that. But I like to do something.”
“What have you been doing since you sold the company? It’s been what, five years?”
“Traveling around. Buying houses and fixing them up…trying to find the place where I feel the most at peace. Writing apps,” he added after he’d hesitated for a moment. She got the feeling he wished he didn’t make the comment about finding peace, so she decided to gloss over it. For now.
“Apps, huh? I know what those are, but not how one comes about, and I don’t think I’d be a good audience for you to explain. You fixed your house up?”
She’d noticed everything looked all neat and modern inside, but not so much from the outside.
“Yeah. I did it all myself. I’ve got a company coming in in a few weeks to put up a new garage for me. Otherwise I’d rather do it.”
“You’re pretty good with your hands, aren’t you?” she said, smirking, her eyes looking down and assessing them. Yeah, nice hands. Ones she’d like to feel on her body again.
“I can be. Are you going to find out personally?”
“I might have a few things around my place that need some work.”
He laughed and she was happy to hear it. He didn’t laugh often, she noticed. Only when he was playing with Sparky, now that she thought about it.
“Sure, we’ll go with that interpretation for now,” he said. “Did you want dessert, or are you ready to call it a night?”
“I’m good. Dinner and company were wonderful. Thank you.”
“It was my pleasure.” He lifted his hand for the bill to be brought over while they waited in silence.
“Is this the place?” she asked.
“Huh?”
What the heck…she started it, might as well push on. “Is this the place where you’ve found peace?”
“I’m getting there.”
It was more than she’d thought he’d say, so she let it go again.
Before she knew it they were pulling in front of her little cabin. It was still daylight out, the sun shining bright over the lake and not one car in the parking lot of her B&B.
“Would you like to come in for coffee? I’ve got an apple pie left over from yesterday. I could warm you up a slice with some ice cream. I’ve noticed you seem to have a sweet tooth.”
“I never had one before. So, I’m getting pie along with cookies. I must be moving ahead, then.”
She looked over at his smirk and loved that she put it on his face, wishing he showed this side of his personality more often.
“Why don’t you head over to my cabin? Here’s the key. I’ll just run and get the pie from the B&B.”
“I’ll go with you,” he said. “What if someone is waiting in the house and you go in alone?”
She laughed at him. “Really, Caleb. First off, every guest has a pass key to get in. I’ve got a security code for the back door. I’m safe enough.”
“You don’t ever get nervous around your guests?”
She really hoped this wasn’t going to turn into a lecture. She heard enough of that from Cole.
“Are you trying to ruin this date? I’m completely safe here at the house. Don’t worry about it.”
He didn’t say another word, even though she suspected he was hurting himself biting his tongue. Instead he just followed behind her while she let herself in, then locked back up after she grabbed the pie.
“You forgot the ice cream,” he said.
“I keep my own stash at the house, no worries there.”
“Just like the liquor, right?”
He hadn’t ordered a drink again tonight with dinner. It made for another elephant in the room, but she preferred to let that pass for now. Too early to attack that many personal topics in one night.
“I’ve got a stash of a lot of things in my house,” she said, winking at him. “Have a seat.” She gestured toward the stool at her counter. “I’ll just warm this up fast.”
“Have you always been this nurturing?” he asked while she worked.
“I think so. I take after my grandmother. This was her property. We all take after someone in life, and I have to
say I’m pleased it was her. She was a wonderful woman, and loved by many.”
“I’m sure a lot of people would say the same about you.”
“That’s sweet to hear. I’m not as perfect as you might hear, though.”
He laughed. “No one said perfect. I’ve heard sweet, ladylike, the princess of the lake, and a miracle.”
She turned and leaned against the counter. “I’m sure you have. Any one in particular you want to address?”
She really didn’t want to talk about those things, but if he was being this chatty she was going to go with the flow.
“The miracle one threw me off, but I figure you’ll tell when you’re ready and without me even asking.”
He was right, and she liked that he assumed that. “I will, but not tonight. Here’s your pie. Eat up.”
“You mean your pie that I’m eating,” he said his eyes smoldering. Oh boy, the room just heated up several degrees.
“Is it good?” she asked when he put some in his mouth.
“Delicious,” he said, bringing his tongue out to lick a bit off the corner of his lip. “It’s nice and warm, moist and utterly sweet. Just the way I like it.”
“You’re good at this,” she said, knowing her face was flushing. He could lack all the social skills he wanted if she got to see this side of him more often. It was like a whole different Caleb right now.
“I can be better.” He put his fork down and stood up, then closed the distance between them.
In an instant his mouth was covering hers, his tongue sweeping in and tasting her, savoring her, and letting her know just how good he could be.
She hadn’t been kissed this long and this thoroughly—or this deeply for that matter—since she was caught necking in the backseat of a car in high school. Whoever she was with back then had nothing on Caleb. That was a boy; this was a man with years of practice.
Caleb was good. No, make that great. Slow, steady, and all but devouring her. Her legs were getting weak, feeling like jelly now.
“You’re so tense,” he whispered against her lips. “You need to relax.”
She was only tense because she felt as though she was going to fall like a wet noodle to the floor, not that she’d admit that.
