by Natalie Ann
“That works. Don’t go out of your way. I can grab some plates and silverware and bring it out while you cook.”
“Thanks,” she said. “They are on the table in the kitchen already.” What a kind offer. Sexy and sweet. She hadn’t thought that was possible. Of course it’s not like she’d dated much. Or had any male examples of sweet in her life.
And there she was again, thinking thoughts that had no business being in her head. It was a thank you dinner. Not a date.
***
Blake had been watching Gemma move around the house like a little mouse trying to be quick and stay out of his eyeshot. Only it wasn’t working.
Nope, there was something about her that just drew his eye in like a moth to a flame and he had a hard time flying away.
She’d changed since he’d been here earlier. She’d just arrived hours ago and he realized now that he had no idea where she’d driven from. He could assume it was from the Albany area based on her driver’s license, which was easily three hours.
So between the drive, the break-in, unloading her vehicle, then running to town for things, she had to be pretty tired.
But she was moving around the house like she was full of energy and leaving a soft citrus scent in her wake. He didn’t think it was perfume, so he was wondering if it was lotion. He didn’t picture her the type to spritz herself for a man.
Not that he knew her type, but he had a feeling. He was good at his job because he could read people well.
“So have a seat for a few minutes now that the food is on the grill. You’ve had a long day, I’m sure.”
“I’ve had longer, but yes. I’ve been on the road since seven this morning.”
“From Albany?” he asked.
“How did you know?”
“Your driver’s license.”
She blushed adorably. “Oh yeah. Yes. I lived in Albany.”
“So you said you moved for a new job. What do you do?”
“I teach middle school English. I’ll be starting in September here in Lake Placid.”
He didn’t see her as a teacher. Not someone that stood up in front of a classroom and spoke. Especially considering she was trying to stay out of his way and even looked flustered more than not.
“What made you want to move here to do that? I’m sure there were plenty of jobs closer to Albany,” he said.
She tilted her head. “Is this an inquisition?”
He laughed and realized she had more gumption and courage than he thought she did. Good for her. “Not at all. Just trying to get to know you more.”
“Why?” she asked.
Well, guess she was going to put him on the spot. “Why not?”
“That isn’t much of an answer. But I guess I’ll tell you that I was teaching, I loved my job, but I felt it was time for a change. Different surroundings, so to speak.”
He’d love to ask why, but decided not to. He understood the need to move and start fresh himself and he realized that he shouldn’t push too much. Then he decided to share some of himself hoping she’d relax a bit. “I moved here about three years ago. I saw an opening for an investigator and put in for it. It came with a promotion, so a double bonus.”
“Where are you from?”
“Syracuse originally. Then I was stationed in Rochester. This is a different life and I guess you could say I was looking for a change of pace too.”
“So we both came from bigger cities. Has it been hard to adjust here? I won’t even ask about the winter yet as I’m dreading that, but I always loved it here in the summer and figured that would make up for it.”
“It’s a beautiful area. There is lots to do if you like nature. If you don’t, then you might wish you didn’t move here.”
“I love doing stuff outside. I love hiking and kayaking, swimming. Just staying active. I was going to ask, is there a gym around here?”
“It looks like you stay active.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you’re in really good shape and it shows. Nice and healthy. Not some skinny woman who doesn’t eat, but someone that likes to enjoy life.”
“I eat,” she said. “You think I’m fat though?”
Oh shit, he put his foot in his mouth. “No. Not at all. You look good. Really good. Healthy, like I said. A woman should have some curves on her and damn, if you don’t take offense to this, you’ve got them in all the right places. At least all the places I like.”
He hoped to hell she believed him, but he couldn’t tell by the flush on her face. She stood up to move to the grill. “I try to live a healthy lifestyle. I eat, but not a lot of junk and I stay active. It’s easy to be lazy. I’ve been there before.”
He chose not to address that comment. If she wanted to tell him more, she would. “So you weren’t offended by what I said?”
“No. I understand. Everyone has different tastes in women.”
She still didn’t address the fact that he said he liked what she had. “So I didn’t mess up so badly that you won’t go to dinner with me sometime after tonight?”
“You want to go out on a date with me?” she asked, turning to look at him. The shock on her face stunned him.
“Of course I do.”
“Why?” she asked.
He laughed. “I said you’ve got what I like. But looks aside, I see that you’re shy and hoping not to be. I see someone who is trying more than most and praying they do the right thing. I’ve got a sweet spot for tough chicks and I think you’re that.”
“That might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. Yes, I’d love to go on a date with you.”
Change of Pace
The following week Gemma was waiting for Blake to pick her up for their date. Their second date if she wanted to be technical.
She hadn’t had a real date in years. Not one where she went out somewhere. Not even where she was at some guy’s house or she was cooking them a thank you dinner.
She’d pretty much given up on dating and men lately. It seemed like everyone she was attracted to didn’t share her feelings. They just wanted to be friends. That was just as good as saying she was fat and ugly but had a great personality.
Then there were the guys that acted like they were into her and she found out they just wanted sex. That they’d thought she was desperate and they’d heard fat girls always put out.
They found out the truth to that statement fast enough when she slammed the door in their faces.
The first time it’d happened she’d been in shock and thought the guy was joking. He’d actually brought it up and said he was only interested in sex, then explained why.
The second time she was ready for it and walked away.
But she didn’t know what to think about Blake. She was no longer fat, so he couldn’t think she was desperate. And men that looked like him didn’t need to go after anyone that was desperate. She’d bet he could have any woman he wanted.
It seemed he wanted her and for now she was just going to go with it.
She stopped in front of the mirror to look at herself one more time. She was wearing a new sundress she’d purchased before her move. She’d purchased a lot of new clothes lately figuring it was time to get with the times. To look like a modern twenty-eight-year-old.
One that was in good shape and wanted to look confident.
Too bad she didn’t feel that way. That every time she looked in the mirror she still saw the girl her family and everyone else made fun of.
She was hoping this move would help her see herself differently, but she was realizing that was going to take longer than the six months it took to shed the weight.
Until then, she was going to practice what she preached to herself so much lately. She was going to start fresh. Start over. And just maybe she would have her first lover this summer.
***
Something told Blake that he’d have to take things slow with Gemma. Which was why even though he had a great time with her the other night, he waite
d a full week for this date.
Sure, they’d set the date before he left her place, but he didn’t want to rush her either. He didn’t want to be over eager since she didn’t come off as someone who was going to be out for a good time.
Not that he thought she was someone who didn’t like to have fun. It was more like he didn’t think she was someone he could take to bed the first night. Or the second. Most likely not even the third.
Again, being a good judge of character and all.
And frankly, he was sick of women like that anyway. Gemma was a fresh face and change of pace for him. Wasn’t that why he moved here to begin with? To get away from the family drama and the way he was raised?
Even dinner with her the other night was different. She’d cooked for him, which he enjoyed. He even ate the cauliflower when he’d always pushed vegetables away in the past. But it looked interesting. Big and meaty like the steak, so he figured why not try it.
And when he did, it didn’t taste nasty at all, but smoky with the seasonings mixed in with the grill marks. Guess he was ready to try a lot of new things.
Starting with the date tonight. Gemma said she liked the outdoors so he was going to do something he hadn’t done before.
He pulled into her driveway and shut his truck off, then made his way to the front door. She had it opened before he got there and he liked that she was eager. Most women would have made him knock and then cool his heels at the door.
“Hi there,” he said.
“Hi,” she said back.
“You look pretty.”
“Thank you.” She dipped her head down again and her shyness came out. It just seemed so out of touch with the way she looked.
“Are you ready to go? Hope you’re hungry.”
“I’m ready. And I’m usually hungry. I worked out today so I can splurge a bit.”
He found that statement odd, but he knew a lot of people who were like that. It’s all about moderation. “What did you do?”
“I joined the gym in town. I’ve never been one for gyms really, but started going for yoga classes. Then little by little I went into the gym to lift weights.”
“I bet you get hit on a lot,” he said.
She wrinkled her nose. “Not as much as you think, but when it happens it’s for the wrong reasons.”
He let it drop. He wasn’t sure what to say to that and figured it was some guy trying to get in her pants. “So what did you do there today? Yoga or lift?”
“Both. I like yoga as it’s not just about my body strength and has a lot of breathing techniques. It calms me.”
He was trying to get the image of her bending and stretching, being flexible and all, out of his head, but it was hard to do with her standing there in that sleeveless sundress showcasing just how toned her arms were.
“You seem pretty calm to me. Most would have been crying when they realized someone had broken into the place they were moving into.”
“I was nervous, I’ll admit, but then I tried to think if I was stuck out in the rain, if I found a place that was unlocked or I could get into, I might have tried too.”
That really surprised him. “So no problems sleeping?” He’d talked to her a few times since, just texts more than anything. He wanted to keep in communication with her, but didn’t want to overdo it. She’d never said a word about having any concerns.
“Nah. That first night I admit I jumped at a few noises, but I think I would have done that regardless, being in a new place. I know there are some nice sturdy locks on the doors and I’m safe.”
“Safe is a good feeling.”
“It is. So where are we going? Oh, I need my purse. Sorry, guess I was so excited, I just opened the door without thought.”
“Being excited is a good thing too,” he said, as he watched her turn her back to go inside, get her small purse and put it across her body. He liked that she didn’t have this huge bag that could hold the kitchen sink in it. She was kind of low maintenance and just up his alley.
“We’re going to a restaurant on the water. Then I booked one of the boat tours after dinner. A sunset one.”
“I’ve always wanted to do that. I mean not just here, but in general. And I’ve been reading up about things to do around here and saw that. It’s no fun to do on my own, so I’m really glad you thought of it.”
He was glad he did too. Especially since he’d never wanted to do it before with anyone else. He figured she might appreciate it since she seemed to like nature so much.
Maybe he’d score some points with her and could at least get his hands, or maybe his mouth on her before the night was done. He figured he’d take it slow, but hoped to God he could at least get a taste of her.
Kind of Boring
“This place is nice,” she said when they were seated outside on the deck overlooking the water. “What a beautiful view.”
And so romantic, but she didn’t want to say that to him. She was thrilled with the date he’d put together as it was. Nothing like she’d ever experienced before, that was for sure.
“I’ve been here a few times. The food is good.”
She wasn’t going to ask if it was with a woman, as she was confident it was. Someone like him probably dated a lot and she didn’t want to come off as naive or inexperienced...like she was.
“There is so much to choose from on the menu, I’m not sure what I want.”
“I’m getting the surf and turf,” he said.
“That sounds good, but way too much for me. I do think the grilled salmon looks really good. Either that or the stuffed shrimp. Definitely going for fish or seafood though.”
The grilled salmon would be the healthier choice, but she did work out more than normal and since this date felt like such a splurge in her life why not go all in and get something on the menu that way too.
“I’ve had the stuffed shrimp myself. It’s awesome.”
“I think you convinced me to go for it.” The waitress brought over their drinks. A beer for him and an iced tea for her. Unsweetened of course. Long gone were those large glasses of sweet tea that she drank all day long.
“Are you ready to order?” the waitress asked. They placed their orders and then were told their salads would be out shortly.
“So tell me about yourself,” he said to her.
“Not much to say. You know what I do for a living and that I just moved here. What else is there?”
He laughed. “I don’t know your age, if your parents are alive, married, if you have siblings. Let’s see, I don’t know your favorite color or movie, hobbies you have other than liking the outdoors. The list could go on and on.”
She felt the heat fill her face, wishing she didn’t always feel like she had to keep everything to herself. “I’m twenty-eight, my parents are alive and still married. I’m the middle child. Older sister, younger brother. I don’t have a favorite color or movie really, as I like a lot of things. Hobbies...I like to read and work on all sorts of puzzles. I guess that makes me kind of boring.”
All her hobbies were things she did alone. Not only hadn’t she dated in years, but she didn’t have a lot of friends either. She was just so used to being the butt of jokes growing up that she hid herself away more often than not. She was friendly with people at work, but she never did things with coworkers outside of that.
“Wow, okay, easy answers. Any questions for me?” he asked.
She smiled at him. “You can answer the same ones for me.”
“You’re no fun,” he said, but she could see the smirk he was sending her way. “I’m thirty-two, my parents are alive, and right now neither of them is married that I know of. That could have changed though. I’ve lost count of the number of marriages and people they’ve been with. I’ve got an older brother who has followed into their horrendous relationship paths. I don’t have a favorite color or movie either. Guess we’ve got that in common. Hobbies, I like the outdoors too. More so to play sports. The guys at the barracks get together for softbal
l, basketball, ice hockey. You name it and we do it all.”
A guy’s guy. She wasn’t surprised to hear that. And thoughts of him out there running around all hot and sweaty were making her...all hot and sweaty. Oh boy, she wanted to fan herself. Instead she picked her drink up and took a long gulp.
He laughed at her, like he knew what she was feeling. She hoped not. Talk about embarrassing.
Thankfully their salads arrived and they could take a break and eat a little. But it seemed he wanted to talk. “So what made you want to be an English teacher?”
She covered her mouth with her hand as she chewed, then said, “I’ve always liked to read and then analyze the stories. I’m going to sound like a nerd, but I figured why not? When I was younger I’d sit in my room and talk about the books I was reading with my stuffed animals and dolls. Like I was teaching them.” She wouldn’t add that she did it while she was eating her pilfered snacks and hiding from her family.
“That’s a good reason. I bet you love your job.”
“Well, I loved my other job. I’m not sure about this one yet since I haven’t started, but I’m sure I will. The kids make it worth it and they are different every year.”
“If you loved your other job so much, why did you feel the need to move?”
How much should she tell him? That was the question. “It wasn’t just the job. I loved the kids and what I did, but I could love that here too. I just needed to get away from my family. I know that sounds horrible, but it’s kind of complicated.”
“I get it, believe me I do. You heard me tell you about my parents. I spent my whole life watching them go from one person to the next. They’d marry, then divorce, remarry, then somewhere they just started shacking up with people. Mostly losers. Losers with my mother, loose women with my father. I got sick of the drama.”
She was glad he shared that with her. It wasn’t anything like what she went through, but at least what she said didn’t turn him off either. “That had to be hard growing up.”
