by Ali Parker
I didn’t press him. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to ask, but if he changed his mind, so be it.
“I should get you home,” he murmured.
I was disappointed by the abrupt end to what had been a very nice night. I blamed myself. I had touched him, intimately. I wasn’t sure what our date was about, but maybe he wasn’t into me. Maybe this had been a business dinner, and I had read it wrong. I suddenly felt like a complete moron. He stood and reached a hand out to help me off the bench. I tossed the remaining bit of my cone in the trash and shrugged off his jacket, handing it back to him.
“Are you sure you’re not cold?” he asked.
“I’m fine, thank you.”
We walked back to the car, weaving around the people on the crowded boardwalk. We never once touched. I had expected him to try and hold my hand or maybe wrap his arm around me, but nothing. It was as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over us. I had thought I felt something happening between us, but I was beginning to think it was one-sided. I had been sure he wanted to kiss me. Hell, I was practically panting at the man. Maybe I had been too obvious. He wanted me to play hard to get, which technically I was, but in that moment back there on the bench, I had practically thrown myself at him.
“Where to?” he asked.
I took a deep breath, debated for a brief second if I wanted him knowing where I lived, then blurted out my address. If he wasn’t into me, it wouldn’t matter if he knew where I lived.
The tension in the car was making me very uncomfortable. I couldn’t stop thinking I had messed up, misread the situation. I felt foolish and couldn’t wait to get home and forget all about the night.
“You can drop me off here,” I told him when he pulled into the parking lot of my building.
He chuckled. “I don’t think so. I’ll walk to your door like a real gentleman.”
I nodded and moved to open the door to climb out of the car. He touched my arm, stopping me.
“Wait,” he said, holding my gaze.
I paused, wondering what he would say when I realized what he wanted.
I smiled. “Aren’t you the perfect gentleman?”
“Damn straight,” he grinned before hopping out and jogging around the back of the car to open the passenger door.
He reached out his hand and helped me out of the car, which I was grateful for. The heels and the tight, short skirt made demure a little difficult. I took his hand, loving the contact, however brief it was as I got to my feet.
“Thank you,” I murmured, leading him down the walk to my door, his hand moved to the small of my back.
I didn’t want to stop walking. I liked the feel of his hand touching me. It was big, warm and comforting.
“Is this you?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”
He stared into my eyes, and all that sexual tension was back. It was palpable. I could practically see the sparks arcing between us. I was overjoyed to know I hadn’t misread his feelings but freaked out as well. Now, here I was in front of my door with a man I was incredibly attracted to. I was more attracted to him then I had ever been with another man.
When he leaned down to kiss me, I put my fingers to his lips, stopping him. It had taken every ounce of my self-control to stop him. I wanted him. I wanted to know what he tasted like, what his lips would feel like against mine. My breath caught when I looked into those green eyes. He raised an eyebrow, questioning me.
“Maybe we should wait until the next date,” I whispered.
He grinned and nodded his head. “Okay. I can do that. No pressure.”
I pulled my hand away, loving the way his lips had felt against my fingers. “Thank you for a great night. I had a lot of fun.”
“I had a good time too. You’re fun to be around. I want to do it again,” he said in that husky voice that made goosebumps pop out all over my body.
I grinned. “Good, so do I.”
“And if you’re going to make me wait for a second date to get a kiss, I want that date very soon,” he growled, giving me goosebumps on my goosebumps and making my stomach feel warm and fluttery.
I giggled. “I think I want that date very soon as well. You have my number.”
“I’ll call you. Have a nice night Hailey.”
“Bye,” I said, opening my door and walking inside.
Once he was gone, I leaned my head against the closed door and sighed. I really had to stop second guessing myself. I got myself so worked up, jumping to conclusions without even considering there was something good happening. I was going to make a serious effort to do better. I had to believe Terran was a good guy. I wasn’t going to judge him based on what I thought I knew, but on what I actually learned about him through getting to know him.
I was going to make a conscious effort to not be jaded and compare him to the other men I had met and gone out with who ended up being complete snakes. He wasn’t them. I sat down on my couch, unfastening the shoes and kicking them off before heading to my room to change into my jammies. I couldn’t wait to tell Mandy about our date! I checked the time. It was after eleven and too late to call her. She worked weekends. It would have to wait until tomorrow.
For now, I would savor all the little details. It’d been a long time since I had a crush on anyone. It made me feel young again.
Chapter 11
Terran
I wasn’t sure how long to wait before I called Hailey. I wanted to see her again. I didn’t want to appear over-eager and call her too soon, but I didn’t want to wait much longer. This was not a game I enjoyed playing. Most of the time, I never called a woman back for a second date, so I never had to worry about the right time to call. I just didn’t.
Last night was amazing. I was still surprised by how much I enjoyed her company. I couldn’t remember a time when I had truly had fun doing nothing with a woman. There was a moment when I had thought I could broach the subject. I had backed out of asking her about the engagement. Something held me back. I wasn’t sure why, but when she had touched me, it changed everything. I didn’t want to break the moment.
I didn’t know what I felt for her, but there was something happening. I wasn’t quite ready to blow that up. Not yet. I wanted to see how it played out. Her refusal to let me kiss her was interesting. I didn’t think it was a game with her. There was something about her that told me I wasn’t the only man that had been denied a kiss on the first date. I liked that she wasn’t one of the women who invited me in or tried to seduce me. Hailey was the real thing. A woman who would never tolerate a man who lied, cheated or tried to pull one over on her. I respected her too much to try.
I walked to the kitchen, opened the fridge door and pulled out one of the breakfasts my cook had prepared for me yesterday. I hated having staff around on my days off. They all got the weekend off. My cook really only worked a couple days a week since I rarely ate at home, but I did like to have the option. I popped the tray into the microwave and fired up my laptop to check my email.
I heard my door alarm buzz. I walked to the intercom on the door and pushed the button.
“Who is it?” I asked.
“Let me in,” Zach’s voice rang out.
I looked at the clock on the wall. “You’re up early.”
“Just let me in,” he growled.
I pushed the button, releasing the lock and allowing him to ride up the elevator to my apartment. When the elevator doors slid open, I was surprised to see him looking so perky on a Saturday morning. He had a little stubble on his normally clean-shaven jaw, but his eyes were clear, telling me he hadn’t gotten drunk the night before or stayed up all that late. That had to be a first.
“What brings you here?” I asked.
He grinned. “We’re going hang gliding.”
“We’re doing what?” I asked with surprise.
“Come on, get dressed. I’ve got a couple gliders ready to go. This is something I’ve been wanting to do forever.”
“You’ve wanted to do it
—not me.”
“Come on, live a little.”
“That’s the whole point. I want to live a little. A lot, actually, which is why I prefer not to jump off a cliff with wings on my back,” I said dryly.
“People do it every day. It’s safe enough.”
I scoffed at the idea of safe enough. “No thanks.”
I walked to the kitchen with him hot on my heels. The microwave was beeping, telling me my nuked breakfast was ready.
“You know you want to,” he cajoled.
I took a few bites, mulling over what he was proposing before dropping the fork. “Alright. Let me change,” I said.
He grinned as he leaned against the kitchen wall. “I knew you’d change your mind. I don’t know why you have to be so stubborn.”
“Because I like living,” I snapped.
I left the room, dressed and was ready to go within ten minutes. These wild ideas were classic Zach. He had dragged me along on so many adventures I couldn’t count. Every time, no matter how much I protested, I ended up having a great time. I was a Type A and had a hard time letting go of my control. For my own sanity, I had to relinquish that control from time to time.
“Ready?” he asked.
“I am. If I die, I guess I don’t have to worry about the marriage thing. The inheritance will go to the charities just like dear old dad wanted.”
He laughed. “That’s one way to look at it.”
“I suppose. Let’s do this before I change my mind.”
We left my condo, and I really hoped it wouldn’t be the last time I saw it. Hang gliding wasn’t something I had done before. I wasn’t an adrenaline junkie, but I did like to try new things. It would be a rush at the very least and death if I slammed headfirst into a cliff. I just hoped it would be quick and as painless as a cliff collision could be. Or ground collision, whichever it ended up being.
The next several hours were spent defying death and pretending to be birds. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. It made me feel alive while giving me a new perspective on my life.
“Did you love it?” Zach asked, walking toward me with his helmet under his arm.
I couldn’t stop smiling. “I don’t know that I would do it again, but I didn’t hate it.”
He laughed. “I’m starving. Let’s get something to eat.”
I followed behind him in his Porsche, me in my jeep. My legs were still shaking with the adrenaline rush. I fought the urge to call Hailey. I wanted to share the experience with her. That struck me as odd considering I barely knew her.
“How was the date last night?” he asked once we sat down.
I nodded my head. “Good. Really good.”
“Like good, you took her to bed?”
I rolled my eyes. “No. Good, as in we talked and had a good time together. It was different.”
“Good, but no sex?” he asked with complete shock.
I nodded. “No sex. I don’t have sex with everyone I go to dinner with,” I pointed out.
He looked at me, his eyebrows raised. “Really?”
“Really.”
He leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. “Wow. That’s different.”
“Yes, it is. I like her. You should try it some time. The whole conversation thing is enlightening.”
He wrinkled his nose. “I’m more of a man of action.”
“I know. Everyone knows.”
He ignored the insult. “Did you ask her to be your fake fiancée?”
I laughed. “No. I was going to, but then, I don’t know. Something changed. I couldn’t do it.”
He sighed. “Do I have to remind you of your situation? You can’t exactly waste a lot of time with this. If you can’t do it, you need to get on Tinder—like now. You do realize how serious this is, right?”
“Definitely not getting a dating app. I know my situation very well without you having to remind me.”
“Then what’s the problem? I can’t have my wingman going broke.”
“It wasn’t the right time,” I explained.
“Is there ever going to be a right time to ask a woman to be fake engaged? I think you’d be better off just putting it out there before you get into this too deep. You just said you like her. Well, if she isn’t ready to be engaged, real or fake, you’re barking up the wrong tree. You don’t have the luxury of time, waiting around for the right moment or when she gives you the signal. Just because you had one good date doesn’t mean you’re going to have another one. It could have been a fluke,” he argued.
“I know, I know,” I agreed.
“Don’t tell her,” he stated firmly.
“I already told you I’m not comfortable with that. I don’t want to lie to her. That’s only going to create problems down the road.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know what the problem is. You can pay her if it helps clear your conscience. Just do something. You’re seriously stressing me out with all this.”
I laughed. “How are you stressed about this? It’s my company at stake and my ability to support myself.”
He scowled. “Because you’re my friend and you’re not stressing enough.”
“I want to explore this a bit more before I make any decision. I’m stressed plenty, but I’m confident something will work out,” I told him, meaning every word of it.
He nodded his head. It was the one thing we agreed on.
“Good. Explore it or do whatever. Just keep your mouth shut about your need to be married within the next few months. There’s no need to advertise all your problems.”
Thankfully, our food was set in front of us, and we didn’t have to talk about it anymore. I changed the subject to something less volatile, like what he did the night before.
“I went to the bar, watched some boxing thing and went home—alone,” he said.
It was my turn to be surprised. “Wow. Are you turning over a new leaf? Are you ill?”
He laughed. “No. I was tired. I didn’t feel like partying. It happens sometimes.”
“Are you sure you’re not sick? You’ve seriously partied every Friday night for at least the last eleven years.”
“Nope, healthy as a horse. I just wanted to relax. I’ll go out tonight, make up for lost time,” he said with a grin.
“Whew, I thought you were growing up or something.”
“Go out with me,” he blurted out.
I wrinkled my nose. “Not my thing.”
“Come on, it’ll be fun. We can blow off some steam. You can get what you didn’t get last night,” he said with a wink.
I laughed. “I don’t need that. I can survive a few days without it. I’m not like you.”
He clearly didn’t share my opinion.
Once we finished with our meals, I was more than ready to go home. The day had worn me out. Unlike Zach, I was happy to go to an empty home and do nothing. I looked forward to chilling out, drinking a cold beer and sitting on my couch with the remote in my hand. Zach was always on the move. The guy had the energy of a toddler. I didn’t know if he would ever slow down or settle down.
“Be good and try not to get into too much trouble,” I told him.
He laughed. “Trouble is my middle name, and I wear it with pride. Have fun riding the couch, all alone tonight.”
“I will,” I said, not the least bit embarrassed by my decision to hang out at home.
I mulled over what he had said about not telling Hailey. I got where he was coming from. His idea held merit, but I just wasn’t sure I wanted to risk it. I felt like I was stuck between a giant boulder and a mountain. If I had met her at any other point in my life, I could take my time and get to know her. I wouldn’t have to push her.
I groaned, hating lying to her. I tried to assure myself it wasn’t lying. I simply wasn’t telling her every detail of my life. I knew she liked me well enough. There was no denying the chemistry between us. If I could just speed up the way things were going, I was sure I could propose marriage, and she would a
ccept. Hell, after a while, I may actually want it. I needed time, which I didn’t have.
I could wait a week or two. It couldn’t hurt. I could enjoy our time together a while longer before I had to drop a bomb on it. I’d play it out and see where it went.
Chapter 12
Hailey
I was still a little giddy after my date with Terran. I couldn’t wait to tell Mandy all about it. When she called this morning to tell me she had gotten the day off, I immediately decided we were going to have a girls’ day. It had been too long since the last time we had gotten to hang out and do nothing but pamper ourselves.
I pulled into the parking lot of the spa where we were going to be spending our day.
“Hey!” I said, walking in and finding her already sitting in the lobby.
“There you are. I thought you were going to stand me up.”
“I’m sorry. I want to have some really good excuse for my tardiness, but we both know it would be a lie. I’m late because that’s the kind of person I am. I’m working on it.”
She giggled. “Yes, I know, and it’s okay because I still love you.”
I walked up to the receptionist, giving her my name. I had booked the day in my name and had it charged to my credit card. It was my treat. Mandy would put up a fuss, but I wanted to do this for her. She did so much for everyone else, this was my way of showing her how much the world, in general, appreciated her.
“We have you scheduled for your manis and pedis before a massage, then facials followed by some time in the sauna,” the friendly receptionist announced.
“Sounds good,” I said with a smile.
We were led to our own area for the first of our treatments.
“I can’t believe you arranged all this on such short notice,” Mandy whispered.
I smiled. “Sometimes, my name helps open doors.”
“I’m sure it does. You’re quite the celebrity these days.”
I giggled. “Shh, don’t tell anyone.”
Once we were settled in our chairs, she looked at me, asking without saying. When I only grinned in return, she growled with frustration.
