He knew why he didn’t.
Because he didn’t want to. Strange as it might seem, he never wanted to let her go.
But, considering it was only their first date, that they barely knew each other, and he didn’t want to scare her off so soon, he slowly let his arms fall away. Although, he still needed her touch.
Instead of his hands falling to his sides, they rested on her hips. She didn’t jerk away from him, although he felt a slight shiver coat her body as she leaned her head away from his chest.
“Are you hungry?”
Smooth, Carter. Real smooth.
They were here to eat, weren’t they? Of course, she’d be hungry. That’s what they were doing together. Going out to eat.
Her blue eyes glittered with fright. But also with a sparkle of desire. He could work with both. He was feeling a little scared himself. He never wanted something to work out with a woman as much as he did right now.
“I’m ready to eat.”
“Me, too.”
He wanted to slap himself silly for every idiotic word that was coming out of his mouth. Me, too? That’s the best he could come up with.
“Did I mention you look beautiful?”
An adorable smile lit up her face. The ones he really loved. “I think so.”
The connection between them was like an invisible rope. He couldn’t tear his eyes from her even if someone yanked on that rope to pull him away.
Even though he could feel slight trembles consuming her, as if she couldn’t control her nerves, he saw the yearning deep in the depths of her eyes. She couldn’t look away either.
His mouth lowered. A light, tender kiss touched her lips. She shuddered at the soft caress, but didn’t pull away.
The kiss lasted no more than five seconds, if that. But it was enough to vanish the nerves that had built as he waited for her outside the restaurant.
Grabbing her hand, a gentle smile touched his lips. “Let’s eat.”
Biting her lip, a tiny smile hiding behind the cute gesture, she nodded, and let him lead her into the restaurant.
The hard part was over. She let him kiss her. A short, light kiss. But a kiss, nonetheless.
The end of the date should be even better. He could steal an even longer one.
And he would. When he dropped her off at home.
They might have met at the restaurant, but the gentleman in him needed to make sure she arrived home safely, and he couldn’t do that unless he dropped her off himself.
He still needed to warn her about Nathan. Not a task he relished.
So yeah, he’d be taking her home tonight. Whether she liked it or not.
After giving his name to the hostess, having made reservations earlier in the day, he held Rose’s hand as they made their way through the restaurant to the back where they were seated at a small table tucked in a quiet corner.
The moment he had to release her hand, he felt the jitters coat his body once again. He felt more secure when he had the lightest touch on her.
He pushed in her chair once she sat down, then took his own seat.
“I’ve never eaten here before. It looks nice.”
He glanced around. The place was full. People were dressed up nicely with a suit or a pretty dress, some women even in a nice pantsuit, as if they came straight from work. The tables were all set flawlessly with a small vase of fresh flowers in the middle. The lighting was set low, but not too low he couldn’t see, but low enough that it felt romantic. The hostess and the servers were dressed in black, very debonair in a way.
He had never eaten here before. But it was close to the precinct and he had wanted to make her feel comfortable. He figured close to the precinct, instead of somewhere farther away where she didn’t know her surroundings, would be better.
“It’s my first time, too. I hope the food is good.” He chuckled, suddenly feeling like an idiot. He should’ve picked a place where he knew the food would be delicious.
They picked up their menus, their eyes darting from the menu to each other and back to the menu.
They did it a few times before he gave her a crooked grin. “You do like Italian, right? Probably the wrong time to ask.”
A quiet, sweet laugh fell from her lips. “I do. I just don’t know what I want. It all looks good.”
“You can’t go wrong with spaghetti—”
“Maybe the fettuccine sounds—”
They both started to laugh as they spoke at the same time. He liked both meals. Spaghetti was a big staple in their house. His mother always made the best sauce. She had been the queen of cooking, especially barbecue ribs. Nobody had yet to surpass her recipe that doused the ribs in such a delicious sauce; he almost started salivating thinking about it.
He fiddled with the menu, his mind made up. He’d get the spaghetti.
Rose bit her lip, a tiny smile hiding behind the gesture. He wanted to kiss those delicate, beautiful lips once again.
Oh, he was definitely taking her home, just so he could kiss her longer without an audience. If she let him. He knew she was skittish. The trembles he felt before were a good indication he was teetering on a fine line. He couldn’t do anything to frighten her away so soon.
Maybe he wouldn’t attempt a stronger kiss.
But he wanted to.
She closed her menu. Did that mean she was getting the fettuccine?
“How was your day?”
He heard the slight quiver in her tone. Good to know she was as nervous as him. Not that he wanted her nervous.
Probably best to get it out of the way. Better to do the difficult part while the nerves were still strong rather than get her relaxed and spring the nerves forward again.
“It was a typical day. I talked to your friend Lincoln.”
“Yes, he called me. We both wish we had some information that would help you. I … Do you know who did it yet?”
He wished he did. For her. “No. We keep running into dead ends.” But she just helped lead him into what he wanted to talk about. “I also met Nathan Insoll. You know him, right?”
He didn’t miss the way she shivered in her seat. “I know him, yes.”
How did he say it? How did he tell her he had no evidence that he hurt Evelyn, but he needed her to stay away from him?
“Did something happen? Did he say something?”
Working for the best smile in his arsenal, which wasn’t much when his body was coiled taut with tension, he shook his head. “No. I just don’t like him.”
“I can’t say I do either.”
“Good.” This was very good. “You need to stay away from him.”
Oh man, that sounded harsh.
A bit like jealousy, too. He was not jealous of the man whatsoever. Lincoln, on the other hand …
By the way her eyes narrowed, she didn’t like how he said it either.
You need to stay away from him.
That’s what Carter had just told her.
It wasn't like she liked Nathan. Because she didn't. At all. But she also didn't like the idea of someone else ordering her around. She was twenty-nine, an adult, and she had been taking care of herself since she was six years old. She didn't need someone she barely knew stepping in and trying to tell her who she could or couldn’t see.
And if Carter was this bossy on their first date, what would he be like if they became a couple?
Would he try to tell her what she could and couldn’t do? Would he try to get her to quit her job so she was always available for him? Would he try to control every aspect of her life?
Rose was about to open her mouth and tell Carter that he had no right to tell her that she couldn’t see Nathan anymore, but then she saw the nervous look in his beautiful golden eyes.
She remembered that feeling she got every time she touched him.
It wasn't like butterflies in her tummy. It was like a whole mess of rhinoceroses had taken up residence in there and were stomping about. But along with the nervousness was a sense of completeness th
at she had never felt before.
No one had ever made her feel like that.
No one.
And when he kissed her …
She forgot all about the pain she had suffered in her life. She forgot about the world moving on around her. She forgot about everything. She almost forgot how to breathe.
Carter was a good guy, she knew that. He wasn't some sort of control freak out to take over her life. He was just worried about her.
Which was kind of nice.
She’d never really had anyone worry about her since her parents died.
Evie and the rest of her friends worried about her, but it wasn't the same. They worried in a different way. They worried as a group of people who had all been through something together.
This was different.
This was special.
Carter was special and she wasn't going to let one teensy weensy slipup mess things up before she had a chance to see if this could go anywhere.
She smiled at Carter. “You don’t have to worry about me going near Nathan. I try to avoid him as best as I can.”
Carter relaxed instantly, obviously relieved he hadn't ruined things between them. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn't mean that to come out like I was forbidding you from doing something. I just worry about you.” He shot her a shy smile.
Rose liked this side of Carter. The anxiety that she felt flowing through him every time she touched him. She could tell every time they touched, his anxiety melted away, but it was reassuring to know that he was every bit as nervous about dating as she was.
“So you’re having the spaghetti?” she asked. It seemed like a silly thing to say, but she wasn't good at small talk, especially on a date.
“I think so,” Carter nodded. “And you're having the fettuccine?”
“Yep.”
Carter called over the waiter and they both ordered their meals and drinks. Then they both looked a little awkwardly at each other.
Rose wished she was good at this kind of thing, but she mostly kept to herself. Her friends were all people she’d known for a very long time, and she never dated unless Evie had dragged her along on a double date. Sometimes Evie would do that when there was some guy she really liked, but thought she would have a better chance at getting to date her if she appeared to be tamer than she really was.
But tonight wasn't about Evie.
Tonight was about her and Carter.
“So, why don’t you tell me about yourself,” Rose said. That was probably an easier topic of conversation than if they were to talk about her. Not only did she not live an interesting life now, but her childhood wasn't really first date material.
For the next little while, she listened as Carter told her about his parents and some of the things he enjoyed doing. She learned that his favorite food was BBQ ribs, his favorite color was black, his favorite sport was baseball, and his favorite music was alternative country. From the way he passed over details about his family, she guessed there was something in his past that he didn't like to talk about. That was fine. They both had their secrets, and they didn't have to learn every single thing about each other on their very first date. If they were a match and things progressed, then there would be time to talk about all those things.
As much as she didn't want to, if she and Carter decided they liked each other enough to start talking about a future, then she would tell him all the deep, dark parts of her past.
When he was done, it was her turn to share.
She told him that her favorite color was pink and that she loved polar bears and had lots of things in her apartment that had that theme—like a cookie jar, coasters, and throw pillows on her couch. She told him that she was an accountant because she liked that numbers were a constant, and you could always count on them to be the same.
Before she knew it, they had both finished their meals.
She had been having so much fun talking and laughing that time had just flown by. Rose was never this relaxed with people she hadn't known for very long.
The date was coming to an end, and all she could think about was whether or not he was going to kiss her.
She was torn between hoping he did and hoping he didn't.
As much fun as she’d had tonight, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something would happen to ruin it. She hadn't had much luck in her life. It seemed like she just went from one bad situation to another, and she really liked Carter.
That terrified her.
Because if she lost him, it would be a hard loss to deal with.
It was safe to be alone.
She might be lonely, but she knew what to expect. She didn't have to worry about the unknowns. She didn't have to worry about losing anyone else. She didn't have to worry about getting hurt.
“You okay?” Carter asked. “You went quiet.”
“Just thinking,” she replied honestly. He just didn't need to know what she was thinking about.
“You ready to go home?” he asked, already moving to stand. He was obviously in a hurry to get going and Rose knew exactly why.
He was going to insist on seeing her back to her apartment, and when they got to her door, he was going to want to kiss her.
The rhinos started stomping again.
The kiss they’d shared earlier and the knowledge they might kiss again before the night was done had hovered at the edge of her consciousness the entire night, and now it was shoving its way to the forefront.
She thought she might have just stared dumbly at him and nodded a little too forcefully.
Carter stood and pulled her chair back for her, then held her coat for her to slip her arms into. It was April, but it was still cool in the evenings.
Rose didn't miss the appreciative once-over Carter gave her before they started walking. She felt her cheeks heat. She’d spent hours obsessing over the perfect outfit to wear for tonight. After going back and forth between three different outfits, she had finally decided on a simple blue dress that she knew would make her blue eyes sparkle, and her favorite black coat that she knew looked nice with her pale skin and long black hair. Add a pair of her favorite black boots, and the golden cross that had been her mother’s on a chain around her neck, and she felt comfortable that she looked nice enough. But to know that Carter thought she looked good gave her confidence a boost.
It was nice to be attractive to the guy you liked. She didn't care what other people thought of her, but she did care about what Carter thought.
“I’ll see you home,” Carter said with firm but gentle determination, and she had to hide a smile. She knew he was going to want to do that.
“I don’t mind walking home myself, it’s not far,” she said, just so he didn't think she was always going to give in and do what he wanted.
“I know you don’t, but this is our first date, and I wouldn’t feel right if I didn't walk you home.”
“Okay,” she pretended to sigh, but quickly bit back a giggle.
As they headed out onto the busy sidewalk Carter slid his hand into hers, giving her a sideways glance he thought she couldn’t see, probably to see if she was okay with the hand-holding. She was more than okay with it.
They didn't talk as they walked back to her apartment, but it was a companionable silence. She was already feeling comfortable with Carter. So much for the keeping-to-herself-so-she-didn’t-get-hurt plan. Carter seemed to have blown that out the window in just a few short days.
Since he had been to her apartment before, she didn't have to give directions and almost too soon they were there.
It was time.
To kiss or not to kiss.
Now that they were here, she knew what she wanted.
She wanted to kiss.
Neither of them spoke.
His eyes found hers and locked onto them, not letting her look away. Not that she wanted to.
She tilted her face up, he tilted his down.
Then their lips touched, and everything inside her relaxed.
&nbs
p; All the fears and worries and insecurities disappeared when she was in Carter’s arms.
She never wanted this feeling to end.
7
Carter slammed the door shut with a goofy grin on his face. He felt great. More than great. Spectacular.
A slow smirk grew on Jade’s face as she rounded the car and walked with him to the front door of the latest case that dropped in their laps. “What’s with the grin? Someone had a good night, I see.”
“I had a good night’s sleep. That’s all.”
Her brow cocked. “Is that right? A good night of sex—”
Carter stopped walking as he held up his hand. “Whoa. We are not discussing my sex life.”
Jade laughed. “So, there’s something to talk about?”
His brows dipped down as he glared at his partner. Generally, they didn’t have a problem talking about their dating lives with each other. He shared things with Jade he didn’t normally share with a few of his friends he still kept in contact with from high school. She was his best friend. His partner. He knew she’d have his back in a heartbeat, and vice versa. There wasn’t much he held back from her. Well, except his past.
And his sex life with Rose.
Which, there wasn’t one.
Not yet, anyway.
Slow and easy. That’s how he had to proceed with Rose. He dropped her off last night after their date, kissed her sweetly on the mouth that lasted far longer than he could’ve ever hoped for, and then waited until she stepped inside and locked her door before he walked away. He didn’t attempt to gain an offer to come inside. Maybe he could’ve worked his charm to get the invitation, but he didn’t want to. Rose wasn’t some easy lay, where he’d have sex with her, then walk away.
She was his … future, perhaps.
A hand hit his shoulder playfully as laughter circled him. “Calm down, Carter. I’m just messing with you.” Jade’s eyes softened. “I guess you really like her.”
His body started to relax as the tension that filled him up rather quickly slowly dissipated. “Yeah, I like her. We had a nice night.” He chuckled, hoping to get the easy flow back between them. “And I did sleep well last night. It doesn’t happen often.”
Sweetest Obsessions - Anthology Page 194
