by Violet Duke
Laughter turned his features boyishly charming. “She didn’t mention the oh-mate part. Care to explain before I start guessing?”
“No,” she practically yelped. “And no guessing, either.”
To be fair, Xoey had told Lia that she wanted her last date set-up to be in Ocotillos. Considering the success of the last three dates, she figured if she felt an urge to poke a pen in her eye during, she’d have a full staff there to supply her with one.
But she never once thought Lia would blindside her completely.
“Lia wanted to warn you,” filled in Caine, as if reading her annoyed, slightly impressed expression accurately. “But I didn’t. So here I am. Since Dani’s here tonight, you’re free to grab a table with me, right?”
And of course, a two-person pub table just magically cleared right next to them.
Swinging her gaze back over to the bar, she saw several heads swivel away before she could catch them snooping.
Dani and Sienna.
…Who’d been talking to a guy at the bar whose side profile looked vaguely familiar.
It took a few seconds, but the puzzle pieces clicked into place with the resounding thud of a slamming prison cell door.
The yodeling ventriloquist.
Drinking beer!
As if suddenly feeling the full wattage of her glare, her first blind date from hell turned around and faced her.
Before jolting up and making a run for it.
Xoey waved over a young couple glancing covetously at the still-empty date table currently being guarded by an Ocotillos waitress. “Go ahead and sit,” she told them. “I’m going to be busy committing murder.”
Swiftly grabbing Caine by the arm, she dragged him over to Dani and Sienna at the bar, who were both suddenly very busy.
Dani was concentrating really hard on making sure the beer flowing from the tap stayed in the exact center of the mug she was filling, and Sienna was eating a bunch of pilfered cocktail maraschino cherries like it was her job.
“You guys set me up!”
Sienna shook her head. “Nope. This one was Lia’s choice for you,” she replied pointing at Caine and deliberately misunderstanding her as she munch-munch- munched on the maraschinos.
Meanwhile, Dani was trying to edge her way out of the confrontation entirely. The waiting line of customers at the bar shifted like the tide as they followed her inching away.
“Get back over here, traitor!”
Dani sighed and tapped in one of the bartenders returning from his break.
Hands still shackling a silent but thoroughly amused Caine, Xoey walked the three of them over to the only semi-quiet spot in the brewpub under the stairwell leading to the roof deck.
She released Caine and crossed her arms over her chest. Turning her attention to Dani first, she barked, “A yodeling ventriloquist? Seriously? I didn’t say anything because I thought you’d clearly lost your meddling touch and I didn’t want to make you feel bad.” Remembering another detail she’d blocked out about the date, she narrowed her eyes even more. “You can tell your little friend he clearly missed his calling as an actor. The crying at the end? Nice touch.”
“You did have ‘soulful’ and ‘sensitive’ as two of your man-quation characteristics.” Dani didn’t even bother to cover up her smile.
“I meant the way Isaac is!” she seethed between clenched teeth, still remembering how many days it took her not to hear all that yodeling rattling around in her head.
More unapologetic chuckles.
Xoey sliced her accusing glare over to Sienna next. “And you. Is the low v-neck shirt guy really as douchey as he seemed or did you put him up to that?”
At least Sienna had the grace to look more than a little guilty. “I might have told him to lay it on thick. I didn’t dress him though. That was all him.”
“In exchange for?”
A sheepish set of pearly whites flashed back at her. “Discounted mechanical work on his Porsche. The guy is disgustingly rich, but he’s been getting into so many wrecks racing his friends that his dad told him to figure out a way to pay for the repairs himself, without accessing any of the family money. And since the money he makes at work is like loose change considering his lavish night life, he really wanted the discount. He’s actually a really nice guy. You know, for a man whore.”
Xoey was beyond fuming now. “And Quinn’s bachelor? What’d she offer the guy? Free chocolates?” She couldn’t fathom what logical barter Quinn could have brokered with the big shot investment banker.
“Actually,” filled in Sienna, brightly. “Rylan told me that Quinn didn’t coach that guy one bit. Apparently, that’s just how he is in real life. She just told him to be completely himself.”
Xoey rolled her eyes in exasperation.
Caine’s shoulders shook with more silent hilarity.
Her new target acquired, she took one stomp forward and poked him in the chest. “And what were you planning to do to sabotage our date?” she demanded.
…When a low, resoundingly resolute voice from behind them answered simply, “He wasn’t going to do anything. Since he wasn’t going to last ten minutes.”
Xoey gasped and spun around. Et tu, Isaac? “You orchestrated all of this?”
Caine’s voice held an unabashed smile she could hear loud and clear. “I told you if you kept running, one day he’d catch you and you’d have to deal with the consequences of that.”
Isaac shot him a look that not-so-politely asked him to stop helping. He peered down at her, eyes running over her face. “Why the frown? Are you disappointed I’m interrupting?”
No. Never.
“I’m frowning because mathematically speaking, there are way too many witnesses here that will be able to pick me out of a line up when your body goes missing tomorrow,” she replied, crossing her arms with a glare.
“I didn’t sabotage your dates, Xo. That was all your girls’ doing. But I started figuring it out in Vegas when you told me about your date. I called up Quinn and got the whole story, knowing there was no way she would’ve called that particular friend of ours unless she was messing with you.”
“He’s telling the truth,” supplied Dani helpfully.
Dropping her arms, she looked at the group of nodding heads before feeling the anger whoosh out of her system. “Fine, fine. I get it. My list was stupid. Point taken, intervention successful,” she muttered.
“Not stupid,” Dani reassured gently, all amusement now vanished from her expression. “While we were plotting, we did actually manage to find one guy who fit all your criteria.” She tossed a meaningful look over at Isaac.
They all followed Dani’s pointed gaze and Isaac shrugged. “Again, I had nothing to do with that.”
“So what was with the ten minute max limit for Caine’s date?” she asked him. “Oh, and thanks, by the way.”
“Jesus, I’m still standing right here,” called out a mildly insulted, but still thoroughly grinning Caine who was turning to head back to the bar. “I think I’m going to go grab a beer to drown out my sorrows. ‘Night children. Play nice.”
“Stop looking at him,” groused Isaac lightly, sounding…jealous.
A first.
Xoey felt her heart begin to hammer in her chest.
“I think,” he whispered, in that deep, gruff voice of his. “You and I have a few things to talk about, sweetheart.”
All at once, Dani and Sienna made themselves scarce.
Isaac threaded his fingers through hers—with his thumb on the knuckle of her index finger—and lead her to the employee doors leading back to her office.
Feeling his hand in hers again created a maelstrom of emotions that hit her full-force.
She missed this.
Barely noticing that they’d come to a stop, her breath hitched when he leaned in to gently tug the stretchy, hot pink wrist coil she kept her office keys on. Unlocking her office door without missing a beat, he pulled her through the doorway and shut the door behind the
m.
In the silence that followed, he asked quietly, “Want to know what I think the biggest dealbreaker is of all your failed dates, sweetie?”
Curious now, she nodded.
“None of them are me.”
* * * * *
HEART RIPPED BARE, Isaac stared at the woman he’d grown to love infinitely more over the year since their break-up. “I know that’s why I haven’t had any successful dates,” he confessed, picking up her hand to return her coiled bracelet key ring back to her wrist. “I’ve tried. But God help me, I can’t stop wanting you and only you.”
For some reason, the woman always brought out a side of him that wanted to both challenge her and coddle her at the same time. Even now, he was torn between pushing for the limitless possibilities that had always existed between them…and pulling back until she was ready.
This time, he chose to push.
Her breath caught as he proceeded to invade her private space, slowly backing her up until her back hit the wall.
Instantly, he flattened one palm against the wall next to her head.
He nearly became unglued when he saw her close her eyes briefly and barely, just barely, brush her cheek against his wrist.
“What are we doing, Isaac? What’s been going on with us lately?”
So she’s felt the shift in their relationship lately, too. Good.
“I think what’s been going on with us lately is something that’s been a long time coming,” he replied, watching her reaction.
“That’s not an answer.”
“That’s the only one you’re getting tonight.” He slid the side of his thumb against her smooth cheek. “Since you have to go back out there and work.”
“Oh, right.” A cloud of disappointment darkened her eyes.
Progress.
“Tomorrow night, however, is a different matter.” He forced himself to step back. “We still need to talk about a few things—mainly about my being one of the exes on your list.”
Turning to head to the door, each step harder than the last, he had his parting, friendly exit all locked and loaded.
…Until he saw her staring at him in a way he’d never seen before.
His mouth spoke then without any coordination with his brain. “Whether or not any ‘ohs’ make it into the conversation is totally up to you.”
CHAPTER TEN
“YOUR THREE SIX-FOOT TALL dwarfs came by the gym late last night to threaten me,” announced Isaac as he plopped down beside Xoey on their bench.
He hadn’t been sure if she’d be here at the dog park this morning. They didn’t have their usual phone conversation right up until he parked. In fact, they hadn’t talked at all since he left her to enjoy the rest of Townfolk Brewery Night last night. Not a single text had come from her while he sparred with a couple of guys at the gym to get rid of some pent-up tension.
The fact that she was there this morning for their weekly breakfast gave him hope.
He handed her a Chai latte, and waited.
When she took the proffered drink and simultaneously handed over a pancake sandwich from their favorite breakfast foodtruck, he let out the breath he’d hadn’t even realized he’d been holding.
His guess on her breakfast choice this morning had been correct. They were fine.
They ate in silence in the empty dog park, knowing it would probably remain empty for a while since the entire town had basically drank their weight in beer last night. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you how great this year’s finalist brews were last night.”
“Thanks.” Her first smile of the morning stretched across her face as she spoke.
And Isaac just sat there feeling as if he were watching the sun rise.
“So did Doc, Bashful, and Dommy really threaten you last night?”
He chuckled. “I’m surprised those guys let you keep calling them that. You do know that they’re each former All-American football players, right?”
She grinned. “That’s what makes it fun.”
“And no,” he answered. “They didn’t threaten me, so much as promise me matter-of-factly that they were a fan of facial reconstruction for guys who hurt women they care about.”
Tilting her head at him, she studied him for a beat. “They signed up to join your gym, didn’t they?”
“They were pretty impressed with my set-up.”
With a smiling headshake, she turned her attention back to the empty dog park. “So what are your plans for tonight?” she asked casually.
“I have a date,” he informed her.
“Oh?”
“Mmm hmm.” He swallowed the last of his coffee. “What about you?”
A few long, torturous beats passed before she replied, “I have a date, too.”
He had to force himself not to turn and look into her eyes. “Yeah? Are you looking forward to it?”
“Truth? I’m a little scared.”
He tensed. “Scared of the guy?”
“No. Never of the guy. But the idea of dating him? A little bit.”
Nodding, he revealed, “Yeah. I can see that.”
“You think it’ll be okay?”
“If you really like the guy, then yes. I think it’ll be okay.”
“I do like him. More than he probably realizes.”
Isaac exhaled and ended the interrogation. He wasn’t sure how much more he could take.
When Xoey’s work alarm went off on her phone, they both stood.
“So I’ll pick you up at the brewpub around seven?”
Finally, for the first time that morning, her gaze tangled with his.
“Seven,” she confirmed.
* * * * *
XOEY HADN’T KNOWN what to expect when Isaac picked her up for their ‘date.’
The only thing she did know was that she had every intention of keeping those air quotes around the word in her mind. If only as a built-in escape route to protect their friendship if things got awkward.
Not to mention her heart.
And clearly, she was right for being cautious.
The man wasn’t pulling his punches one bit.
He brought her back to his place and instead of a meal, he’d picked up a little something from all her favorite food truck vendors and restaurants in town. The overstocked table was covered from end to end with of what looked like at least three or four dozen little Dixie paper plates of food.
She smiled in wonder. “You had them make me hors d’oeuvres.”
“Enough for an entire meal,” he confirmed.
Because hors d’oeuvres were usually her favorite part of dinners and parties.
And for dessert, he opened the freezer to show her a take-home gallon of ice cream from Cactus Creek’s old fashioned ice cream shoppe with Desert Confections chocolates mixed in.
“Just like our first date.” He winked.
Oh boy.
She was definitely in trouble.
“You want to eat in front of the TV?” he asked, seemingly unaware of the fact that she was all but swooning. “I got a DVD selection of all your guilty pleasure movies. By the way, we’re probably going to have to start renting our movie night DVDs with your card because I’m pretty sure they think I’m a creepy weirdo now…seeing as how I rented every high school cheerleading and street battle dancing movie they had, along with the entire second season of the Sopranos.”
Bar none the best season, in her opinion at least—one that he didn’t share.
He passed her a bag and went over to cue up the DVD player.
She opened the bag and found her comfiest PJs folded neatly inside. Pulling them out, she couldn’t help but laugh. “You want me to wear these for our date?”
“Don’t ask me what I want you to wear, or that bag you’re holding would be empty in two seconds flat.”
A sizzle of awareness raced up her spine. She stubbornly shook it off, however, and narrowed her eyes on him. “Are you planning on flirting with me tonight?”
“Ouch. If you�
��re asking then clearly, I’m doing it wrong.” His eyes trailed down to her fists balled at her hips, before dipping lower…and then just as slowly panning back up her body in a long, hot visual caress.
His large strides ate up the floor in three steps.
Before she knew what hit her, one calloused hand was wrapped around her nape while the other palmed her hip. He brushed the calloused pad of his thumb against the sliver of bare skin below her belly ring, just under the hem of the shorty tee-shirt she’d thrown on over her jeans.
The way he was looking at her made her feel like she was wearing nothing more than a prayer and a whisper.
He skated his warm fingers across the waistband of her jeans and teased the small of her back as he murmured, “Don’t overthink it, Xo. You wanted to have a perfect blind date with a Mr. Right that had all the qualities from your list. So that’s what we’ll have.” His hot, turbulent stare officially stole every last rational thought from her head. “I’m not Isaac, your best friend. Until tomorrow morning, I’m just Bachelor #5.” He drew in a rough, ragged breath. “And Bachelor #5 has been dying to kiss you since the moment he picked you up tonight.”
With the same speed he exhibited in the ring, he turned and pushed her back against the wall, sliding his hands into her hair to tilt her head back so she could have exactly a split second to draw in one last breath before he brought his lips down on hers.
Holy hell.
She’d forgotten how mind-altering Isaac’s kisses could be.
It was all-consuming. Lips, tongue, and teeth, punctuated with steamy, dirty, decadent promises whispered against her skin.
She realized then that he’d been holding back when they dated before.
Where once he simply overtook her senses, now he devoured.
When he pulled back to run his eyes over her face again, it was like she could see clear into his soul.
“I’ve missed you so goddamn much, Xoey.” His words grated out of him, rough and raw, just seconds before he claimed her mouth in another whirlwind kiss.
Feeling his heartbeat pick up under her fingers, she looked down, watching in fascination as his entire body reacted to her exploring all the broad, sexy muscles that filled out his shirt. It was like seeing another aspect of him he normally kept in tight control, now tensing and hardening from even the lightest touch. Her touch.
