The Dating Arrangement

by Kerri Carpenter

  A busboy rushed over to take care of the toppled wineglass.

  “Thank you,” she said to the busboy. Then she turned her attention back to Jack. “I mean, who did he think he was? Screw him,” she yelled a little louder than she should at a fancy restaurant. “Thad thought he was so great and so charming. You know what though? He wasn’t all that.”

  The maître d’ also made his way toward the table. “Miss, is everything okay?”

  “Oh yes,” Jack said with a twinkle in his eye. “She’s having a long, overdue epiphany.”

  “As cathartic as that may be, we do have other guests here tonight.”

  Emerson glanced around the restaurant and found that every pair of eyes was trained on her, watching her outburst. Some sat with their mouths hanging open, while others actually appeared to be amused with her theatrics.

  All she could think was how her mother would disown her if she saw this. Particularly because this was one of her favorite restaurants. What would everyone think? And that thought actually made her laugh.

  Not just laugh. Hysterical sounds escaped her body as tears ran down her cheeks.

  “Sir, I’m very sorry, but I must insist you and your companion settle down.”

  The maître d’ didn’t even attempt to address Emerson. Probably thought she’d completely lost it at this point. She couldn’t be sure she hadn’t. But if this was losing it, it sure did feel good. Another belly laugh rolled through her and ended with a loud snort, which only made her laugh more.

  “Sir, please.” The maître d’s gaze darted from table to table. “If you can’t tone down your conversation, we do have a lovely table in a more secluded area of the restaurant.”

  “More secluded?” Jack asked. He rolled his eyes. “Why don’t we just leave then?”

  “If that’s what you want to do.”

  Emerson was pretty sure Jack’s suggestion had been a hypothetical. Nevertheless, the maître d’ had snapped his fingers and the busboy appeared. They began stripping the table.

  Jack stood and reached for his wallet, but the maître d’ shook his head, seemingly more intent to just get them out of the restaurant and away from the normal patrons.

  “Our food?” Jack asked.

  “Not to worry. I’ll cancel the order. Consider the wine complimentary.” He gestured toward the entrance. Or, in this case, the exit. “This way, please.”

  Emerson thought she’d go to the restaurant tonight and get a great meal. Instead she got something much greater.

  A little closure.

  Chapter Nine

  Since they’d forfeited their four-star dinner—all her fault, Emerson had to admit—Jack asked her what she was in the mood for. So they picked up large, juicy cheeseburgers, with two sides of fries, and then Jack drove them a little ways from Old Town.

  She enjoyed being in the car with him. Her window was cracked, and the cool night air felt amazing against her skin. She leaned her head against the glass and searched for stars above the twinkling city lights.

  She lost track of where they were heading as she ran over all the things she’d said tonight. All of the things she’d thought.

  Jack switched on the radio and found the local country station. One of her favorite songs came on. She smiled.

  Her favorite food. Her favorite song. And Jack was very quickly becoming one of her favorite people.

  With Jack, everything felt different. She could say things to him that she wouldn’t dare utter to another soul.

  She gnawed on her lip as she considered the situation. When she was with him, she felt...whole. That wasn’t quite right. Maybe it was more that she felt like herself. No explanations. No apologies.

  Suddenly it hit her.

  When she was around Jack, she felt good enough. She never felt as though she had to make excuses for herself. She just was.

  Maybe she could be herself with Jack. Perhaps Emerson Rose Dewitt was enough.

  He put the car into Park at the top of a hill. There was no one else around. No other cars, people, houses. Nothing. It was dark and secluded and absolutely...romantic.

  Perfect.

  The radio continued playing softly in the background as Emerson leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes.

  “Did we just technically get kicked out of a restaurant?”

  She heard the rustle of the food bags. The aroma of onions and fries wafted through the confined space of the truck. Jack rolled the windows down about halfway. It was still chilly outside, but with each week the temperature rose higher and higher. Summer would be here before they knew it.

  “I believe we did.”

  She opened her eyes and watched as Jack winked at her and stuck a fry in his mouth. Naturally, it drew her attention to those tempting lips. Those lips that had now been on hers twice. Maybe she wanted them to be on hers again. Maybe she wanted to continue her uncharacteristic behavior and just make out right in this truck. After all, what was one more crazy thing when she’d already done so many this evening?

  When she finally ripped her eyes away, she noticed that he was grinning at her. No doubt, he knew exactly what she was thinking.

  “What are you thinking?”

  He was clearly psychic.

  But what was she supposed to say? The truth? That she wanted him? That she was on a high from revealing her past to him tonight and wanted to keep the feeling going by ripping his clothes off?

  Instead she unwrapped her burger and took a big, juicy bite. Not as satisfying as biting into Jack, but it would have to do.

  “I really appreciated you taking me out tonight. The whole routine—the flowers, getting a reservation at that fancy restaurant.”

  “But?” he asked.

  “But I prefer this—a picnic under the stars, a burger and fries. Fancy and polished is not what I crave now.”

  His eyes raked over her in one sexy, seductive grin. “Oh yeah? What do you crave?”

  You. “Now I crave comfort and ease.”

  He nodded. “You never cease to surprise me.”

  Emerson looked out the windshield, taking in the setting. To find a quiet area like this, not far from Old Town, was definitely a hidden gem.

  “I used to come here in high school.”

  “Really? But it’s so private...oh.” Emerson laughed as she realized just what he’d come here in high school to do. “Was this your secret make-out spot?”

  He chuckled. “I may have brought a girl or two here.” He ate more of his burger and washed it down with a big swig of soda. “But I also used to come up here to be by myself. Take some time away.”

  He was looking out the windshield, staring out at the darkness. Even from the side, she could see he’d clenched his jaw. She reached over and gently touched it.

  She threw his question back at him. “What are you thinking?”

  He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Instead it was as if he had made a decision. He turned to her with a wry grin. “About how great you were back at the restaurant.”

  Emerson knew he was lying, but she let it go. For now.

  “Great, sure. That’s one way to put it.”

  He laughed. “It was. You were amazing. It was good to see you finally realize how messed up that Thad guy was.”

  He truly was. She’d spent so much time over the last year blaming herself for the humiliating breakup. Like she’d somehow not been good enough for Thad to go through with their marriage. When in reality, it was ridiculous to blame herself at all. Thad was the scoundrel.

  Her phone went off. She dug it out of her purse and cringed.

  “Let me guess,” Jack said. “Your mother?”

  “Oh yeah,” she said as she declined the call. Almost immediately, a text message popped up.

  Emerson, call me.

  With h
er mom, the shorter the text message was, the more pissed off she was. She showed the screen to Jack.

  “You think she found out about your outburst in The Fisherman’s King?”

  Emerson nodded.

  “Who do you think told her?” he asked, stretching his arm across the seats.

  “Who knows?” She switched her phone to Silent and threw it back in her purse. “Who cares?”

  She considered her burger, but she was no longer hungry. She wrapped it up and nestled it back in the bag.

  “I realized something tonight. I spent a year mourning the end of a relationship that wasn’t all that great to begin with.”

  Jack remained quiet. He began to massage her shoulder, offering support. That small gesture meant so much to her.

  Some of that defiance from the restaurant began to surface again. “He was lucky to have me.”

  “Damn straight.”

  “I’m too good for him. I’m...” She didn’t know what else. She only knew one thing. She was so done with Thad and that part of her life.

  Jack’s hand stilled on her shoulder. She turned to face him.

  Other than the music playing on the radio, the only sounds were that of crickets and a light wind blowing through the trees. Moonlight filtered into the truck, highlighting Jack’s handsome face, with its strong jawline and angles.

  There were things that were up in the air in her life at the moment. Aspects that weren’t ideal. None of that mattered at this second though. It didn’t seem to matter what she didn’t have or what she hadn’t done correctly. Right now, it was about her. About want.

  And Emerson knew there was one thing she wanted very badly.

  Emerson climbed over to his seat, practically sitting in his lap, and framed his face with her hands. He met her gaze full on as she leaned in to kiss him.

  Finally.

  It took less than a second for Jack’s arms to encircle her, pulling her closer. She heard one of the food bags fall to the floor.

  She opened her mouth, welcoming his tongue as it mingled with hers.

  Emerson had no idea how long they kissed. It could have been a couple of minutes or a couple of hours. She only knew that she wanted it to last forever.

  Finally, they separated. Jack ran his thumb over her bottom lip. When his hand fell to the seat, she licked her lips and delighted when his gaze flew to that spot.

  She giggled. “You have to add me to the list of girls you’ve made out with here.”

  He ran a hand over her hair, twisting one of her curls around his finger. “You are at the top of the list.”

  “Because I’m the most recent?”

  His jaw ticked as his eyes darkened. He’d grown serious and the air in the truck felt heavy with an emotion she didn’t quite understand. Or maybe, she just wasn’t ready to acknowledge it. He shook his head at her question.

  Jack sat back and rolled his window all the way down. A breeze whistled through the trees, entered the cab of the truck and shifted her hair around her head. The temperature was still a bit cool. She loved how the crispness of the air felt against her cheeks.

  The radio began playing a slow, melodic song. She turned up the volume, closed her eyes, and began swaying back and forth.

  “Come on.” Jack’s voice was gruff and sexy as hell.

  She opened her eyes languidly to find that Jack had slid out of the truck. Then he reached back in and pulled her outside. Instantly, she was in his arms. His strong arms cocooned her as he brought her body against his.

  She didn’t care if the moment was like something out of a movie. Because Emerson was falling for it. She was falling for him.

  For real.

  He swayed from side to side, moving her body with his, around the grassy field, as the song played from the truck.

  “You’re a good dancer,” she commented. “You probably did this with all of those hundreds of girls in high school.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Hundreds, huh? Maybe only like ninety-nine.”

  She hit him lightly on the chest. He covered her hand with his and held it there. Over his heart.

  They continued to move together to the music, gazing into each other’s eyes. One song rolled into another.

  She didn’t know when, but at some point they began to kiss. Lightly, so lightly, at first. Her arms wound around his neck. His lips trailed along her jawline and she shivered.

  “Cold?” he asked, with his voice already sounding husky.

  How could she be anything but blazing hot when she was in his arms?

  “No,” she replied. Feeling bold from everything that had happened that night, she said, “Touch me, Jack.”

  Instantly, his hands traveled down her sides, and back up again. They brushed past her breasts and she shivered. His lips came to hers again, sweeping her away into the passion of the kiss.

  “Em, is this something you want to do? I mean, is this okay?”

  How cute was he? Big, bad Jack Wright had just gotten tongue-tied. Over her. Because of her.

  “I want you, Jack. Now. Here.”

  “You’re sure?”

  She nodded. “Oh yes.”

  He quickly made his way to the truck and rummaged in the back seat. After returning with a plaid blanket, he fluffed it out and spread it on the ground.

  Emerson glanced around. They’d been in this spot for at least a half hour, with no other signs of life. Still, they were outdoors. In public. Never in her life had she made love in such an open environment. The thought was both scary and empowering.

  In any case, she wanted Jack far too badly to even think about climbing back into the truck and driving to one of their houses. She needed him right now.

  He knelt on the blanket and reached out a hand to her. The gesture was so romantic that she almost started to cry. Instead she stepped to him and took his hand, noticing how his large hand dwarfed hers.

  Standing over him, she leaned down and kissed him. Her hair fell, curtaining his face. Then she joined him in a kneeling position.

  They were on even ground.

  She could feel moisture under the blanket. An owl hooted in one of the nearby trees. The wind continued to lightly blow around them.

  He framed her face with his hands and forced her to meet his gaze. “You are so beautiful, Emerson. Inside and out.”

  His words humbled her. “Oh Jack.”

  “Shh.” He pressed a finger to her lips. “I want to look at you.”

  “You’ve been doing that all night.”

  He shook his head. “This is different. This is just us. For us.”

  Another gust of wind, stronger this time, blew around them. She felt her nipples harden in response. Or maybe that was due to Jack’s intense stare. He continued to take her in, as if she were the only woman on Earth. The only woman he’d ever seen. Like she was special. Like she was enough.

  “Kiss me,” she said.

  He did and she melted into it. When his tongue found its way into her mouth, she scooted even closer to him.

  Her hands began to run over his strong chest. He was so hard, so masculine. She delighted in feeling all of his muscles and knowing he had the strength to hold her up.

  She ripped her lips from his and pressed sweet kisses to his neck, before lightly nibbling his earlobe. A sound of pure delight escaped his lips and she smiled against his skin.

  Feeling powerful and bold, she leaned back and reached for the bottom of her dress. She bit her lip as she considered for one second. But this was right. Everything about this moment felt real.

  She inched the dress up and over her head until she was kneeling in front of him in nothing but the matching blue lacy bra and panties she’d chosen to wear that night. His dark eyes dimmed to practically black as they trailed up and down her body.

  She attempted to tak
e off her heels, but she got stuck. She told herself it was due to all of the intertwining straps and not the fact that she’d suddenly gotten a case of nerves. In the end, she decided to just leave them on.

  Jack reached out and trailed a finger over the top of her bra. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly, causing the cups of her bra to overflow with her breasts.

  But she wasn’t done yet. She yanked his sweater over his head and loosened his tie until she could remove that, as well. Then she began undoing the buttons of his shirt, thrilled to see that her fingers were calm and steady. This was what she wanted.

  When she pushed his shirt off his broad shoulders and to the ground, she inhaled sharply. Damn, he was gorgeous.

  She couldn’t wait. She pressed her hands against his pecs and ran them down to the waistband of his pants. He sucked in a breath.

  Their eyes met. A moment passed between them. Then, completely in sync, they grabbed for each other.

  Hands were everywhere. Their mouths fused and then explored every inch they could get to. Nothing was off-limits.

  Jack cupped her breasts before leaning down to take her nipple into his mouth. The combination of his hot mouth, the cold wind and the lace against her sensitive skin was delightfully unbearable. Her head fell back and she moaned. He unhooked her bra and covered her naked breast with his mouth, his tongue, his teeth.

  As he gave the same attention to her other breast, her hand went on its own adventure over his abs and to the zipper of his pants. She pulled it down and snuck her hand inside. Finding what she wanted, she cupped the length of him.

  Jack shivered, and a very raw, primal sound slipped out of his mouth.

  “Emerson,” he said, with a raspy, desperate voice.

  “I know, Jack, I know.”

  He laid her down on the blanket, cupping her head as he did so. The blanket wasn’t the softest in the world. It was scratchy and stiff. Some kind of bird or night creature was making a very strange noise. But none of that mattered, because Jack removed his boxer briefs and then her panties. When he covered her body with his, the only thought in her head was of him.