by Jae
She took Denny’s hand, which was as damp as her own. “You don’t have to say anything.”
Denny’s grin broadened. “Right. I can just ooh and aah whenever you pause to draw a breath.”
Eliza tilted her head. “Are you going to quote me all day?”
“It’s a distinct possibility. You say a lot of clever things.”
“Charmer.” The urge to kiss Denny’s cheek a second time gripped her—or, if she was being totally honest, perhaps to kiss her lips this time. But she wasn’t quite there yet, so instead, she let her hand slide up to the bend of Denny’s arm and gave a soft squeeze. Amazing how natural it all felt.
Salem walked up behind Denny, followed by Matt and Bella. “Hey, Eliza.” Salem made the introductions, and Matt shook Eliza’s hand. His grasp was firm yet gentle, and Eliza instantly liked the warm twinkle in his blue eyes. She had a feeling he might like sea otters.
“We’d better get going.” Salem slid one hand into Matt’s and took hold of Bella’s with the other. “Matt knows one of the zookeepers, so they’re letting us in while they feed the giraffes.”
It was obvious that Bella tried hard to appear unimpressed, but she didn’t quite pull it off.
Eliza chuckled as she watched them troop to Matt’s car.
“Drive carefully, Matt,” Denny called after him.
He turned and gave her an earnest nod before opening the car doors for both Salem and Bella.
“Salem is really nervous,” Denny said as they walked to Heather’s car.
“Oh, Salem?” Eliza smiled. “She’s the one who’s nervous?”
Denny ducked her head. “I didn’t say she was the only one, but yes, she is. Matt is the first guy she’s ever brought home to meet Bella.”
“I figured. Bella seems pretty nervous too.”
“She is. I tried to talk to her earlier, but I guess she could tell I was a bit overprotective, so I’m not sure how much good it did.” Denny sighed. “I saw you talk to her. What did you say that made her get into the car without any drama?”
Eliza didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. “I just showed her a few photos from my last visit to the zoo.”
“You like the zoo?”
“Of course I do! You don’t?”
“I love it.” Her enthusiasm lit up Denny’s hazel eyes, making her appear like a little kid. “Especially the sea otters.”
Warmth spread through Eliza’s chest. So Denny had passed the sea otter test without even trying.
Denny touched her fingertips to Eliza’s hand, initiating contact for the first time today. “Thank you for talking to Bella. I…I really want her to be okay with the new guy in her mom’s life because he seems to make Salem happy.”
“She’ll be fine,” Eliza said. “You’re a great aunt, but I wouldn’t worry too much. Unless Matt turns out to be an animal-hating macho, I have a feeling they’ll get along great.”
Denny turned her attention from Matt’s car, which disappeared down the street, to Eliza. “You’re right. Let’s focus on us.”
Us. Eliza mentally repeated the word. It sounded wonderful.
A tug of war ensued as they struggled over who would get to open the door for the other, then Eliza gave up with a laugh and let Denny open the driver’s side door for her. If this was what dating a woman was like, she liked it.
While Denny usually preferred being behind the wheel, she was glad she wasn’t driving today. Eliza’s outfit and the light scent of her perfume were too distracting. When she had gotten into the car, her above-the-knee skirt had slid up a little, revealing an inch or two of smooth skin. Her simple, white T-shirt with capped sleeves clung to her slim torso. She wasn’t wearing makeup, and Denny was glad. In her opinion, Eliza didn’t need it. Her dark eyes were incredibly expressive, even without mascara and all that other stuff, and her pink lips had a perfect curve.
Denny spent most of the twenty-minute ride downtown sneaking glances while trying not to be obvious about it.
Finally, Eliza left the interstate and drove toward the stadium.
“Are we going to a game?” Denny asked. “The Timbers are playing, aren’t they?”
“They are, but that’s not where we are going.” Eliza reached over and patted her arm. “Patience. You’ll find out in a minute.” She maneuvered the car through several side streets before finally finding a parking space.
Denny rushed around the car to open the door for her. Her breath caught as Eliza climbed out. Dear God, those legs!
“Thank you.” Eliza locked the car and slid her hand onto Denny’s arm.
They had to walk a few blocks to get to wherever Eliza was taking her. Denny didn’t mind at all. She held her head high, proud to be on a date with a woman like Eliza.
Eliza steered her toward a lot surrounded by lush greenery and shaded by large umbrellas. A sign above the gate said beer garden.
“You’re taking me to a beer garden?” Denny asked.
“It’s not just a beer garden.” Eliza led her past picnic tables and benches, where people drank canned beer and played giant games such as Connect 4 and Jenga. But she didn’t stop there. Behind the benches was the tiniest, cutest minigolf course Denny had ever seen.
Denny laughed. “You picked minigolf for our first date?”
Insecurity flickered across Eliza’s face. “Bad idea?”
“No,” Denny said quickly. “No, it’s a great idea! Any activity that isn’t just me sitting across a table from you, staring and trying to come up with something witty to say, is a really great idea.” Once again, Denny marveled at how easy it was to be honest with Eliza, trusting that she wouldn’t be judged for revealing her insecurities.
“Are you sure?” Eliza asked.
It was soothing to see she was just as nervous and uncertain as Denny felt. “One hundred percent. But I’m warning you. You don’t stand much of a chance. I’m the undefeated family champion at minigolf.”
“You are?” Eliza’s eyes flashed with a challenge. “Did I mention that my oldest sister nearly went pro as a golfer when she was younger?”
“Uh-oh. Can I buy you a beer before you thrash me in front of all these people?” Denny gestured at the food cart, where a blackboard proclaimed no less than fifty different canned beverages, including a large selection of craft beers.
“No. I asked you out, so I’m going to buy you a beer.” Eliza pulled her to the food cart, where she got herself a can of hard grapefruit cider, while Denny selected an IPA.
Once Eliza had paid for their beverages and the minigolf, they each picked a club and a golf ball.
The tiny course wasn’t too full, probably because it was a hidden, little-known pop-up, so they didn’t have to wait.
“You go first,” Eliza said before Denny could gesture at her to go ahead.
“All right.” Denny handed Eliza her beer, stepped onto the faux grass, and put her golf ball down. She felt Eliza’s gaze on her. Was she ogling her ass? She was tempted to glance over her shoulder and find out but didn’t want Eliza to feel self-conscious, so she ignored the tingle running through her and lined up her shot.
The first hole was fairly straightforward. The only challenge was a gentle bump in the middle. Without looking away from the hole, Denny swung the club and gave the ball a gentle smack.
It rolled down the lane, made it across the bump, and slid neatly into the hole.
“Yes!” Pumping her fist, Denny whirled around.
Eliza’s gaze had been on her, not on the ball. Now it darted to the hole. “Hole in one!”
The admiration in Eliza’s eyes made Denny stand straighter. “You can do it too. Come on. Show me what you’ve got.” She picked up her ball and then relieved Eliza of both cans.
Eliza stepped onto the green and put her pink golf ball down in front of her sneakers. She took her time figuring out the shot, giving Denny plenty of opportunity to admire the shape of her calves…and other body parts. Then she drew back the club and gave the ball a tap.<
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It slowly made its way toward the bump. Halfway up, it ran out of steam, rolled back down, and ended up exactly where it had started.
Denny fought the urge to tell her she needed to hit the ball harder to make it across the bump. Butchsplaining was just as unattractive as mansplaining.
Eliza lined up the shot again.
This time, Denny didn’t let herself be distracted by her calves but took in her stance. Her grip on the club was awkward, and the ball arched to the left and mowed down a bunch of potted flowers near the second hole.
“Oops.” Eliza turned toward her with a sheepish grin.
“Um, didn’t you say your sister nearly went pro?”
“She did. I didn’t say I inherited her talent.”
“So she never showed you how to play?”
“Once, when I was little,” Eliza answered. “But you know, it’s no fun struggling to learn something your siblings have already mastered. That’s the one thing I didn’t like about being the youngest. Don’t get me wrong. My sisters and brother are great.”
Denny sensed a but coming and gestured for her to go on.
“Sometimes, they were a little too great. Whatever I did, one of my sibs had already done it before—and likely better than me.”
As the older sister of only one sibling, Denny had never given it much thought, but now she saw how discouraging that must have been. “Is that why you didn’t go into the medical field like the rest of them?”
“I almost did. My grandfather lived with us for a couple of years before he died when I was sixteen, and I took over a lot of his care. Everyone thought I’d become a nurse too, but I knew it wasn’t a good fit. If I had worked with sick people, seeing them suffer and sometimes die, it would have eaten me up inside.”
Denny could easily imagine that. For someone as compassionate as Eliza, a job in health care would be tough.
“I knew I had to find something else—something that fit me, not just follow everyone else’s expectations.”
Denny leaned on her club and studied her. “Do you feel like you did?”
Eliza’s contented smile answered before she did. “Yeah. I was struggling for a few years, going from one job to the next. But now I’m really happy with what I do. What about you?”
Usually, Denny avoided talking about her job, but with Eliza, she didn’t want to hold anything back. “The pay is decent, especially for retail, and there are aspects of the job I enjoy, but…”
“It doesn’t nourish your soul,” Eliza finished for her.
Denny met her gaze and nodded. The wonderful feeling of being understood surrounded her like a hug.
“What does?” Eliza asked.
You, Denny wanted to say. She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. Being around Eliza turned her into a sentimental softie, but she had to tread lightly, or she’d scare Eliza off. “Um, sewing.”
Eliza put her hand over Denny’s. “There’s no need to be embarrassed.” She brushed her fingers down the outseam of Denny’s jeans, making her shiver as if she had touched her bare skin. “You’re very talented. Have you ever considered doing it for a living?”
Denny shrugged. “Not really. With Salem and Bella depending on me, being self-employed is too risky. Plus I’m not sure my sewing is good enough.”
“It is.” Then, as if sensing that Denny was squirming with her praise, Eliza chuckled and pointed at the flowers where her golf ball had ended up. “Too bad the same can’t be said about my minigolf skills.”
“Want some pointers?” Denny asked.
“Yes, please. Before I kill all the greenery around here.”
Denny put the two cans on an empty table nearby, leaned her club against it, and waited until Eliza had retrieved her ball before she stepped closer. “Slide your right hand around a little. You want your palm to face the hole you’re aiming for.”
“Like this?” Eliza asked.
“Better, but not quite there.” Denny struggled to find the right words to explain. “I could show you, but…”
Eliza peered over her shoulder and gave her a questioning look. “But?”
Even though they were the same height, Eliza’s arms were a bit longer, so to correct her grip on the club, she would have to step so close that her front would be pressed against Eliza’s back from hip to chest. “I, um, would have to wrap my arms around you, and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
Eliza turned fully and looked her in the eyes. “This,” she pointed back and forth between them, “is new to me, and I admit I’m a little nervous. But you never, even for a second, made me uncomfortable, and that hasn’t changed now that we’re dating.”
Her words made Denny breathe more freely. “Oh. Good.”
Eliza smiled at her. “All right. Now that we cleared that up, why don’t you come over here and put your arms around me?”
A laugh burst from Denny’s chest. “Yes, ma’am.” She walked over, each step slower than the one before. It’s a hug. Just a hug. We’ve hugged before. No big deal, right?
Eliza stopped breathing as she felt and heard Denny shuffle closer. Her heart thumped fast, as if it were trying to leap out of her chest. Calm down. You don’t want to pass out on your first date.
Denny’s arms brushed her sides as she reached around her, and her soft breasts pressed against Eliza’s back.
Oh my God. Eliza’s stomach flip-flopped, and her knees felt wobbly. If not for Denny’s fingers over hers, she would have lost her grip on the club.
Denny’s arms around her trembled—or maybe it was her own limbs. Her fingers slid over Eliza’s, correcting her grip. “How does that feel?” Her warm breath fanned over Eliza’s jaw as she turned her head, sending little jolts through her entire body.
“G-good. Um, I mean, yeah, that’s better.” Eliza tried to focus on the feel of the club in her hands, but with Denny’s warmth on her back and strong arms around her, minigolf was the last thing on her mind.
Denny cleared her throat. “Great. Now relax your arms.”
Ha! Relax! That was easier said than done with Denny so close.
Denny guided her through the motions twice, her hips pressing against Eliza. Each time, she stopped just short of hitting the ball. “Does that give you an idea?”
“Oh yeah.” That little putting lesson had given her a lot of ideas. Few of them had to do with minigolf, though. If she had ever doubted whether her body would react to Denny’s touch, those doubts had just been settled once and for all.
Denny removed her arms from around Eliza and stepped back.
A shiver went through Eliza, and her back instantly felt cold despite the late-afternoon sun. Wow. That had been intense. Come on. Focus. She gently swung back the club and sent the ball down the lane with a tap.
This time, the ball made it over the bump but veered too far left. It bounced against the metal rim, ricocheted off the other side, and rolled into the hole.
Eliza stared for a moment, then let out a cheer and jumped up and down. “Yes!”
“You did it!” Denny rushed over, cheering too, and held her hand out for a high five.
Their palms connected, then lingered, and their fingers tangled.
Eliza swallowed. She couldn’t believe how good Denny’s broad hand felt wrapped around hers.
Both squeezed, then let go.
Eliza laughed and hoped Denny didn’t notice that it sounded a little too loud and nervous. “Too bad Andy couldn’t see that.”
“Andy?”
“Andrea. My oldest sister.”
“Ah. I’m sure she would have been very impressed.” Somehow, Denny managed to keep a straight face.
Eliza lightly slapped her shoulder. “Liar.”
They continued to the second hole, and since the entire course consisted of only nine holes, it didn’t take them long to complete it.
The woman at the register had given them a scorecard, and Eliza kept track for both of them after each hole. They pretended to be fiercely comp
etitive, teasing each other about missed shots, but Eliza could tell Denny cared as little about winning as she did.
Finally, Eliza managed to hit the ball over a yellow bridge and into the last hole, ending the game. She tallied the results. “Looks like you narrowly won.”
“Narrowly?” Denny laughed.
“Nineteen to…” Eliza lowered her voice to an incomprehensible mumble.
Denny cupped her hand around her ear. “What was that?”
Eliza held her head up high. “Nineteen to a stellar thirty-one.”
“Ah, I see. Very narrow win indeed.” Denny pulled the scorecard from Eliza’s fingers and put it in the back pocket of her jeans. “I’ll keep this, if you don’t mind. To document that narrow win.”
Would she really keep it as a memento of their first date? Knowing Denny, she would. The thought made Eliza smile. “Come on. Loser buys the food.”
They returned their clubs and golf balls, then walked to the food cart. There was no line, so Eliza quickly read through their menu options and ordered the orange chicken. For a moment, she debated getting another cider with her food but then decided on an apple ginger soda. She was a lightweight when it came to alcohol, and she wanted to experience every second of their first date with a clear mind, not a tipsy one.
The woman in the food cart slid the soda in front of her, then directed her gaze at Denny. “What can I get you, sir?”
Eliza couldn’t believe it. This was the second time someone had mistaken Denny for a man. The better Eliza got to know Denny, the harder it was for her to understand how it happened.
Denny touched the back of her hand to Eliza’s and lightly shook her head, indicating it didn’t matter to her. “I’ll take an apple ginger soda too and an All-American Burger—but hold the onions, please.”
No onions? Didn’t she like them, or was she trying to keep her breath fresh…just in case? Eliza’s heartbeat picked up.
At the sound of Denny’s voice, the woman did a double take. Her eyes widened. “Oh, I’m so sorry, ma’am.”
Denny flashed a smile that looked tense. “It’s okay.”
The woman handed Denny the soda. “The food will be a minute.”