“Of course I want to. Do you think I invite just anybody to meet my Adriana?”
“Is that your boat’s name?”
He nodded.
“Who is it named after?”
He shrugged. “Nobody. I just liked the name and thought it fit her. But since you don’t trust me enough to let me take you for a boat ride—”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to. I get that you don’t know if I have psycho killer tendencies.”
Caroline laughed. Then he took her hand and pulled her close. She had to control her desire to just attack him. She wanted to crush herself against his strong hard body and reach up for a kiss. But she didn’t.
They kept on walking and she wondered if she should let him kiss her on the first date. She had no idea what the norm was. She had never done this sort of thing before. With Jackson, her ex-husband, it had never been actual dating. They’d been part of the same circle of artists and Jackson had just gone home with her one night. After that they’d started sleeping together regularly and helping each other on their art projects. A couple of months later they were living together and then got married shortly after that.
“As I was saying, since you won’t take a ride on my boat, how about you let me take you to dinner this Saturday?” Tyler said, keeping her hand in his as they strolled along. “I mean, I could try to think of something more creative, but dinner gives us a chance to talk and spend time getting to know each other more.”
“Sure. That sounds good.”
“And you will let me pay for it this time, okay?”
“Okay.”
Tyler stared at her as if he might be debating whether or not to kiss her. God, she loved his hazel eyes and that impish almost-smile that seemed to be perpetually on his full sensual lips. Yep, she would definitely let him put his mouth on hers.
A mother called out to her child down the street and it snapped them out of their seeming trance. Awkward now and wondering if it was only her that felt it, Caroline tried to make conversation. “You love being on the water?”
“Oh yeah. And in it. I was a competitive swimmer for many years, on the college team at Princeton, and I still log in sixty laps a day.”
“Sixty? No wonder you are so—” She stopped herself.
“Yes…?” He leaned toward her. Caught. He wore a tight navy blue T-shirt and jeans today, both showing off his incredible build.
“You knew I was going to say how well-built you are, but I wouldn’t want to swell your head too much.”
“It’s already there,” he said, and the look in his eyes told her he was thinking of a different head swelling and she could feel herself blush. “Why, Ms. Black, I think you have a dirty mind.”
They both burst into laughter. Yeah, she definitely liked this guy. But what a roundabout way to get to meet him. “Why did you choose to contact me on the dating app?”
He looked away as if he was hesitating or embarrassed. Then he said, “I liked the things in your profile, I liked your face—which I did not recognize till today—and, yeah, I like curvy women.” His hand went to his mouth. “Oops. You’re not insulted if I call you curvy, are you?”
“No.” They started walking back toward where they had parked. “What did you study at Princeton?”
“Pre-law.”
“Are you an attorney? I thought you were a yacht salesman.”
“I do both. Went to NYU law school. Didn’t want to put that in my profile because there are certain types of women who are always looking for lawyers and doctors. But I noticed you didn’t tell where you went or what you studied either.”
“NYU. BFA. Art. Great prep for running a coffee roasting business.”
He grinned at her and her knees went wobbly, but she managed to conceal it. “I would have been out of gone by the time you went there. Not that we would have crossed paths with our two different programs in such a big university.”
When they reached her Mazda SUV and his BMW—no surprise on the expensive car he drove—he turned and said, “This was good.”
“Yeah, it was.”
And he stared at her again, but this time when she met his eyes his hand swooped out and wrapped around the back of her neck, pulling her in as he bent down and kissed her breathless.
When he let her go Caroline thought she might topple, but he held her arm and guided her to her car door. Did that mean he knew the effect he had on her? Or was he just being polite?
“I’ll text you tomorrow,” he said as she climbed into the driver’s seat of her car.
“Sounds good.”
And she drove home floating on a cloud.
Chapter 7
Caroline told Brina all about the lunch date but tried not to sound like an infatuated adolescent. She also tried not to get her hopes up too high. It was only their first date, and even though she had been lusting after Tyler for he better part of a year, that was based on a fantasy, not the real person. Yet she could not deny the fun time she had with him or the elation she felt when he texted her the next day. Still, Caroline warned herself of the crash she knew she would fall into if he decided not to go forward with what they had begun.
Have you made yourself a latte today? his text read.
She typed back: I always drink plain Americano.
I won’t tell your customers.
Have you done your 60 laps?
Just finished and showered. Lying on my bed naked wishing you were here.
Oooh, this guy knew how to play it. Now Caroline would be carrying around that image in her head all day—and night.
But how should she reply? Brazen? Coy? Take the high road?
Keep on wishing and if you’re a good boy the fairy godmother might be nice.
Oh, I’m really good.
That’s what they all say. Gotta run. Customers.
No, she did not really have customers pressing on her at the moment, but she needed to extricate herself from that exchange before it went too far. She had told herself she would take her time with him. Meanwhile, she could use a cold shower right now.
That night Tyler called her and they talked and joked for an hour, covering all sorts of things. He remembered her profile said she liked eighties rock and when she told him she also liked Japanese koto music he did not make her feel weird. He even knew what it was and said he thought it was cool. He talked about having traveled to Japan and how he loved the way the wind sounded when he went hiking in Tibet.
Caroline usually thought of herself as worldly, but her experiences were so different from his. He could afford to travel for pleasure and explore the world. She had only traveled a little, and each time it had been for her career and she’d been so busy installing an art piece that she could not take time for sightseeing.
Then there was her wild ride with fame and a failed marriage and alcohol and rehab—well, she was not about to reveal all that to Tyler unless he proved to be someone she could trust.
“So, I thought we would go to the Waypoint for dinner,” Tyler said. “Do you know it?”
“I do, but I have never eaten there. Been meaning to try it because I’ve heard great things about it.”
“How is seven o’clock? You close the cafe by then, right?”
“Yep. Seven is good.”
“Should I pick you up or do you still not want to tell me where you live?”
She sighed and pushed herself. If this was going to work she had to open up a little. “I live in an apartment over the cafe. There is a second bell if you look closely at the front door.”
“Really? Was it already a shop downstairs when you moved in?”
“No, it was all a residential house. My original partner and I bought it together and renovated the downstairs for the coffee business and the upstairs for an apartment. It works.”
“That’s so…organic.”
The things he said always made her laugh. She didn’t need to ask where he lived because, unlike her, he was listed in the
white pages online and she saw the posh neighborhood he was in. Not a good idea to focus on the difference in their incomes right now.
Especially since they got along so well and had such an easy rapport. He must have thought the same thing because he’d called her twice more before the night of their second date and they talked forever. As attracted to him as she was, which of course made her nervous, Caroline was still able to relax and have fun with him. And she realized that was because he was really a sweet guy.
Still, when Saturday rolled around, she agonized over what to wear to the dinner. Brina had joked about surprising him with a skin-tight dress and stilettos. Finally Caroline decided it was best to continue her quasi-Plain Jane style by wearing a deep blue A-line summer dress that just kissed her knees, modest heeled sandals, hair down straight, and a light touch of makeup.
The nights were still cool, so it gave her a reason to wear a black bolero to cover her shoulder tattoo. When Tyler used to come into the cafe for his java he would have seen both her shoulder and waist tattoos, but since it was Plain Jane he had asked out, she was not going to emphasize that.
Tyler arrived in dark jeans and a silk button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the collar open. When she opened the door a heat surged through her at the sight of him. This man was simply mouthwatering, a treat for the eyes that had her lady parts singing. No wonder she had gotten hooked on him when he was a regular customer. But Caroline knew she had better keep a guard up even though she was dying to just dive headfirst into the deep waters with him.
The dinner was going great. She had ordered a delicious lobster ravioli with shrimp and scallops in a cream sauce. Tyler got the seared halibut. They sat at a dockside table on the Peconic with a view of the sunset.
“This is a beautiful place. So peaceful,” she said, sipping the spring water she had ordered. Tyler had a local beer and had not even asked her why she wasn’t drinking liquor. And she hoped he would not.
“Yeah, I usually come here by boat. Maybe we’ll do that sometime if you ever decide it’s safe to venture out on the water with me.”
Caroline liked the way he teased her. What she really liked, though, was that he talked about the two of them as if they were going to have more than a few dates. “Truth is, I would love to go out on your boat.”
“You have any afternoon free this week? My schedule is really flexible.”
“You said you are on leave or something? What is that about?”
Tyler looked uncomfortable with the question and just said, “Family stuff. Believe me, you don’t want to know.”
“Are you close with your family?”
“I guess so. My younger brother and I are tight, but you know how it can be with parents sometimes. They just don’t get it. What about you?”
“One younger brother.”
“Same as me,” Tyler said. “Are you close?”
“Not really. We keep in touch but don’t hang out together. My mom lives near him in New Jersey where I grew up. My dad died when I was a kid.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It was hard on my mom, but I was three years old when he passed away so all I have are some vague dreamlike images of him.”
The waitress showed up and took their plates. Tyler talked Caroline into splitting a cheesecake dessert.
“Don’t you eat all those great cookies and cakes you have at the cafe?” he asked as they dug in.
“More than I should, as you can see by my big butt.” No, please tell me I didn’t just say that.
“You’ve got a great butt,” Tyler said in a flirtatious tone.
She just rolled her eyes but liked what he said and hoped he meant it.
He sipped his coffee. “Your profile said you were married before?”
Caroline knew this one was coming. “Yeah. College boyfriend. Didn’t work out. Been divorced for two years.”
“Were you Plain Jane or Blue-haired Girl with him?”
She didn’t know what she expected Tyler to ask about her past marriage, but this wasn’t it. “I was a wild Every-color Girl.”
“What does that mean?”
“You don’t want to know,” she said, repeating his line.
“Fair enough. But you have also avoided answering my question about when you can go for a boat ride. Are you afraid of being on the water? Or of me?”
She thought about it and realized she trusted him. “Neither. But I do get claustrophobic.”
“You won’t be. Just the opposite.” He pointed to the last bite of cheesecake, eyebrows lifted. She shook her head and he scarfed it down.
“Why are you so eager to get me on your boat?” she asked.
There was that cute sexy grin again. “Because it’s my favorite place in the world and I’d like to share it with you.”
When he dropped her off at her house and walked her up the steps of her wide roofed porch, Caroline could not help picturing him joining her in her bed, but she wanted to be cautious and give it more time. “I’m not going to invite you in.”
Tyler must have sensed it ahead because he did not act surprised or put off. “It’s okay. I would never have gotten my law degree if I did not know how to be patient and methodical.”
“It doesn’t mean I don’t want a kiss,” Caroline said, giving him what she hoped was an inviting smile.
And what a kiss it was. He reached for her and she wrapped her arms around his waist as he devoured her mouth and ran his hands along her back. His lips were firm and full and when his tongue demanded entry she opened readily. He cupped her backside and pulled her against his hard shaft. Caroline tried not to moan, but she could not help it. His strong torso felt so good under her hands she never wanted to let go. When the kiss finally ended, they were both panting and his eyes held hers for the longest moment. As if he wanted to tell her something. Or maybe ask her something.
He pulled away and her body immediately resented the loss. She watched him walk to his car, then turned to her door, knowing something had happened with that kiss. She just wasn’t sure what.
Chapter 8
Wednesday around noon Tyler picked up Caroline and headed back toward his house. He had never gotten this excited about a date before. Was it because his mother put the idea of marriage in his head? Was it because he saw Caroline not only as a date but also as a potential wife? Or was it Caroline herself that did it to him?
He glanced over at her sitting next to him in his BMW. She was wearing a blousy tunic over jeans cut-offs and he hoped she had her bathing suit on underneath. Or had at least brought it.
June had begun with a bang, so he’d told her they were going to swim today, holding his breath on the phone, fearing she might say she hated swimming. Or worse yet, hated getting wet. Yeah, he’d known women like that and it was an instant nada. Caroline had said “Great!” and even sounded excited.
Now, as she met his gaze, she gave him one of her heart-melting, dick-tweaking smiles and said, “I’ve got my swimsuit on under my clothes.”
How did that happen? After only two dates she was able to read him. And, actually, he had done the same to her a couple times too.
His hand reached for hers. He was about to say he couldn’t wait to see her in it, but he knew she was not all that confident about her body. So he kept it to himself.
Was he hoping not to be disappointed? Yeah, but judging from how she looked in clothes—and what she felt like when he’d gotten his hands on her a few days ago—he was expecting to like what he saw.
As he turned onto his property, he heard a slight gasp that she tried to mask. Yeah, it was a gorgeous place and he was proud of it. “You like?” he said.
“It’s so big.”
“Now, that’s a line every man loves to hear.”
She swatted his arm. “You know very well I mean the house. The design is beautiful. How many bedrooms?”
He gave her a look, eyebrows high. “You’re interested in my bedrooms, huh?” They both laughed and he said, �
�Six.”
They got out of the car and she followed him into the foyer.
“Oh, this is wonderful.” She tilted her head back and looked up at the skylights. “And is that the bay? Right outside?”
“Yeah.” He gestured to the row of glass doors at the back. “This leads to a small bay beach.” He took her arm and led her to the side door. “And this leads down to my dock.”
She went closer and peered out. “You have your own dock? And I guess that boat is the famous Adriana.”
“That’s my baby,” he said, looking down at his white forty-six-foot yacht.
“It’s really pretty.”
That brought a smile to his face. That was exactly what he’d thought when he first saw his latest boat. That she was pretty. “I’ll show you around the house later. Let’s get out there and enjoy the day.” He touched her cheek. Her skin was so soft. “Do you have sunscreen?”
“Already on.”
“Good. Especially having a light complexion.” He looked up at her hair. “Which one is your natural color?”
“Neither because I had to cover the blue and pink. But my natural color is close to the ash blonde.”
A doorbell sounded and Tyler’s brows knit. All he needed was someone like Olivia to come by and ruin the mood. Or worse yet, his mother.
“Are you expecting someone?” Caroline asked, and he could tell she had a few reservations of her own about who it might be.
“No.” He went to the door and knew she would trail him. She was not the type of woman who would wait on the sidelines. And he liked that about her.
“Tyler Westfall?” the deliveryman said, and handed him a tablet to sign.
“Is this a floral arrangement?” Tyler asked, baffled.
“Yes, it is,” the man said, then turned and went back to his truck.
“Sounds like you have no idea who would send you flowers,” Caroline said, stepping closer.
“I don’t.” Tyler had set the covered basket on a marble-topped side table in the foyer. He turned to it and pulled off the paper covering, then burst into laughter. It was an arrangement of grasses and snapdragons and what he thought might be anemones, although he was no expert on flowers. What made him laugh were all the tiny boats and inner tubes and whales and different fish and even a mermaid attached to the stems and leaves and petals throughout.
Tyler's Blind Date Experiment Page 5