What if it’s a great kiss? The kind with passion like you see in the movies. That kind of kiss could be wonderful. If that’s the case, it’s full steam ahead. I’m almost sure it will be great. There’s definitely heat between us.
I brighten. If our first kiss is passionate, maybe we’ll get carried away and skip ahead to the good part. I’ll finally know what the fuss is about and never have to feel like a freak again. It was a real eye-opener to get a proposal just for sex. I want that off the table forever as guy incentive.
I pull my phone out of my small black Prada bag, a birthday gift from Wyatt. Five more minutes until Operation Kayla Satisfaction begins. I mean our date. Oh, he’s early! Didn’t I say you could depend on him to honor his commitments?
Adam steps inside, his brown eyes meeting mine intently. My stomach flutters, my pulse racing. Suddenly it feels like a real first date. His eyes trail to my lips, my throat, my bare shoulders, briefly resting on my cleavage before jerking back to my eyes. Sparks fire over my skin.
“Hi.” His voice sounds husky.
I smile. “Hi. You look handsome.” He’s wearing a navy striped button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, dark jeans, and dark brown leather shoes. He dressed up for our date.
His gaze roams my face from my eyes to my cheeks and finally my lips. “You too.” He leans close to my ear, his voice deep and rumbling. “I like your dress.”
I shiver as excitement races down my spine. Just from his deep voice so close. This is very promising.
“You cold?” he asks. “I have a fleece jacket in the car.”
I shake my head. “I’m fine.” I turn to the host, Sam, who just started working here on his summer break from college. “Ready for our table.”
He grabs two menus and leads us toward a table for two by a window, which is great because you can see Lake Summerdale from here. Now that I live over The Horseman Inn, in the center of town, I can see how cute this planned community is. There’s a lake at the center with trees surrounding it. Farther back is a ring of homes and then, like spokes on a wheel, streets leading to shops, the schools, churches, and homes. I love this town and hope I can stay. My brother’s here along with his new wife, Sydney—love them both—and I have friends now. I visit Jenna’s bakery, Summerdale Sweets, way too much, and I joined Audrey’s book club at the library. She’s a librarian and has the best taste in books. Plus I’ve met lots of nice people at The Horseman Inn. Everything depends on where I get a job offer though. I have applications in a bunch of places, some in New Jersey, some in New York City, one up in Boston, and one in Indiana.
Adam surprises me by pulling my chair out for me and tucking it in. Wow. Now it really feels like a date.
“Thank you,” I murmur.
He inclines his head and takes the seat across from me.
I’m so eager I almost want to mention how much I’m looking forward to stage one. I play it cool though.
He sets his paper napkin in his lap and picks up the menu. I do the same, trying to act like a proper fiancée. If we were really engaged, we’d be totally casual on a night out.
He looks up. “New menu. Kinda fancy.”
“It’s the new farm-to-table concept Sydney and Wyatt put in. Quality over quantity and everything as fresh as possible.” I lean forward in what I hope is an enticing display of my cleavage. “Adam?”
He glances down at my chest and gestures to it, whispering, “I can see your bra.”
Good. “Have you thought about what we’ll do after dinner?”
He jerks his gaze back to my eyes. “We can take a walk around the lake if you want.”
“I’d love that.” A romantic walk around the lake as the moon glows over the shining water. What a great date Adam has planned for us. I never considered that he might take the time to be romantic. Nice bonus!
I’m about to casually mention a kiss in the moonlight when our waitress, Ellen, a cheerful woman in her sixties, stops by to take our drink order.
She winks. “Adam, I didn’t know you were taking Kayla out. Isn’t she cute as a button?” She gestures toward me. “Love your dress, honey.”
“Thanks,” I say; then I remember our plan. I hold out my ring hand. “We’re engaged.”
“Oh my goodness!” she exclaims. “This is wonderful news!” She hugs Adam and then me. “Congratulations!” She looks around the restaurant; only two couples are here, seated across the room, with more people at the bar and larger groups in the back room. “Everyone, Adam and Kayla are engaged!”
The two couples in the front dining room clap politely. Ellen rushes to the bar, probably to share the news with the bartender Betsy. A few moments later, Betsy walks over to congratulate us. She’s young with pink hair and multiple piercings.
Ellen joins her, and they both stand there staring at Adam with amazed smiles on their faces.
“I thought you’d never get engaged again,” Betsy says.
Adam grumbles something I can’t quite make out. This is the part where he’s supposed to wax poetic about our love. I resist kicking him under the table.
I smile. “When it’s right, it’s right. Sometimes love happens when you least expect it.”
Adam meets my eyes with a warm look, and it almost feels like he might have some real feeling for me. My stomach flutters, my heart picking up speed.
Ellen hitches a thumb toward him. “Guess you noticed he’s the quiet type, but still waters run deep.”
Betsy squeezes his shoulder. “I missed my chance with Summerdale’s hottest bachelor.” She winks at me.
Adam’s neck pinkens.
Ellen ruffles his short brown hair, and he immediately smooths it back in place. “I’ve known him since he was in diapers. Sweet as they come. I’m so glad you two found each other.”
She walks off, smiling.
“Congratulations again,” Betsy says. “I’ll send over some champagne.”
“Thank you!” I say.
She walks away, wiggling her fingers in acknowledgment.
I lean forward across the table. “Smart to go somewhere they know you from diaper age. I’m sure the news will spread quickly.”
He shakes his head. “Guess so. Though I think Ellen still sees me as a kid.”
“She just remembers you fondly back then. I’m sure you were adorable.” I lower my voice to a whisper. “By the way, I’m really looking forward to our goodnight kiss.”
He does a double take, but doesn’t reply. What is he thinking? It’s rare I don’t know. He seems almost surprised at the idea.
“Stage one, remember?” I whisper. “Perfecting the kiss. I understand it’s important to warm up to the big event, so we’re doing this your way. But we really shouldn’t delay on getting started. Otherwise, we could waste a whole month working toward a goal that’s only going to disappoint.” He did say the stages would take a month minimum.
A muscle ticks in his jaw. “You won’t be disappointed.”
I brighten. “Have you had a lot of lovers?”
He glances around and leans across the table. “This is not appropriate conversation for a first date. I mean for an engaged couple.”
I lean toward him. “Sorry. I forgot for a moment. Mmm, what’s that cologne you’re wearing? It smells so fresh and woodsy.”
“You smell like flowers.”
I grin and whisper, “So we both spritzed on enticing scents. Are you enticed, Adam?”
He leans back and returns to the menu, refusing to look at me. I glance around. We’re far enough from the other couples for privacy.
I keep my voice low. “Am I coming on too strong? I’m new at seduction.”
He lunges forward, his voice a fierce whisper. “Stop talking about seduction stuff. I’m the guy. That’s my job.”
I straighten, blinking a few times. Adam is never brusque with me like that. I must’ve stepped on his manly ego by accident. He wants to be the initiator. But it’s been twenty-five years of waiting for me, and I’m eager
to get started. Well, more like seven years, I guess, since I started seriously thinking about sex as people around me started having it. And he did lay out the stages clearly, which made me feel more confident on the path forward, like a seductress instead of an embarrassingly inexperienced woman.
I look out the window, thinking about our walk around the lake later. I swear if he doesn’t make a move tonight, that is it. I’m just going to take matters into my own hands, throw my arms around his neck, and lay one on him. I need something to look forward to so I don’t go crazy with all the waiting. Just a taste of passion. Is that too much to ask?
I turn back to find him looking at me expectantly. It hits me that he wants me to acknowledge his experience level in regards to being the initiator. “I’m happy to let you take the lead.”
“Good.”
Ellen comes back with our champagne, still exclaiming over us. I’m enjoying being his fiancée so far.
After Ellen tells us the specials, we order right away. We both know our favorites here. Adam goes with the Kobe burger, an upgrade from the old regular burger on the menu, and I go with the roast chicken and potatoes. I have breath mints in my purse for after.
I raise my glass. “To us and our everlasting happiness.”
He clinks his glass against mine. “To us.” We both take a drink.
His eyes meet mine for a long moment. These deep gazes are new. Is he as excited as I am about the steps of seduction? I keep quiet, allowing him to take the lead.
Finally, he says, “What do you like about biostatistics?”
Well, that’s not very seductive. I really hoped he’d lead the way on this new exciting path immediately. “I’m good at it, and I like knowing my work can help people. It’s very important to know what’s working and not in new treatments for diseases. I analyze the data.”
He keeps going, firing question after question at me in a low voice that might seem to an outsider to be romantic dinner conversation (if they couldn’t hear the words clearly). Do I plan on getting a PhD? What do I do in my free time? What was it like growing up in Princeton, New Jersey? How did my older siblings treat me? Am I close with my mom? Have I ever played sports? Favorite memory? Middle name? Favorite book and movie?
It’s the most he’s ever asked me. And he actually seems interested that I’m not going for a PhD, enjoy reading, and binge-watching smart character-driven shows, and that I liked Princeton. I answer the rest while I eat and ask him the same, but he only wants to get to know me.
I finish dinner and give him a rueful smile, leaning close so no one can hear our private conversation. “Okay, so now you know I’m close with my family, everyone treated me well as the youngest, I was co-captain of my field hockey team, best memory was when we won the state championship, my middle name is Marie, and I love Harry Potter, the books not the movies. And I don’t have a favorite movie. Can I finally get to know you now?”
A smile plays over his lips. “My middle name is Christopher.”
I pretend-strangle him, and he laughs.
“You know all you need to know about me,” he says. “I love my work. I love my family. You know plenty about both. Nothing else worth mentioning.”
I know he lost his mom when he was a teen. I lost my dad when I was seven. We have that early parent loss in common. I don’t bring it up. We both know that much about each other through our siblings.
The bill arrives, and he takes out his credit card to pay.
“Thanks for a lovely dinner, my wonderful fiancé,” I say loudly.
His lips curve up. “No problem.”
“I’m going to run upstairs for my cardigan before our romantic walk around the lake.”
He blinks a few times, seeming surprised. Isn’t that what he said we were doing?
“Just be a moment,” I say and make my way through the back room, through the kitchen, and up the stairs to my place. Since I’m there, I take the time to brush my teeth before grabbing my pink cardigan.
When I get back downstairs, he stands and gestures for me to go ahead of him to the door. We step outside. It’s cool now that the sun’s set. I’m glad I took the time to put something warmer on.
I look out over the lake. “Oh, look, a full moon!” This is definitely a romantic sign.
“End of summer there’s a moonlight regatta. Everyone rows out to the center of the lake with glow sticks, LEDs, and lanterns. It’s a party.”
“I want to go. That sounds amazing.”
He doesn’t invite me, but I’m sure if I’m still here by the end of the summer, he would.
We walk through the parking lot and cross the street to the walking path that leads around the lake. There’s some sandy shoreline, but we stick further out to the tree-lined path closer to the houses.
I take his hand in mine. His hand is warm and a little rough from his work. I like it. We held hands last week too, but I was so worked up over seeing my ex I didn’t really notice much about it. Now that we’re working toward intimacy, I can’t help but wonder what his hands would feel like on my bare skin. I’m dying to find out.
“I see you and Tank on walks out here,” I say. “Always at sunset.”
“He can’t take the heat because of his pushed-in face. Makes it hard for him to regulate his temperature. I have to wait for it to cool off a bit.”
“And then sometimes I see you carry him back to your car. He looks heavy.”
“Yeah, he’s a tank. Hence his name. Sometimes he’ll just decide he’s done walking and refuses to move.”
“Are you sure he wants to go on walks?”
“It’s important he gets exercise.”
I shake my head. “How much does he weigh?”
“Fifty pounds.” He pulls his hand from mine and flexes his bicep. “How do you think I got these?”
“The Tank workout.”
“That’s right.”
He doesn’t take my hand again, and I’m a little miffed. I step off the path to the shade of a large tree. It’s time for that kiss.
He follows me. “Are you done walking? Do I need to carry you back?”
I smile. “Yes, you need to carry me back.” I wait, breathless in anticipation of him sweeping me off my feet and carrying me back to the restaurant.
He goes down on one knee in front of me, giving me his back. “Climb on.”
“Adam, I’m wearing a dress. I can’t get a piggyback ride in a dress.”
“Sure you can.”
I sigh, hitch my dress up, and climb on. He stands, hooking his arms behind my bare knees. I make sure my dress is covering my ass and wrap my arms around him. Actually this is kinda nice. He’s super warm and smells so good.
“Come on, little Tank,” he says.
I smack his shoulder. “Never call a woman a tank.”
“If she acts like a tank—”
“Don’t you dare say feels like a tank.”
The rumble of his laugh vibrates through his back that I’m plastered against. This is fun.
We pass a family on the way back, the parents pushing a little boy and girl in plastic toy cars. The kids honk their horns at us.
“Traffic jam,” Adam says, walking around them.
“Have a good night,” I call.
“You too,” the parents call back to us.
“I just love this town,” I tell Adam.
“Yeah, but you’re leaving soon.”
I sigh. “Most likely. I have to go where I can find work, but I’ll definitely visit a lot. Wyatt’s here. You’re here.”
He’s quiet.
We reach the parking lot, and he sets me down next to his car. I look up at him hopefully.
He gestures toward the back of his car. “This is the part where I shove you in the back seat and put your doggie seatbelt on for you.”
I laugh. “So is this the end of our date?”
“Unless you want to do something else.”
“Maybe we could go back to your place, and I could say hi to Tank
.” And then you could seduce me.
“Another time.”
I step closer and lift my face to his, closing my eyes. A long moment passes. He hasn’t moved away. I can feel his heat, hear his breathing, smell his fresh woodsy scent. And then, finally, his big hand cups my cheek. My pulse races. He strokes my hair back, his fingers grazing the sensitive spot behind my ear.
I lean toward his hand, enjoying his touch, and then it’s gone.
His lips meet my cheek in a chaste kiss. “Goodnight.”
My eyes fly open. If he’s going to go this slow, we need lots more dates or we’ll never get there. “I’d like another date. Tomorrow. I suggest we go to your place. I’ll cook.”
He looks wary. “A picnic in the park would be better. I’ll bring Tank. He’ll be okay if we pick a shady spot.”
It’s not especially intimate, but he did agree to another date tomorrow. “Okay. I’ll pack a picnic lunch for us from the restaurant.”
He inclines his head. “You want me to walk you in?”
I gesture toward the restaurant a short walk away. “I can make it on my own.”
He shoves his hands in his pockets. “Okay.”
I lower my voice to a whisper. “Do you always move this slow with your dates? Just a kiss on the cheek goodnight? I kissed your cheek before this already.”
“I don’t have dates.”
Oh no. “You’re celibate?” This will not work at all. He really should’ve been up front with me about that. I just assumed after his fiancée devastation, he got back out there.
His eyes widen before he leans close. “Shh. Geez, Kayla, have you ever heard some things are not meant to be talked about in public?”
I let out a breath of exasperation. “It’s just us.”
“We’re outside a restaurant where everyone in town knows me.”
“So you’re not celibate?” I whisper.
“Goodnight, Kayla.” Translation: no way, José.
I hug him. “Thank you for the date. And I look forward to more.” Of the stages of seduction. Please don’t make me wait a whole month!
His arms wrap around me for a too brief moment of intoxicating warmth, his voice rumbling by my ear. “You were a great fake fiancée tonight. Thank you.”
Dashing: A Friends to Lovers Romantic Comedy (Unleashed Romance, Book 2) Page 5