Also, I didn’t think it was fair to ask her to choose an outfit that her brother would find sexy.
Another minute went by. Panic fully settled into my gut and I picked up my phone to tell Charlie we needed to reschedule due to all my clothes being burned in the fire I was about to set. But I already had a text from him telling me he was two minutes away.
Ada, this isn’t who you are. You are cool as hell. You have amazing fashion sense. You are going to make him forget his better intentions so he can ravage you before you even leave the house.
I picked the hot-pink minidress with cut-out sides that tied around the waist and small puff sleeves. It was low-cut, having a tie front too. And sexy without being vulgar. I was slipping on some black open-toed mules when he knocked on my front door.
Too late to go back now.
I took another deep breath and let him in. His eyes bugged at my outfit, which was exactly what I was going for. I mentally high-fived myself.
“I just need to put some earrings in,” I told him, ignoring the way my panic didn’t settle at the sight of him. It launched into a brand-new level of frazzled upended that made my hands tremble.
He dressed in a crisp white short-sleeved button-up with stylish teal shorts that were very summery. He wore his leather flip-flops that I had a thing for. And styled his hair back from his face. His sunglasses were tucked into his shirt.
He was gorgeous. Too gorgeous.
I tried to abandon him in the doorway, but he caught my hand before I could get away and twirled me back to him.
Like literally right back to him. Suddenly, I braced my hands against his chest, and he looked down at me with my favorite half smile. “Hello,” he murmured.
“Hello,” I squeaked.
“You’re beautiful.”
“Oh.”
Then he captured my mouth with his. It was heated from the start. There was no slow buildup this time. Just tongue and teeth and his hands at the open part of my waist, fingers digging into my skin.
My hands brushed over the smooth fabric of his shirt until my arms twined around his neck. He didn’t push beyond kissing. But God, he did it so well.
When he finally pulled away, my lipstick was smudged on his swollen lips. And his eyes were heated and dark. He had never been more tempting.
I wanted to drag him to my bed and smear my lipstick all over his body.
“Hi,” he said again, his voice rough.
“Hi.” I blinked, forgetting what I was about to do. “Um, earrings.” I touched my lips knowing. “And let me fix this quick. Also you, uh”—I laughed a little—“you might want to wipe my lipstick off too. Although it’s a good shade on you.”
He grinned. “I’ll remember that.”
Ten minutes later, I’d locked up the apartment, and we’d walked over a block. He’d taken my hand as soon as we were on the sidewalk. We’d meandered, soaking in the June heat that still boasted a cool evening breeze.
“Where are we going?” I asked when he’d guided us off the beaten path and onto a less noticed side street.
“There’s a jazz bar up this way,” he explained. “There’s music later, but it’s right next to this tiny Japanese place. I thought we’d grab a bite and then listen to some music.”
“Jazz?” I asked, surprised.
“Are you not a fan?”
“I’m more surprised that you’re a fan.”
He shrugged. “My buddy Steve, the one I’ve told you about before, plays the bass. We don’t have to stay long if it’s not your thing. I just wanted you to meet him.”
“Oh.” This was already going so differently than I’d assumed it would. I wasn’t sure what to make of all these surprises. Charlie’s usual friends, or the friends he’d had in the past, weren’t the kind of people you introduced to girls you were trying to impress. Also, I’d genuinely expected a night of trendy food meant to impress and a loud club with cheap drinks.
Not a hole-in-the-wall sushi place next door to an underground jazz bar meant for the AARP crowd.
