Time appears to slow as he spins, adjusting the cuff of his shirt on one wrist like JamesfuckingBond. I laugh, because there’s no way this man, with his cut jaw, knowing eyes, and ever-present sexy smirk, is here to pick me up… in a damned suit. This cannot be real.
There’s also no possible explanation for why he’s looking at me the way he is. Wide-eyed and lips parted, arrogant facade slipping away as he rubs the back of his neck. He takes his time tracing the curves of my body from head to toe, as if he can’t believe every inch is real. My new favourite feeling rises again…the feeling of being edible.
“I know a chapel not too far from here.” He rubs his chin like he’s trying to remove a layer of skin. “I mean, I have other plans for the evening, but truthfully, we could call it.”
I know he’s joking, but something about the way his eyes sparkle as he looks down my body again tells me he could definitely be persuaded.
“Chloe, you’re…” He leans on the door frame, and I give him a slow full turn, showing off the back of the dress. “How am I supposed to drive? I meant what I said earlier. You may be the death of me.”
As I turn back towards him, his hands flare in his trouser pockets, like he’s attempting to hide the evidence of the effect this dress is having on him. I smirk, my eyes holding there.
“You look stunning, dove.” He leans towards me and kisses my cheek softly—an innocent gesture in contrast to the glances we’re sharing and the thoughts that are flowing between us.
“You clean up pretty good yourself.” I bite my lip. He shakes his head, exasperated.
“No,” he says sternly, capturing my attention away from where his shirt tucks in under his belt. “We have to get out the door. Do not look at me like that.”
“Right back at you.” I move to stand next to him in the hall and shamelessly look him up and down at this new angle as he speaks with Luke. I’m ignoring whatever is being said—probably just instructions anyway.Who cares about detailed instructions? Not me… no, never.
Instead, I fixate on where his unbuttoned collar hits his neck, the prominence of his Adam’s apple from the side and the way it bounces when he looks back towards me.I might try to leave a mark there later.
“Ready?” Warren offers his hand, and I take it.
“For what?” I bat my eyelashes, and he pulls me to him. Luke does his best to act disgusted, but the curling of his lip and the light-hearted roll of his eyes seem to say he’s happy for his big brother after all.
“I’m really trying to remember, but I’m drawing a blank.” Warren’s fingers find my hair above my ear, and he licks his lips.
“Okay, so we may need to reassess…. How are we going to get through this date knowing that later—”
“Do not finish that thought. I will Kool-Aid-man-style bust us through that wall to get to my bedroom.”
I laugh, but he remains sincerely flustered. “Yes… Okay… Sorry.” I apologise half-heartedly, grinning from ear to ear.
Warren steps back and leads me by the hand to the elevator, clearing his throat as we step on and pulling me into a hug.
“I missed you today.” My voice is muffled by his chest.
“I was just going to say that. One day apart; how lame are we?” he asks. I pull away, and tensions seem to ease. We may get through the date after all.
“So lame,” I say, leaning back on the elevator railing as it arrives at the main floor.
Warren takes my hand and leads me to the parking lot where his car waits. He opens the door for me, and I slide in, finding a bouquet of flowers on the dashboard.
“Sunflowers are my favourite! Thank you.” I bring them to my nose.
“Yeah, I guessed—you have like six sunflower sweaters.” He’s teasing, but not in a cruel way.
“Well, no sunflower sweaters tonight,” I say, self-deprecatingly, as I gesture to my dress.
“Sunflower sweaters are sexy on you too…” He turns, brows furrowed. “You know, this is amazing.” He brushes the back of his hand over my jacket and the velvet on my waist. “But you’re sexy as hell when you’re sunshine and rainbows too. I’ll take whatever version of you I can get.”He said the perfect thing.
“Okay, good, because this was so much work.” I lean over to kiss his cheek before buckling in. “Where are we headed?”
“First? Dinner. Belle’s niece is the chef at a fancy Italian place across the city that’s apparently very hard to get into… and she pulled some strings for me.” Warren turns the ignition, but doesn’t take the car out of park.
“Mmm… pasta.”A real date. A real date with Warren!
“The rest of the evening will be a surprise. No amount of flirting will get you answers, so don’t bother. I may be in love with you, and you may be dressed like every dirty dream I’ve ever had combined, but I will not cave,” Warren says sternly.
