She set the phone down and leaned back against the couch, staring at the ceiling as a strange mix of excitement and fear swirled inside her. She didn’t know where this thing with Elias would go. She didn’t know if the age difference would eventually matter, or if she’d wake up one day realizing she was in over her head, but they were all problems for her to worry about later. For once, the uncertainty didn’t feel paralyzing. It actually felt like momentum.
Aliza stood and headed for her bedroom, already mentally planning what to wear, a small smile tugging at her lips. She might not have her life figured out yet, but tonight, she was willing to take the leap of faith and go out on a second date with the sexy doctor.
Aliza changed her outfits three times before settling on the fourth one. It wasn’t because she was trying to impress Elias—at least that was what she told herself. She wanted to feel like herself with him, and none of her clothes seemed to fit that bill. She was going for comfort and confidence. She didn’t want to seem like a woman pretending to be someone more put together than she was.
She chose dark jeans, a soft, fitted top, and a jacket that made her feel good about her choices. When she caught her reflection in the mirror, she nodded once. “Good enough,” she whispered.
Her phone buzzed just as she slipped on her shoes, with a text from Elias.
Elias:I’m outside.
Her heart kicked hard, a familiar flutter she hadn’t felt in longer than she wanted to admit. She grabbed her purse, took one last steadying breath, and headed out. He was leaning against his car when she stepped onto the sidewalk, no tuxedo this time—just dark slacks and a button-down with the sleeves rolled up. He looked casual and relaxed. He looked dangerous in a way that had nothing to do with looks and everything to do with how easily he smiled when he saw her.
“Hi,” he said.
“Hi,” she replied, smiling back before she could stop herself.
He opened the door for her, and the simple courtesy warmed her more than it should have. The few dates that she had been on hadn’t felt so easy. Most of the time, she was left to open her own car doors and even meet the guys at the restaurant. Elias made her feel special in ways that she didn’t know she needed.
The drive to the restaurant was easy. The music was low and the conversation light, not forced. They joked about how absurd the auction had been. They talked about how Dani would never let Aliza live down the fact that she actually bid on a man. And then, he asked about what classes she was taking—something that most guys weren’t interested in talking about.
When she asked him about his work, he told her about the other doctors teasing him about being bid on by a much younger woman, and she wasn’t sure what to say. Were they going to address the elephant in the room about their ages, or just let things play out? She decided to go with total honesty.
“You’re handling it better than I would,” she said.
“I’ve been roasted by surgeons for years,” he replied. “This is mild compared to some of the things they like to tease me about,” he admitted.
He pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant that they had chosen, and he smiled over at her. “Stay put, I’ll get your door,” he ordered. She couldn’t help but smile and nod. It was nice that he seemed to want to take care of her by playing the gentleman. It was something that she could get used to.
Dinner was at a small neighborhood place with dim lighting and mismatched chairs, and it was perfect. It was the kind of place that didn’t rush you through your dinner and where no one cared if you lingered over a second drink or dessert.
They talked about everything and nothing, all at once. He asked her more questions about her graduate program. He wasn’t doing it to be polite, the way people usually did. Her ownfather didn’t seem to be interested in her schoolwork. He’d ask out of obligation, not curiosity, and that stung.
Aliza told him about her father, about the pressure she felt to have everything figured out, about the way she sometimes felt like she was falling behind. “You’re not behind,” he said quietly. “You’re just not rushing, and there’s nothing wrong with that.” The words settled into her, steadying her.
She asked him about his work, about what made him stay at the same hospital when he could’ve gone anywhere. He talked about the patients he’d never forget, about responsibility, about the weight of being needed all the time. He liked knowing his patients, and staying in the same community just felt right to him.
“It’s rewarding,” he said. “But it can be lonely. I work a lot of hours, and meeting someone doesn’t happen easily for me.” He barked out his laugh, “Hell, I had to have a woman bid on me to get a date. That should tell you how hard it was for me to put myself out there when my work at the hospital consumes so much of my time.” His honesty, unguarded and unpolished, made her chest ache in a way she didn’t quite understand. She felt the same way about dating and trying to fit it in with her schoolwork.
When they finished eating, neither of them made a move to leave. “Do you want to walk?” he asked. “There’s a park a block over.” She nodded, slipping her jacket on as they stepped into the cool night air. The streetlights cast soft pools of light around them, and the quiet between them didn’t feel at all awkward. It was comfortable.
They walked side by side, their shoulders nearly touching, and she longed for more. As though reading her mind, Elias reached for her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. “Is this all right?” he asked.
“Yes,” she breathed. It was more than all right to have him touching her. “You know,” she said, breaking the silence, “I almost ran out of the auction.”
He chuckled, squeezing her hand in his. “I almost did too,” he admitted.
She laughed. “Guess we’re both bad at escaping embarrassing situations.”
He glanced at her, something thoughtful in his gaze. “Or maybe we stayed for a reason.” They stopped near a bench, the city humming softly around them. Aliza turned to face him, suddenly aware of how close they were. She liked the way that his attention never wavered from her.
“I’m glad I stayed,” she said.
His expression softened. “Me too,” he said, stroking her hair back from her face. This time, when he leaned in, she met him halfway. She didn’t want a kiss on her cheek again. She wanted to taste him. The kiss was slow and deliberate, nothing rushed or demanding. Just a quiet confirmation of everything that had been building between them.
When they finally pulled apart, her forehead rested lightly against his chest, and she laughed under her breath. “Well.”
“Well,” he echoed, tugging her close. “I guess that I should take you home.” She felt disappointed, and she wasn’t sure why. Did she expect him to want more from her after only two dinners? Aliza was in foreign territory right now, and she needed to remember that. If things progressed, she’d have to admit to him that she was a virgin, and that wasn’t a conversation that she wanted to have yet. No, taking her home might be the best way to end their date, giving her time to consider how to handle her little virginity problem.
