“May I have five minutes?”
“Sure. Whatever you need.”
I changed into a fresh outfit that made my butt look awesome and boosted my confidence as I considered how easygoing Cormac could be. His determination always simmered, but with me, he wasn’t competitive. I appreciated the difference, especially after today’s debacle. I shoved my feet into a pair of low-heeled sandals and grabbed my purse.
Excitement fizzed in my belly as I settled next to him in his SUV, face washed and mascara re-applied. “Where are we going?”
He glanced at me once he’d merged onto the highway. “Patience, little grasshopper.”
I rummaged through my purse until I found my lip gloss, which I applied, smacking my lips to make sure the moisturizer went on evenly.
“You’re so cute,” he said.
“Um, okay.”
“And distracting.”
“That’s not so good when you’re driving,” I said.
“Yeah, well, I can’t help that I’m attracted to you.”
“That’s a biological response,” I said.
He smirked. “I know.”
I giggled. “No, I mean attraction is based on how my immune system smells to you and how yours smells to me. There’s an organ behind the sinuses that filters for the right smell.”
“That I didn’t know. I’ve never heard that before.” He put on his blinker and steered toward the off-ramp. “Are you messing with me?”
“No, I learned about it in a science video, but I thought maybe the guy made it up, so I read about it.”
“That’s interesting. So, my brain understands you’re a good match for me based on some tiny chemicals—aren’t those pheromones? Those I have heard of.”
I shrugged. “Kind of. But more complicated.”
He tossed me that gorgeous smile that made my tummy flutter. “Not unlike a woman I know.”
I shook my head. He wasn’t wrong. I looked out the window and gasped. “Are we…”
“I asked you to golf with me, right?”
“Yes, but that’s tomorrow.”
“Well, this is step one. I understand this is one of the best courses in Houston. Considering it shares a name with our team, it seemed like the perfect choice.”
I gaped as he pulled onto a narrower road with pristine grass on either side. The green shaded from pale to darker in neat rows, dotted by a few flags. I bounced in my seat as Cormac pulled into a parking spot near the front doors of the clubhouse. While the façade was like many other buildings in the area, the steeply-pitched roof reminded me of a French chateau. “I came here for a wedding a couple of years ago,” I said as I tried to take in every inch of the perfect, emerald-green grass and shimmering blue ponds. “The space where they had their reception is giant with this beautiful wood-planked ceiling. I loved that space.”
Cormac chuckled. “I can tell. We’ll have to come back another time so you can show it to me, but tonight, we’re here for a lesson.”
I faced him, eyes bugging. “Y-you bought me a lesson with a golf pro?”
“I boughtusa lesson with a golf pro. I’ve never played before, and I’m not going out there to embarrass myself tomorrow.”
I flung myself across the console and wrapped my arms around his neck, not caring that the hard plastic in the center dug into my ribs. “This is the best date ever.” I kissed him, trying to imbue all my thanks and happiness into the touch of lips.
He brushed my hair off my forehead and cheek. “I think I get why you shut down and pull away, but I want you to remember that I care about you, Keelie. A lot.”
He waited patiently while I studied him. Finally, I nodded. “I understand. I care about you, too. A lot.” And because the moment was getting heavy, I added, “More now because you got me a lesson with a golf pro!”
