I opened the door and was greeted by Atlas’s smiling face. Dressed in jeans and a short-sleeve button-down, he looked just as handsome as ever.
“Hi,” I said, my voice breathy.
“Hey,” he replied shyly.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
There was the tail wag, his body swaying slightly from the force of it. I couldn’t keep myself from grinning. It was just too damn cute.
“Um, this is for you.” I hadn’t even noticed the potted plant he was holding. It was a mix of pansies, violets, and violas, nicely arranged in a big pink flowerpot. It was perfect for brightening up my porch for spring.
“It’s beautiful.”And so thoughtful.
“You didn’t strike me as a cut-flowers kind of girl.”
I nodded. “I’d rather have something that’ll last.”
“Me, too. Where would you like me to put it?” he asked.
I pointed to the perfect spot. “Right there by the door would be good.”
He set the pot on the porch, rotating it until he was happy with how the flowers looked. “This look good?” he asked.
“Perfect. Thank you.” I wrapped my arms around him in a hug, pressing my face against his chest, inhaling his scent. He seemed taken aback at first, going rigid before he hugged me back.
“I’m glad you like it,” he said, nuzzling my temple. His fur was so soft against my skin, and when he pulled away, I immediately missed the feeling of being in his arms. “You ready to get going?” he asked.
“Mhm.” I walked with him over to his truck. “What do you have planned for us today?”
He opened the passenger door, holding his hand out to help me climb into the truck.So chivalrous.
He shrugged. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”
“I like surprises.” It was nice to let someone else take the reins, to be a participant rather than the one in charge.
“Good. Because I’m full of them,” he said slyly, closing the door before I could say anything else.
It was much easier for Atlas to get in the truck than it was for me. He pretty much stepped inside the thing, slid into the driver’s seat, and we were on our merry way. To where, I didn’t know, but we were definitely heading out of Briar Glenn’s town limits.
“You greeting me at the door with flowers was a nice touch. Potted ones, at that,” I said, grinning from ear to ear. Things were already off to a great start.
He took his eyes off the road for a second, looking over to smile at me. “You liked that?”
I nodded. “Very much.”
“I’ll remember that.”
We’d just started dating, but why did things with Atlas feel so comfortable?
Wait.
Were we dating? I mean, we were going out on a date, but did dating imply that we were an item or we were exclusive?
I was getting ahead of myself.
He pulled the truck onto the highway, heading in the direction of Rock Harbor. It was about forty minutes away from Briar Glenn, the closest “big” city, if you could even call it that. With waterfront bars, restaurants, and nightclubs, it was a popular destination for Briar Glenn residents when they wanted a night out.
I wasn’t sure how well that translated to an afternoon date, but I knew Atlas had something up his sleeve.
