“No. You don’t strike me as theflowerstype of girl.” His cocky grin returned, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of sharpies, all tied with a rubber band. “Here’s a bouquet more your style. All pinks and greens.”
“Wow, this is a first.” I took the markers, smiling way too wide, and stopped caring that this guy had the power to break my heart. “Let me put them in a vase.”
He snorted when I grabbed an empty glass and put them caps down. I wanted all the ink to flow down. “No one has ever given me markers before.”
“Good.”
“You look proud of yourself.”
“I am.” He reached out and took my hand, pulling me to him like before, only this time softer. “You ready for our on-a-budget date?”
“Yes.” My voice shook more than I thought it would, and I cleared my throat. “Are you?”
“Always have to get the last word in.” He chuckled before reaching out with his thumb and wiping under my lip. “You had some lip stuff there.”
“Is it all fixed?”
He studied my mouth for a full ten seconds, nostrils flaring and breaths coming out harder, and he nodded. “It’s perfect. Now, come on.”
It was like I was transported back to high school and I was going on my first date. That was how anxious I felt locking up my door and taking his hand as he walked us to the main area of the building. He narrowed his eyes as I waved at the doorman, and with a nervous flutter in my gut, I said, “My parents wanted me to live in a safe place since I live alone.”
“Ah, yes, I can see that.”
“They helped with…that.”
He nodded, like my sentence made sense to him. It was a partial truth. My parents did insist on me living somewhere safe and recommended this place because their buddy owned the complex, but it didn’t seem like Christopher cared that I had a doorman. He squeezed my hand and walked faster as we got outside. He smelled like fresh laundry and soap and gave me a hesitant smile before opening the door for me.
“I got creative tonight,” he said, watching me get into the car and buckle in. His voice was deep again, toe-curlingly deep, and I squirmed at the intensity of his stare. “The goal is to not spend more than twenty dollars.”
“Oh?” I said, finding it hard to breathe when he leaned over me, distracting all my senses with his body. He cupped my chin and lifted my face toward him, his thumb tracing my bottom lip and sending a lightning bolt of desire to my core.
“Yup. There are three parts of this date.”
“Is one of them ending back up at my place?” I teased, hoping to fluster him or have him feel even a little off-balanced like I did.
He sucked in a sharp breath and shook his head. “Behave,” he said, grinning ear to ear before shutting my door and walking around the car to get in on his side. While he didn’t answer my question, he did look a little on edge.
He turned on the radio to an alternative station, and I recognized the band—Arctic Monkeys. He smiled when I sang along to one of the songs for a few seconds, and the pure lust and joy on his face made my chest swell. This wasn’t just a big deal for me—he was into this too.
That should’ve reassured me, but the lack of truth on my part was getting bigger.I could enjoy the night with him to show him I wasn’t defined by my money. Then, when the time was right, I’d tell him.
“Where are we going for the first part of this date?”
“The library.” He looked pleased with himself and turned onto the main road that led to the downtown area. Restaurants, quirky shops, and the library all sat on the same road, and he eased into a parking spot. I hated to admit I wasn’t sure I had been there in years, and a nostalgic feeling took over as we got out of the car.
He held out his hand again, and I took it, his entire face warming at me to the point my throat got tight again.I like this guy. A lot.The words were like a neon sign in my heart, lighting up in different colors and flashing to get all my attention. That was passion, and we certainly had chemistry. This other side, the soft one, was dangerous.
“What I was thinking—and we can change if you think it’s stupid, okay?—but I wanted us each to pick out a book for the other person to read. Clearly reading is important to both of us, so I thought…I don’t know. I started talking and you’re giving me wide eyes, and now I feel weird.”
“Oh, no, Iloveit,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. His plan was so thought out and sweet. Like the surprise at the conference when he got us into the lecture and got me the book. Or the fact he brought me my favorite tea that morning. He was thoughtful as hell. “Yes, I’m in. We pick out a book for the other to read.”
“You sure?” He frowned, and a slight blush appeared on his cheeks.
I had to kiss him.
I let go of his hand and placed my hands on his shoulders, stood on my tippy-toes, and pressed my lips against his. He melted against me, and I lingered for an extra beat or two. We were in public so I didn’t use any tongue, but the kiss worked.
He smiled against my mouth.
