But before I can so much as reach for my phone, my breath freezes in my lungs.
Becausethere she is.
It’s not an exaggeration to say she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I’ve been around plenty of beautiful women in my life, but there’s something aboutthiswoman that makes it hard to breathe. It’s her look, her walk, her smile… Everything.
She’s wearing a little black dress that hugs every curve of her body and black heels that make her legs look even longer. And she’stall. I watch as she enters the hotel and walks toward the bar, her hips swaying with every step.
Her hair bobs with the motion, too. It’s blonde, long and flowing, and I immediately want to run my fingers through it. But then my gaze locks onto her lips, and I become singularly focused on what it would be like to kiss her.
She’s wearing the sexiest shade of red lipstick I’ve ever seen. I watch as she smiles politely at a passerby, and I decideyeah, she’s definitely the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
It takes her locking eyes with me for me to get my shit together. By the time she reaches me, I’ve somehow managed to compose myself enough to not look like a bumbling idiot in front of her.
“Hi,” she says with a smile. “Are you Nico?”
Christ.She has the voice of a siren. I’m tongue-tied all over again.
“Yeah,” I manage to get out. “Are you Daisy?”
Her smile widens. “I am. It’s so nice to meet you.”
It’s nice to meet you, too.
God, you’re beautiful.
I don’t say either of those things. I can’t. I’m stuck on her lips again.
Either she doesn’t notice, or she takes pity on me, because she glances toward the lounge area and asks, “Should we take a seat? Or are you comfortable here?”
The date. Right. Talking.
“Let’s take a seat,” I rush to say. When I reach for my glass, I finally think to ask her, “Would you like something to drink? I was a little early, so I took the liberty of getting a drink already.”
She glances over my arm to the glass I’m holding. “Sure. What are you drinking?”
“Uh…different variations of water,” I answer with a wince. “Sorry, I’m not very exciting right now.”
An amused smile tugs at her lips. “Somehow, I highly doubt that,” she purrs, and I swear to God, I could fall at this woman’s feet.
She looks at my glass again, making her decision. “I’ll take a water, too.”
And then it hits me. “Oh. Uh, no, that’s not—” I let out a laugh. “I’m not in recovery or anything. I’m just in training and can’t afford the calories. Please, order a drink if you’d like one.”
Her curiosity piques at that, but instead of a follow-up question, she says, “In that case, I’d love a glass of their Pinot Noir. Please.”
I’m already waving down the bartender. I left him a hefty cash tip before she arrived so he beelines over to me, and less than a minute later, I’m handing Daisy the glass of red wine.
“Thank you,” she says sweetly.
I nod, finally feeling myself loosening up in her presence. I even manage a smile in response. “You’re welcome.” Gesturing toward the lounge, I ask, “Should we sit?”
She leads the way and ends up choosing a pair of lounge chairs tucked against the back wall. There’s a small table between them, but for the most part, they’re right up against each other on a slight angle. I watch as she spins and settles gracefully.
“So,” she starts, crossing her legs and taking a sip of her wine. “You’re an athlete? What sport?”
I place my water on the table and take my seat beside her. “I’m an MMA fighter.”
Her eyebrows lift. “Wow. That’s an…intense sport.”
