“I love to,” she said, smiling.
“Is six-thirty good for you? I’ll pick you up.”
“Yeah. That time works.”
They stood there for a moment just looking into each other’s eyes. God, she wanted to kiss him again.
Finally, Pierce grinned. “Well, I should let you get inside.”
Deep down, she wasn’t really ready to say goodnight. But she knew it was for the best.
Feeling brazen, she lifted up on her toes and kissed his cheek again. “Thank you for driving tonight. I had a lot of fun.”
He pressed his lips to her temple. “You’re welcome. I enjoyed tonight as well. Go inside and lock the door.”
He took a step back, and she turned to unlock her door. As she pushed open the door, she looked over her shoulder and smiled. “Good night, Pierce.
He winked. “Night, Charley.”
She walked into her apartment, and as soon as the door shut, the lock clicked into place. She stood there for a second with her forehead resting against the door.
She heard his footsteps fading down the hallway, but she stayed right where she was, smiling like a fool at the door and wondering how one man had managed to work his way under her skin so fast.
Sliding off her flats and kicking them aside, she padded toward the kitchen, still feeling the imprint of his lips on hers. She let herself lean against the counter, her fingertips touching her lips as a grin spread across her face.
It had been so long since she had been kissed.
Whatever was happening between her and Pierce, it felt real. Terrifying, yes. But real.
Right then and there, she decided that she wasn’t going to let fear or the past get in the way. Not when there was something so steady and kind waiting right in front of her. And not when that something was hot, compassionate, and kissed like that.
Still smiling, she reached for a glass of water and whispered to herself, “This is a good thing.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
If Charley had been asked to describe her perfect date, she would’ve painted something that looked a lot like this—an incredible meal, effortless conversation, and just enough romance to make her heart feel full. The only thing missing was a walk on the beach, though there was still time for that.
Because Pierce had refused to tell her where they were going, Charley had played it safe with what she wore. She opted for something casual, but a little classy. The brown wide-leg jumper she’d chosen draped softly over her frame, the one-shoulder cut making it feel a little dressier without losing its easy comfort. Her heeled sandals gave her a bit of extra height, though standing next to Pierce still made her feel tiny in the best way. She’d even wrestled her blonde hair into an updo with the help of aYouTubevideo, which had taken far longer than it should have and nearly ended with her giving up entirely. Somehow, though, she’d managed to make it work, with a few loose tendrils framing her face and softening the whole look.
She looked at Pierce across the table as he settled the bill with the waiter. Her eyes then moved toward the second-best view of the evening. From their table on the rooftop terrace, Charley had a clear view as the last of the sunset had melted into the dark blue water of the San Diego Bay.
From the start, the night had been amazing. When Pierce pulled up to the restaurant, Charley tried to hide her excitement about where they were, but she failed. She had heard about the place for its gorgeous views of the water and, of course, the food.
Speaking of the food, she had practically licked her plate clean. The Cajun pasta dish she had was delicious and extra spicy, just the way she liked it. Pierce’s plate was empty as well, except for the last smear of sauce from his filet mignon.
The entire evening had been perfect. Conversation had flowed from the second they sat down, moving from teasing banter to stories about work, people in their lives, and just learning about each other with none of the awkward pauses she’d braced herself for on the drive there.
She’d been nervous in the beginning. But Pierce had looked at her across the table after the drinks arrived and admitted, with that crooked grin of his, that he had been a little nervous too. The confession had stunned a laugh out of her and shattered the last of the tension sitting in her shoulders. Since then, she had felt almost ridiculously comfortable with him, which should have unnerved her more than it did. Instead, it had only made her like him more.
She glanced back at him and caught him watching her over the rim of his glass and felt that now-familiar little flutter in her stomach. He’d smiled at her so many times tonight she had lost count. Each smile had been warmer than the last, each one doing stupid things to her heart. It wasn’t just attraction anymore, though God knew there was plenty of that. It was the way he listened when she talked, the way his focus never seemed to drift, the way he made her feel like there was nowhere else he would rather be than sitting across from her at this table.
Her phone buzzed against the table beside her, pulling her from the thought. Charley glanced down, expecting maybe a message from Jessica or Alyvia asking how the date was going. Instead, the screen lit up with a photo Bailey had sent, and Charley couldn’t stop her smile as she opened it.
“What?” Pierce asked, his mouth curving when he saw her expression.
Charley turned the phone toward him. “Bailey just texted me a picture of Sienna.”
Pierce leaned forward slightly. The photo showed little Sienna standing in what looked like the middle of Bailey’s living room, grinning as if she’d just won the lottery. She had on a camo-colored ballerina outfit, complete with a fluffy little tutu and tiny matching slippers, and the whole thing was so absurdly adorable that Charley’s chest tightened.
