I took a deep breath, opened the car door, then paused as sudden nerves hit me square in the gut. “Shit, I don’t know if I can do this.”
Ishara rolled her eyes. “Jesus, babe, don’t do this to me.” Then she sighed. “Fine. If you’re not sure, come back home. We can do it another time or maybe when you feel like knowing what a cock you actually want looks like. Or, maybe you want the old bloke your dad sold you to,” she muttered dryly.
My shoulders shook with laughter. “If you put it like that.” I blew her a kiss and opened the car door. “Thanks for doing this.”
“Anything for you, sweets, now go get that handsome guy before he thinks you bailed on him. Remember, long-sleeved white lounge shirt and dark denim and don’t forget to lie like we practiced, okay.” We’d spent the better part of an hour working up a reason why I was looking for a blind date and each time I’d said it, I giggled uncontrollably. “No laughing, Ria,” she warned with an arched brow. I nodded. “Oh, and try and get that cock action tonight, will you?” Her wicked smile reminded me of a lustful siren going after an unsuspecting sailor.
Sticking my tongue out, I disconnected the video call and dropped the mobile into my purse. With a deep inhale, I climbed out of the car Ishara had loaned me for my big night as she called it and headed for the restaurant entrance. There, I caught my reflection in the glass door and stopped for just a beat, trying to calm my racing heart.
“You can do this,” I whispered.
Thanks to my mom’s gorgeous genes and Ishara’s talent for making a simple schoolgirl look like a runaway model, I looked older than my actual age. Maybe I could pull this off with minimum chaos some truths might instigate. Smoothing down the mid-thigh jade dress that, according to Ishara matched my eyes perfectly, I finger-brushed my soft curls, gave my breasts a quick lift then reached for the doorknob. Inside, I stood in the foyer and glanced around. The restaurant was busy with the evening dinner rush.
“Hmm, white shirt and dark denim. Couldn’t he wear something a little more distinct,” I muttered under my breath.
“Can I help you?” The maître d looked up from his phone call.
“I’m meeting someone at the bar.”
He smiled. “Sure. Down the stairs and to your right.”
I thanked him and descended the three short stairs. At the bottom, I glanced at the bar. Several people sat there. Thankfully, only two wore white shirts and dark denim. Sure, Ishara wouldn’t have said yes to that man, I ignored the one with a few strands of hair covering his almost bald head and zeroed in on the other. He sat with his back to me and from the looks of it, was on the phone. Pulling a deep breath, I walked toward him, my heartbeat going wild with each step closer. When I reached his side, I tapped him lightly on the back. He glanced over his shoulder, his longish hairstyle reminding me of Tom Cruise.
“You must be Jake, my blind date? Hi.”
The guy’s brow shot up for just a second, before a smile curved his full lips, enhancing that square jaw and straight nose. Turning slightly, he cut the call without saying goodbye. “Hi.”
Eyes wide, I stared. Holy freaking cow. This was my blind date? Geez, he was gorgeous. Down south, every tingle known to mankind just made its way into my panties. “Damn, Shara told me you’d be good-looking, she forgot to mention just how freaking hot.” My cheeks flushed at my runaway mouth and I slammed a hand to my brow. “Shit. I’m sorry. I tend to blabber when I’m nervous.” I slid into the seat next to him.
“Do I make you nervous?” the husky words followed by a throaty laugh, shot another wave of prickles down my spine.
Clearing the sudden dryness in my throat, I clamped my thighs together. I’d seen plenty of gorgeous men, never in real life though. Given the dark-haired, brown-eyed Adonis sitting next to me, I was likely to swoon if someone didn’t hand me a glass of water soon.
He cocked his head to one side, his lips curling in a slow smile, waiting for me to speak. Okay, a definite no on the water, I’d take a whiskey instead. Neat.
“Er...nope...er...yeah, kind of.” I internally cringed. My word skill was usually so perfect. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
“I’m guessing you haven’t done this before.” He ran the tip of his tongue over his bottom lip and I bit back a groan.
Damn, could this man please stop with the freaking hotness overload? Silently, I kicked myself for acting like a smitten teenager. Oh, wait, I still was one, wasn’t I? Oops. I forced my brain to concentrate on an adult conversation before all my cousin’s teachings were lost on me. “No.”
“You’re pretty hot yourself, why would you need a blind date.”
Instant heat flushed my cheeks. “Hmm. Well, the honest answer is I dumped my boyfriend a year ago and decided all men were dogs and Shara thinks I’m in a serious need of a good shagging before I forget what a cock...” I slapped a hand over my mouth as my eyes widened. “Oh, God, please tell me I didn’t say that out loud?” Slowly, he nodded followed by a lazy widening of his thick lips. I stood. That’s not what I’d practiced with Ishara. “I’m officially a disaster. I must apologize for my ditzy behavior, I’m normally not this—never mind. Thank you. Maybe we can do this another time. I’ll show myself to the door,” I blabbered. Before he could respond, I turned and made a beeline for the bathroom.
Jesus, I’m a freaking jabbering idiot.Inside, I shut the stall door, fished out my mobile, and dialed. “OMG, Ishara? I totally messed the whole act like an adult shit. I think, nope, strike that. I did, embarrass myself,” I rushed on not giving my cousin a chance to get a word in. “Can you believe five sentences in, and I told the guy I needed a good shagging.”
She burst out laughing. “Oh, my fucking God, you didn’t.”
“Well, you can’t blame me,” I muttered. “That guy’s like seriously hot and my pussy took over and went off track a little.”
“I’ll say,” she consoled after her giggles stopped. “Listen, just go back to him and apologize. Do a start over.”
“Nope. I’m coming home. He’s way too hot for me.”
“Would you stop behaving like you’re fucking fifty? You’re a lot more mature than you give yourself credit for. You can pull this off,” she soothed before her gentle tone did a three-sixty on me. “Anyway, where’s your sense of adventure. Just go back or I swear I’ll come down there, pj’s and all and embarrass the living shit out of you.”
“I did that all on my own, thank you very much.” I blew out a raspberry then inhaled. “Shara,” I stretched out her name on a wail. “I made a fool of myself. Please get Rex to call him and ask if we can reschedule. I seriously can’t do this, I’ll mess it up,” I pleaded. “Plus, he’s so freaking gorgeous I don’t think I’ll be able to think straight around him. I feel—”
