“Nice to meet you,” Mack said.
Archer stepped back, giving them room to pass.“Likewise.Enjoy your dinner.”
Several minutes later, his food was brought out, packaged in a brown sack.Armed with dinner, Archer carried the food to his motorcycle, secured it, pulled on his helmet, then straddled the seat.He clicked to pull up Spencer’s address on the map and put the phone in the mount on the handlebars.
It was about that time that he felt a trickle of first-date jitters.
He intended to enjoy that feeling.
Ten minutes later, he was pulling down a long, narrow dirt driveway lined with large trees on both sides.It wasn’t until he reached concrete that a house came into view.A sprawling ranch-style with a metal roof and a wraparound porch secured by wrought iron fencing around the perimeter.
Archer followed the driveway around to the side-facing garage and stopped.He took it all in as he secured his helmet and pocketed his phone.He noticed the landscaping, which consisted of a variety of rocks and stones and a plethora of heat-resistant plants—cacti, sage trees, and yucca.
If he was being honest, it wasn’t what he was expecting.
Then again, he hadn’t been sure what to expect.
With food in hand, Archer headed for the gate that opened to the front of the house.His boots thudded on the wooden porch as he walked down the length of the house, passing clusters of windows on his way to the front door.
He was about to knock when the door opened and Spencer appeared.
Damn, he looked good.
Not to mention nervous.
“Hey.”
“Hey back.”Archer smiled.He couldn’t help himself.Seeing Spencer did that.It made him feel weird things churning inside, and it just made him fucking happy.He couldn’t remember the last time he’d even been on a date, much less the last time a man had lit him up without doing a thing.
“Let me help with that,” Spencer offered, reaching for the food.
While he didn’t need help, Archer passed it over and then strolled inside as Spencer headed in the direction of the kitchen.
He closed the door behind him, taking in the open space.He could see clean through to the swimming pool and outdoor kitchen in the backyard.
“This is beautiful,” he told Spencer, and he meant it.
The walls were painted off-white, the floor was dark-stained concrete with several rugs tossed about.The vaulted ceilings were white with dark wood beams.There was a stone fireplace on the right.It stretched to the ceiling, accentuating the height.A set of glass doors beside it led to another part of the house.On the left was the kitchen, lined with white cabinets and stainless steel appliances.It was separated from the living space by a large white-quartz-topped island complete with several stools.Three pendant lights hung above it.The ceiling was lower in the kitchen, allowing for a handful of recessed lights to brighten the space.
At the back of the kitchen was a breakfast nook.The table had been set, and a bottle of wine was chilling in an ice bucket.
“You need help with that?”Archer asked when he noticed Spencer was staring at him.
Spencer shook his head.
“Somethin’ wrong?”he asked, moving toward him.
Again, Spencer shook his head.
Archer closed the gap between them, walking around the island and stopping when he was mere inches away.
“Spencer?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you nervous?”
Spencer nodded his head as he said, “No.”
