“You really don’t do well with surprises, do you, Red?” Chase flashed a grin at her to take any sting out of his words.
“Nope, I don’t. I’m a planner, I like to know what to expect. For example, if you’d told me I needed socks I wouldn’t have worn these sandals.” She gestured to her feet, and Chase could not stop his eyes from traveling down the length of her curvy legs. He had never found feet sexy, but he’d be damned if hers weren’t the most attractive feet he had ever seen. They would look damn good wrapped around his body too he guessed.
“Yeah, but if I’d told you that you needed socks, I wouldn’t have been able to buy you a present,” he teased.
Reagan’s voice was dripping with humor as she shot back her response. “Oh, Chase. If you think socks are a romantic present for your date, you need serious help.”
Chase let loose with a loud laugh, thrilled that their comfortable banter was just as strong in person as it had been over text message this past week.
The next few minutes passed easily, and soon Chase was pulling up at their destination.
“A bowling alley? Really?” Reagan laughed as Chase grinned at her.
“Yeah, Red, bowling. There’s nothing sexier than bowling shoes,” he teased.
Reagan’s answering laugh rang in his ears like the most beautiful music, as they walked hand in hand into the large building that housed not only a bowling alley, but a restaurant and some old-school arcade games as well. When Chase had chosen this for their date, he had hoped that the casual and entertaining vibe would lend itself well to the mood he wanted for their first time out together. If he could get Reagan to relax and have fun, maybe she would see just how great they could be.
Once they had paid for a lane for an hour, tied on the godawful ugly bowling shoes and ordered some drinks and snacks, they began to bowl.
Chase quickly realized the one flaw to his plan for the evening. Sure, it was a fun activity, but what he had not thought about was what the view would do to him. Every time Reagan went up to bowl, she would bend over, putting her luscious ass on display. He tried everything to calm his arousal, but each sway of her hips as she let go of the ball sent another rush of blood straight to his cock.
She clearly sensed something was off, given the quizzical looks she gave him as he stood up to take his turn, surreptitiously trying to adjust himself without her realizing what he was doing. Close to the end of their game, she must have figured it out when she walked back to him after finishing her turn and instead of sitting down beside him, she stood in front of him and held out her hand.
“Need some help getting up?” she purred. “Or are you already… up?”
Chase groaned in response. “Fuck, Red, you’re killing me. I’ve been trying so hard to be subtle and not a total creep. But damn, woman, do you have any idea how sexy you are?” He stood up, careful not to get too close to Reagan. She had a different idea however, when she stepped in close to him and wrapped her hands around his shoulders. He automatically responded by placing his arms around her body, but still tried to keep some distance between them. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel his erection. Not when he had been so determined to try and be a gentleman and let her take the lead. She looked up at him sweetly, before she went up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
“Just so you know, Chase, I’m having a really good time tonight.”
“Me too.”
A while later, after finishing their bowling game, enjoying some food, and playing some old-fashioned arcade games, they drove back to Reagan’s apartment. Chase knew that it had been as close to perfect for a first date as he could have hoped for. The drive was quiet, but it was a comfortable silence. Reagan’s hand was intertwined with his and rested on his upper thigh. He let his thumb move back and forth over her knuckles and was struck by how right it all felt.Why the hell did I wait so long…?was all he could think, as he realized that if he had not tried so hard to ignore his attraction to her for so many months, he could’ve been enjoying this, enjoying her, all along.
Chapter 8
Reagan was on cloud nine. It had been an amazing first date and all her earlier nerves and doubts were gone. What was left was a satisfying buzz of attraction and an overwhelming sense of happiness. Chase had done everything he could to make the evening enjoyable and relaxed. The fact that he had taken her bowling for their first date was so unexpected, yet so perfect. There had been no pressure to be perfect over a candlelit dinner, just easy conversation over a casual meal, and of course, the opportunity to drive him crazy while they bowled. Reagan wasn’t blind; she had quickly figured out that he was enjoying the sight of her bent over when it was her turn to bowl. She was flattered by his obvious attraction to her body and had decided to just enjoy it. Now that the evening was drawing to a close, she was surprised to realize she wasn’t ready to say goodnight.
They got out of his car at her building, and Chase took her hand as they walked inside. When they stepped inside the elevator, he tugged on her hand and pulled her into the circle of his arms. He looked down at her with a warmth and hopefulness in his expression that she felt reverberate through her body.
“I don’t want tonight to end, Red. I swear to you I’m not trying to be a creep or assume anything is going to happen, but can I come in? I just want to be near you, talk to you, without anyone else around.”
She smiled in response. He had put words to how she felt so perfectly, what could she do but say yes.
“I want that too.”
Reagan turned and unlocked her door, as Chase’s hand rested on her hip. When the door was closed behind them, she kicked off her sandals and dropped her purse on the table. She glanced back at Chase as she walked into her kitchen and turned on the kettle.
“Tea? Or beer? Or water or…” She trailed off nervously. Suddenly, the fact that they were alone, in her apartment, hit her. What was going to happen? More importantly, was she ready for it?
Chase smiled at her as he walked over to the couch and sat down. “I’m good, Red, get what you want. Then I just want you to come and sit with me, please?”
She took a deep breath, walked out of the kitchen and sat down on the couch beside him. Close, but not touching. She threaded her fingers together, but could not bring herself to meet his eyes. Clearly that wasn’t good enough for Chase as she felt the couch shift, and then his leg was pressed against hers and his fingers were tipping her chin up.
He leaned in, but before his lips met hers, he whispered, “Breathe, Reagan.” Then his lips closed the distance between them, and she was lost in his kiss, the boiling kettle forgotten. Thank goodness for auto-shutoff.
Their tongues collided, as the passion that had been simmering all night long exploded into their embrace. Reagan met Chase kiss for kiss as his lips explored her face, her neck, and shoulders. She moaned when he nipped and sucked gently at the sensitive space behind her ears, and before she knew what she was doing, her fingers had slipped between the buttons of his shirt, undoing them to reveal more of his chest. When his hands came up to cover hers, she froze, worried she had been too aggressive. That fear was put to rest when, without letting his lips leave her skin for more than a second, he pulled his shirt off completely.
Suddenly, Reagan found it hard to breathe thanks to the immense wave of lust that threatened to drown her. Chase’s torso was a work of art, in every sense of the word. Muscular but not bulky, he had the physique of someone who took care of their body. The source of the strength she felt when he held her close was evident in his chest and arms, now bared for Reagan to explore. But what was even sexier to her than the muscles, were the tattoos that covered him. She had seen most of his sleeves already, but had never been in a position to see that he also had ink covering his chest. Not just ink, Chase also had a barbell pierced through one nipple, the discovery of which sent a rush of heat down her spine. As she looked closely and traced her fingers lightly over his skin, she saw his tattoos had a mix of styles, ranging from tribal swirls and symbols, to words and music notes. She wanted to know the stories behind the images. She wanted to know who Chase was and how his tattoos represented him.
