“How about we just go into this having fun? We’ve spent weeks together now. We’ve got this.”
“Deal,” she said, her smile widening. She took my breath away.
Aries was gorgeous tonight. She’d applied some light makeup, and I think it was the first time I’d ever seen makeup on her. It wasn’t the over-the-top kind, but the kind that accentuated her features. The red lips were the only bold part of it and it made her that much more stunning.
“You look incredible,” I said.
“So do you.” She smiled shyly. “I like the new haircut. It suits you. I’m glad you didn’t cut it short.”
She reached over and ran her hands through the soft strands with a soft sigh.
“I’ve been dying to do that.”
Her eyes locked onto mine, and they held me there. I was drowning. They were so full of nervous excitement and hope, and I felt it echoing in my chest. Her scent perfumed in the air, filling the SUV with her sweet and tart scent.
Her eyes widened as a blush crept up her cheeks, so I didn’t comment on it.
“Where are we going?”
“We have two options,” she said, diving right into the distraction. “There’s a drive-in movie tonight. They’re hosting it in one of the parking lots. Or, we can go bowling.”
“Oh wow, I haven’t been bowling since I was in high school,” I said, perking up at the idea.
“Bowling it is. I’ve only been one time, but the place in town is adorable.”
She shifted the car into drive, and we navigated through Widow’s Peak.
The building she parked at didn’t look like much. It was a black brick building with a neon sign. The parking lot was quiet. Only a couple of cars filled the spaces, but not too many. It was still early in the night and there was an event across town.
When I pulled open the front door for her we were hit with an explosion of noise. Bowling balls striking the pins, music loud enough to be heard over it. Then the scent of fried food filled the air. This place was perfect.
They had the ’90s-style carpet that hit me with nostalgia, but everything else looked new and sleek.
“I asked you here, which means I’m paying,” Aries said, narrowing her eyes at me as if daring me to challenge her.
I held up my hands and grinned. “That’s fine. I’ll take you out next time.”
Her smile softened. “Next time, huh?”
“Oh yeah. This is just the first of many,” I said confidently.
My hand brushed her lower back as we approached the counter. We got our shoes and paid, barely keeping our eyes off of each other. There was a magnetism to this omega that I couldn’t resist.
“Good thing I didn’t wear a dress,” Aries said as she slid on her shoes. “Otherwise I’d be looking pretty crazy with these.”
“I think you’d make anything look good,” I said, laying it on thick just to see her give me that exasperated smile again. Her scent warmed right along with it.
Aries’s blue-gray eyes studied me. I loved that she didn’t dress up over the top and stayed true to who she was. I was already so gone for this girl.
Her eyes were bright as she told me about her day. I’d heard talk about all the founding omegas but she made them seem so down to earth.
Tonight the sadness that seemed to linger in her had lifted a bit. Pride swelled in my chest that I could be that for her. Because she sure as hell did the same for me.
Aries entered our names into the machine while I ran to grab us some drinks, though she insisted on giving me money since this was her date.
“So, I know the tough things you’ve been through, but I want to know everything else now. The little things,” I said as I adjusted my pants over the shoes and stood.
“What, like my favorite food?” she questioned, glancing up from the lane kiosk where she was typing in our information. I loved that she wasn’t dismissive, simply trying to figure out exactly what I meant.
