Closing her eyes, Blake let out a heavy sigh. “This cannot be real,” she mumbled. “No, we cannot have a drink. But you can have one by yourself.”
“Blake, if you would—”
“Bye, Colton.”
“Awkward” wasn’t quite the word I’d use to describe what had just happened. Unlike earlier, though, I wasn’t pissed. I was more concerned about her, because she looked upset.
Blake dropped her napkin on the table. “I have to… I need to take care of something. I’ll be back.” Grabbing her purse, she slid out of the other side of the booth and walked toward the door.
“What the hell just happened?” Vaughn asked.
“Duh?” Emerie said. “She’s embarrassed.”
I stared after Blake as she bulldozed through the crowd near the door and walked outside. “For what?” I asked my sister.
“Please, you can’t be this dense. She agreed to meet your sister, which means something. And since she walked in the door, random men have been approaching her like she’s not with you on a date. Then that jackass came over while we were in the middle of dinner? She’s probably mortified. I know I’d be.”
“I don’t care about them.”
“So!Shecares aboutyou. And she probably doesn’t want you to think bad of her. You should go see about her, Len.” Emerie suggested. “Oh, and invite her to our wedding. I like her.”
Turning over Emerie’s words in my head, I stood and grabbed my coat. I found Blake pacing outside of the building, her head down and her hands flailing. She was muttering something under her breath.
I stopped right in front of her. “Hey.”
She froze. Without looking at me, she grumbled, “Hey.”
Taking her hand, I pulled her into my arms. It took a minute, but she finally hugged me back. “Blake, I—”
“Don’t,” she warned, smoothing a hand over her hair. “What the fuck was that?” She shrugged. “It sure as hell wasn’t normal.”
Amused and unable to help myself, I smiled. “You’re really upset about this, huh?”
“Yes!” she shouted. “I’m pissed.”
“Listen, we’ve both had past relationships. The only thing I care about is what’s happening between us right now.”
She let out a shaky breath. “I’m really not a hoe.”
Chuckling, I said, “I know you’re not a hoe, Blake.” I tugged her back to me and kissed her. “But I like that you care what I think.”
Her eyes softened. “I do,” she whispered.
“Then, let’s move forward.” The statement could’ve been referencing tonight or forever. I didn’t bother to specify. “Finish dinner, have dessert…”
She smirked. “At your place? You’ll be safe. I won’t be taking any vases or anything.”
“I’m not worried.” Although we’d spent the night together after the spa date, we hadn’t had anymore overnights since then. That wasn’t to say we didn’t find ways to be together—in her office during lunch, in my car, at the Oasis Hot Tub Gardens, in the private sauna at the gym… We’d definitely made it a mission to get it in as often as possible. “You can give me my shirt back, though.”
Blake cracked up. “Oh, you’re not getting that back. A shirt for a shirt. You ruined mine, so I get to keep yours.”
That happened the second time we’d made love, in my SUV before dinner one evening. Needless to say, we never made it into the restaurant that night. “Touché.” Grabbing her hand, I led her back to toward the door. “Speaking of my shirt, I want to see you in the one I have on now. And nothing else.”
“Beat you there.” Blake sprinted toward her car.
Pulling out my phone, I sent Emerie and Vaughn a quick text letting them know we were heading out and then took off after Blake. Everything my sister said made sense, and Blake’s actions and words had confirmed it. Meaning this thing between us wasn’t as casual as we’d tried to make it, asI’dtried to pretend it was. Which was fine with me, because I cared about her too. And I needed her to know that.
Chapter 10
