Page 38

Smiling, she points at me. “And there it is.”

“You’re annoying.”

“But effective,” she replies and I laugh despite the urge to stay mad at her. “Feeling better?”

I shrug. “I suppose.”

“Seriously, Quinn. It’s just one date. Go out and have fun with Lucas - who, by the way, I happen to think is someone special.”

“You do?” I don’t know why I need her validation but hearing her say that he seems different than any other guy I’ve brought home makes a difference to me. She nods.

“Definitely. The man sat in a hospital for hours just to make sure you were okay. I know you’ve been out of the dating game for a while but dudes like him don’t come around all that often.”

The doorbell rings, pulling both of our gazes toward the door and Alice hops off the bed before scooping Brooklyn up in her arms.

“I’ll stall him for a few minutes. Take a breath, get yourself together, and then make a stunning entrance, ‘kay?”

I laugh and nod. “Okay.”

She kisses my cheek and ducks out of the room as I turn back to the mirror and suck in a breath.

It is just one date.

I repeat that mantra in my head a few times before touching up my makeup and running a hand gently through my hair to break up the curls. When I’m feeling steadier, I grab my bag and walk out of my bedroom. Lucas’s voice drifts up from the foyer and I stop at the top of the stairs, listening to his conversation with Alice.

“You’d better treat my sister right,” Alice warns and I smile, shaking my head. “She’s been through a lot and she deserves the world.”

“You have nothing to worry about,” he assures her, his warm voice drifting up the stairs, sending goose bumps across my skin. Butterflies stir in my belly as I start down the stairs.

“You’re damn right I don’t,” Alice adds. “I meant what I said about burying you in the yard.”

He laughs. “Noted.”

“Alice, stop threatening him,” I say as I reach the bottom of the steps and they both turn to me. Alice grins as Lucas’s gaze slowly drops down my body and back up again before we start moving toward each other, meeting in the middle of the foyer.

“These are for you.” He holds out a bouquet of red roses and I take them, burying my nose in them as I hum in approval.

“Thank you,” I reply, peeking up at him. “They’re gorgeous.”

“No, sweetheart. I’m pretty sure that’s you.”

Heat rises to my cheeks as our gazes connect and I suck in a breath as my heart gallops wildly in my chest. His lips part and my gaze drops to his mouth as his tongue darts out and runs along his bottom lip. Lord, I don’t think anything has ever looked so obscene and so innocent at the same time. My legs feel like Jell-O and I fight the urge to lean into him as I remember how good it felt to have his arms around me yesterday.

“I’ll just take these,” Alice sings, snapping us both out of a daze as she plucks the flowers from my hand and winks at me. “You two have fun.”

We watch her disappear into the kitchen with Brooklyn on her hip before Lucas turns back to me with a bemused smirk on his face.

“Uh… you ready to go?”

I nod. “Yeah. Where are we going?”

“That’s a surprise.”

I wrinkle my nose and glance down at my dress. “Well, am I dressed okay?”

“Babe, even if your outfit was wildly inappropriate for our date, I wouldn’t tell you because I’m enjoying the view too damn much.”

“Don’t try and sweet talk me, Lucas,” I tease, rolling my eyes as he laughs and pulls me into his arms.