My hand fisted into her hair and I gently tugged her back to me, giving her a longer, more lingering kiss. Her lips fit perfectly against mine and when my tongue grazed against hers, she tasted of grapefruit and sugar. Delicious wasn’t a strong enough word for this kiss.
When I pulled away she was a bit breathless.
“Why don’t you go pick out something nice to wear and get ready while I shower before we don’t even leave this couch,” I mumbled, a bit dazed from how intoxicating she was.
“Okay!” She leapt up from my lap, wincing a bit as if forgetting she was still healing, then grabbed my hand, yanking me to my feet with surprising strength I didn’t know she had. She laughed before standing on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek quickly, then made a beeline for the stairs.
Her excitement was palpable and filled my chest with warmth. She’d been doing so well since being off the crutches the last few days. She deserved to enjoy a night out. And simply feeding the girl good food made her happy, so I hope I delivered tonight with my plans.
I showered quickly then dressed in a nice gray, long sleeve button down, black slacks, and black shined shoes. I rolled the sleeves up to my elbows, exposing the tattoos on my arms and put a bit of gel in my hair before slicking it back a bit. The finishing touch was a bit of Armani cologne I’d not used in what felt like forever. My nerves kicked up as I gave myself a once over in the mirror in my bedroom. I hadn’t gone on a date in a long time, let alone with a woman who did things to my head and heart no woman had before. Out of practice was a good way of putting it, and I wanted tonight to be perfect for her.
After everything she’d been through, she deserved to be spoiled. A lot. And I wanted to be the one to do it before Porter swooped in and outdid our date. Or before my little brother realized just how fucking special my girl was. The two of them had dated a lot over the years and knew how to do all this shit. My brother had claimed I was a lost cause for many years, so I needed to prove him wrong.
With a deep breath in and out, I left my room and went downstairs to wait for Sophia. While I did, I went to the kitchen and took out one of the whiskey bottles, pouring myself a quick shot. It was all I needed to help stave off my racing heart and growing nerves.
I didn’t have to wait long before I heard the door close upstairs and the sound of heels coming down the stairs. I wandered out of the kitchen and glanced up.
My jaw dropped.
Sophia was dressed in a red satin blouse that had small ruffles on the edges where the sleeves stopped on her shoulder. It was unbuttoned to just above where the dip of her chest began, exposing her tanned skin beneath her neck. Black slacks hugged the sensual curves of her hips then flared out around her calves so as not to touch the burns still healing there. Her long blond hair had big brushed curls that spilled down her chest and across her shoulders. One side was tucked behind her ear and the other fell forward almost covering half her face. The icing on the delectable cake that was my girl was her plump, luscious lips painted the same blood red color of her blouse.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she smiled widely up at me. “What do you think?” I got a whiff of her floral perfume as she spun slowly for me.
Swallowing thickly, I couldn’t help my voice going a bit as raspy as I replied. “Stunning. Absolutely breathtaking, Sophia.”
“Thank you,” she responded softly. “You’re one to talk though. I think that shirt is my new favorite on you.” Her hand reached out and smoothed down the fabric across my chest. Her touch nearly undid me, so I quickly grabbed her hand and brought it to my lips, pressing a kissing on her knuckles.
“You ready to go, gorgeous?”
“Absolutely.” She laced her fingers through mine as we exited the house to my car out front. I opened the door for her, letting her get situated before closing it and rounding to the other side.
She was running her fingers along the dashboard when I sat, giving me a wicked grin.
“Like it?” I asked, returning the same grin.
“I do. Camaro, right?”
I turned on the ignition, loving the low rumble of the engine as my baby came to life. “Yes ma’am. Ever ridden in one?”
She shook her head. “Nope. But I always wanted to.”
I chuckled and put the car in drive. “Glad I’ll be the first to fulfill that desire.” Without hesitation, I gunned it. The whole drive to the restaurant I showed my girl just how good this car drove, being careful to still stay within the law yet still tow the line. Sophia smiled the whole drive, not the least bit terrified of the power this car had. I might’ve fallen a little more for her because of that.
We reached our destination in no time; a fancy Italian restaurant right on the beach. I’d never eaten here but had heard good things.
Sophia laced her fingers through mine as we walked inside, our arms swinging languidly between us. I could practically feel her vibrating with excitement as we were shown to our seats by the host.
After we sat, I ordered us a bottle of wine then watched Sophia as her hazel eyes skimmed over the menu. I couldn’t believe we’d gone from us finding this beautiful girl broken and burned to now. The difference in her was startling. Her strength amazed me. So much bad had happened to her in such a short time, yet she could still find joy in something as simple as a menu of Italian food.
I just hoped her joy would never end. That bastard who started this all was still out there, lurking and possibly waiting for another chance to get to her.
Over my dead body.
That fucker wouldn’t touch her. I wasn’t a violent man, but I’d give my life to ensure she never had to give hers.
Sophia finally glanced up from her menu at me and giggled. “Aren’t you supposed to be looking for what you want?”
My lips tilted into a smirk. “But I am looking at what I want.”
