What the hell am I thinking? Lucia promised it’ll be worth my while to show. Now that I’m here with my eyes on her back, her long hair spilling down her shoulder blades, I’m left wondering if I’m losing my damn mind.
They’re laughing at something when I reach the table and pull out the seat beside Kenlyn. She startles, jumping slightly with wide eyes.
“Grabbing something to eat,” I explain before she asks. “Saw you two sitting here.”
She looks to me incredulously with a crease appearing between her brows. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”
“Yep. Just finished up my last appointment for the night and took a break. I’m hungry.”
“You just happened to come across town for something to eat…” Her words trail off. She crosses her arms and it pushes her tits up. “So what will you be ordering?” She bites the inside of her cheek.
“Haven’t looked at the menu yet. What do you suggest?”
The muscles in her jaw tense as she fights not to smile. “All of the burgers are good.”
“Solves it.” I sit back in the metal chair. “I’ll get a burger then.”
She puffs a giggle under her breath and shakes her head before looking to Lucia and having a silent conversation. Lucia tilts her head, purses her lips, and widens her eyes. I watch the interaction, lost at what only the two women can make sense of.
Kenlyn looks down at her hands and begins to fidget with her fingernails. “I, uh. I think I owe you an apology. One I don’t feel like discussing here.” Her voice is low and she doesn’t make eye contact.
My interest piques as does my smirk. “Dinner Wednesday?
Normally I go into work after my One2One meet, but I’ve never been required. One night won’t hurt business.
“Thought you only have Sunday and Monday’s off?”
Always the skeptic. “I do, but I have nothing booked. I can work around that.”
“Okay. Sure.”
Something strange happens in my chest. “Great. I’ll call you.” I shove to my feet. “I’ve got to get back to work.”
Her face scrunches. “You’re not going to get something to eat?”
Reaching down, I steal a fry from her plate. “Just did.” I say around the food and wink. “Good seeing you, Lucia.” I tip my chin and stroll away with excitement in my veins and an ear-to-ear grin.
Chapter Eleven
“I’m going to murder you,” I tell Lucia as I thumb through the clothes in my closet.
I’ve been at it for twenty minutes with no idea of what to wear. I’ve gone through the same things over and over.
Lucia cracks up from where she’s perched on the side of my bed watching me. “I bet by the end of the night you’ll love me.” She twirls her hair around her finger and falls back to the bed. “He’s so hot, Lyn. Like hot-hot with an extra side of hot dayum.”
Oh, how I know. “Why is it the bad boys are always the hottest?” I flick to the next hanger…again.
Her sigh is all dreamy. “The ‘I don’t give a fuck’ attitude with their swagger. Holey jeans, sexy faces. It’s instant ovarian combustion.”
I laugh under my breath. “The attitude scares me. I do give a fuck.”
“You shouldn’t. Not all the time, at least. Have fun. Get laid. Simple.” She sits up and crosses her legs in front of her. “I know you don’t have sex before the hundredth date, but you should give it a try.”
Shaking my head, I roll my eyes. She can do casual. She’s doing casual. I can’t. “I’m not out to have sex with him. I’m apologizing for being a bitch.”
“Which could lead to mind-blowing makeup sex.”
“No sex.” I reiterate with a huff.
Like she’s privy to something I’m not, she bites her lip and lifts a shoulder. “Whatever you say.”
I drop my head back and groan. “I have no clue what we’re doing and no idea what to wear.”
“You make everything so hard with your overanalyzing bullshit.” She grabs my phone and seconds later her thumbs work. “I asked him what you should wear. Simple. As. That.”
As she hands the phone to me, his reply comes.
Ash: Sexy jeans. Past that, you decide.
Me: What will we be doing?
Ash: Eating. Talking. Having fun.
Let’s try a different angle.
Me: What will you be wearing?
Ash: Sexy jeans and whatever I decide. ;)
A laugh bubbles out of me.
“That’s why I like him. Look at you. All smiles and glowing,” she sings, stepping into my closet. She lifts my black stilettos. “Whatever you decide, wear these with it.” Her hips sway with an extra umph like she solved world hunger as she exits my room, leaving me to figure out the rest.
Great.
Clothes are normally my jam. I always know what to wear, when to wear it, and how. But right now I’m so unsure that my anxiety is eating at me and killing the time I have left to get ready before he shows. Ash doesn’t seem the type to do uptight and formal, so I decide to go with my favorite skinny jeans, paired with a cute off the shoulder top with loose sleeves.
Simple is my mantra for the night. For my hair and makeup, also.
“Hello, sexy girl next door.” Lucia whistles, sweeping her gaze over me. “He’s definitely going to love that.”
I look down, wiping my sweaty palms over my thighs. “You think so?”
Why am I so nervous? It’s a date, an apology date at that. But why does it feel like so much more? There’s a chemistry between us. There’s no denying that. The way just thinking about him makes me feel is dangerous.
There’s a knock on the door and I startle. “Crap,” I hiss under my breath, ducking like he can see through our door. “Is it too late to change my mind?”
Inhale through my nose. Exhale out my mouth. Shoulders pulled back. I can do this. Nerves be damned.
But when I open the door, I’m completely unprepared for the sight. My mouth dries up. Air pushes out of my lungs. Heat licks its way through my body limb for limb and settles low in my stomach.
He’s drool-worthy. Dark-washed jeans with no holes. Dark blue button-down and a leather jacket—a fricking leather jacket! Hair styled up in a sexy messy way.
His lips curl in a devious grin as his icy blue eyes crawl over me. “Hey.”
“Hey.” The word rips from me on a breathy exhale.
“You ready?” How does he sound so calm?
“Yeah. Um, let me get my purse.” My words jumble out and make me sound like a bumbling idiot.
He cocks a brow, but before he can call me out on my blunder, my purse pops out from behind the door where Lucia hides.
Fanning herself, she mouths, “Holy shit.”
Tell me about it.
“Ready.” I nod and step out into the hallway, shutting the door behind me.
He shoves his hands into his jacket pockets and falls into step beside me. “You look gorgeous.” He reaches out and pushes the button to call for the elevator.
“Thanks. You clean up pretty well yourself.” God. I’m an idiot.
When the elevator doors close, I’m trapped with a sexy-smelling, confident hottie whose stare I’m unable to meet. I look everywhere but at him. The lighting of buttons. The floor. The tips of my shoes. The black scuff mark in the corner to my left. Anywhere but at him. I left my confidence lying on the floor of my closet apparently.