Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Ainsley

Skirt, pants, dress?

I'm too nervous to decide what to wear.

This should be an easy ride. I continue prepping myself for the date. I like him. He likes me. We both want to discover where this attraction can lead us.But I'm not ready. In fifteen minutes, my doorbell will ring. I better hurry. I refuse to head to my date dressed as is—in only panties and a bra.

Settling on a peach-colored shirt, a pair of skinny jeans, and my favorite gladiator sandals with a one-inch heel, I hurry. I apply a coat of makeup: mascara, blush, and a light shade of orange lipstick.

The bell rings at six o'clock sharp. My heart threatens to come out through my throat.

This is your friend, Mason . I repeat the phrase each step of the way until I come face-to-face with my door. When I open it, there he is. Wait, where are his jeans? My brain screams as I scan him from bottom to top. He's wearing a dark pair of slacks, dress shoes, and a black jacket over a button-down black shirt with the first three open.

"Approve?" he questions as his gaze repeats the same head-to-toe inspection. "You look… breathtaking." He takes my hand and twirls me around.

The heat in my cheeks comes out before my thank you. This is your friend, Mase , one more time for courage. You know him, you'll be fine .

"Ready?"

I nod several times before snatching my purse from the coatrack next to the door. He pulls the door shut behind us, and I lock it, then push the remote to activate the burglary alarm.

"Have I mentioned you look smoking hot?" he asks, and I flush. "There, I like when you turn a shade of pink."

"You clean up nice, Bradley." I don't want to turn a couple of shades darker and refrain from calling him astoundingly hot.

He laughs and places his large hand on the small of my back. Of course, as I try to climb down the three steps of the porch, I step on a pebble and my ankle twists. Without grace, I stumble, and he catches me before I kiss the ground.

"Are you okay?"

I nod.

"Overthinking?" he states the obvious in the form of a question.

"Yeah," I exhale. "My mind is going through the typical questions. Will there be a first date kiss, more dates? What if we suck?"

He arches a brow, then laughs. "Relax. When it's time to worry about that first kiss"—he gives me a look— "Which we already got out of the way. I'll give you a heads-up so you can freak out."

I pretend to smooth my clothing, regulating my breathing.

He grins, grabs me by the waist, and presses his lips against mine.

His mouth moves against mine. His hands massage my neck. My senses switch to overdrive as my body starts to ache and warmth gathers between my thighs, my chest, and my belly. My lips open as the kiss deepens. A gasp escapes me as his tongue starts exploring.

I come unhinged with just this kiss.

Bed. Now.

I won't. My body might be ready, but my mind isn't. That mere thought makes me pull back, smoothly maneuvering from the grasp his mouth, body, and arms have over me.

Big mistake. I'm aching, itching. Needing him.

"The first kiss of the night is taken care of," he manages to speak between shallow breaths. "The rest should be an easy ride."

I tilt my head, and automatically my lips part slightly. He's working hard to control his panting. This may end up being the death of me.

The trendy restaurant in the heart of downtown Seattle is an Argentinean steakhouse. Dim lighting with candles on each table and classical guitar music flowing from speakers create a romantic ambience.

"Do you think movie night might be a good second date?" Mason whispers in my ear as we wait for the hostess to seat us. The pit of my stomach clenches, and those quivery parts are back in action.

"We're not even finished with the first date, Mase." I toss my head back and our eyes connect. His steel-like eyes twinkle. "What if we flunk this one?"

He laughs loudly. The hostess calls us, and we follow her to a table in the corner of the restaurant, close to the fireplace.

"I hope it's to your satisfaction, sir." The hostess places the menus on top of the plates as Mason pulls out the chair for me.

"Yes, thank you." Mason's eyes shine as he looks at me.

I might be falling in love with him.

"We have to agree on the next date, Ainse," he says after placing the napkin on his lap. "Before you decide to ditch me. Maybe I won't kiss you tonight and leave you hanging."

"Newsflash, you already kissed me," I remind him. "Having some early signs of dementia there?"

"No, that was the date's first kiss," he clarifies while taking my hand and kissing my knuckles. "I'm talking about the goodnight kiss when I drop you at your door."

I frown because I want that one, too. Maybe two of those before he drops me off.

"You're the one holding all the cards here, Nine. If I don't watch out, you're going to be calling the shots for the rest of my life."

Rest of his life? My lips spread into a big smile. My heart does a celebratory dance. He's thinking long-term.

"Our soup of the day is gazpacho," the server says. Why do they constantly interrupt? It's as if they have some kind of device that tells them when it's the worst moment to introduce themselves and disrupt the conversation of the patrons. "We recommend the empanadas for starters and the seafood platter. If you have any questions, please call me. I'm Manolo."

Instead of French bread, they bring miniature warm cheese rolls to the table. I break a tiny piece and nibble on it. The soft cheese inside of the bread melts like butter on my tongue. Mmm, just like Mase's earlier kiss.

We order wine, not that I plan on drinking much, and ask for the buffet. They'll bring cuts of meat to the table. That allows me to try more from what this place has to offer. Mason thinks of everything, and maybe this could be the beginning of something more significant than a friend teaching the other how to date.

We only have glasses with tap water, but Mason raises his. "To brighter dates and deeper kisses."

I love that he's looking forward to more and even though I'm nervous, I'm also hopeful about the future.

But can this be more than just a dating game?