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Chapter 11
They sat for a little longer, enjoying their peaceful surroundings before making their way back to the trail. Drew couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. Never in a million years could he have imagined that a short hike to talk about an invitation to his family barbecue would result in Beth agreeing to go out on a date with him. And that kiss. Heaven help him, but he wanted more of those. Well, he wanted more, period, but he had confidence that it would come in time. He only had to be patient.
Beth walked quietly beside him as they wound their way back down the path that led to their cars. She seemed . . . pensive.
“Something wrong?”
She glanced over at him and then back up at the trees. “No. Just thinking.”
“About?”
There was a twinkle in her eye when she met his gaze this time. “I’m trying to decide how fast I want to take things with you versus how far . . . and fast . . . you’d want to go.”
Although she said it with a hint of levity, Drew knew she was being serious. They would need to talk about things if their relationship was changing. Given the BDSM aspect they both wanted, it would mean a more detailed conversation. “I’ll be honest. Other than the basics and what I’ve seen at the club, I don’t know much. And the more I do learn, the more I’m realizing most of what’s online is wrong.”
Beth nodded. “If you don’t know the specific sites to look for, you mostly end up with porn. It’s a bad example of what the lifestyle really is.”
He snorted. “That’s for sure. I was so nervous the first time I got up the courage to go to a munch.”
“It was nerve-racking for me as well, even though I didn’t go by myself.”
“Was it with . . . Ben?” he asked, almost afraid saying his name would somehow shatter the progress they’d made.
“Yes.”
They both grew quiet as they reached the top of the hill and stepped out onto the grass surrounding the parking area. He could see their vehicles parked side by side about thirty feet away. Soon they would be going their separate ways, and it was the last thing he wanted. Drew wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her yet. “Did you still want to catch a movie?”
Beth didn’t answer until they were in front of their cars. She shook her head. “I’m not really in a movie kind of mood anymore.”
“Hungry?” He didn’t want to sound desperate, but let’s face it—he kind of was.
She chuckled. “I could probably eat.”
“So could I. Would you care to join me? I know a place not far from here. We could ride together and I could bring you back to your vehicle when we’re done.” He paused. “Or you could follow me.”
After a moment’s consideration—Drew thought it was more to toy with him than anything else—she sashayed over to the passenger side of his vehicle. He grinned and went to unlock her door. Beth smiled a thank you, and then slid inside.
While he could cook for himself, he was no stranger to eating out. Being a bachelor meant he knew a lot about the local places to eat. For their date on Saturday, he planned to take her some place nice, but he figured he should keep it casual for tonight. This wasn’t a date. Or officially it wasn’t.
They pulled up in front of a small family-run restaurant, and he turned off the engine. “Ever been here before?”
She looked up at the sign. “I think so. But it’s been a while.”
After exiting the vehicle, they met around front before heading toward the entrance. As soon as they were through the door, an older lady greeted them. “Welcome. Two of you this evening?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Drew answered.
The hostess escorted them to a table along the wall and handed them menus.
Beth scanned the dining room and grinned. “I have been here before. I remember that green counter along the wall.”
He glanced over to see what Beth was referring to, and had to chuckle. Most of the décor in the place had been done in the seventies, including the mint green counter that separated the kitchen from the dining room. “I guess it doesn’t hurt business.”
She took in the other diners. “I guess not. You’d think it would, though. I mean mint green?”
Drew couldn’t argue with her. The décor was tacky at best.
