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“I love the blue one,” Tori states. I glance at her through the mirror.
“Of course you do.”
She ruffles through my jewelry, ignoring me. “If it were me, I wouldn’t wear panties. One glance from him and they’ll melt right off, anyway.” I focus on the black bra and lace panties I’m wearing. Probably a little too direct to forgo the panties, but I chose the blue dress.
I step into the dress, shimmying my body into it. Tori comes up behind me, zips it up, and then holds up a pair of silver dangle earrings against my earlobes. “Have you ever been on a real date?”
“Ha-ha,” I snicker. “Yes. Just not anytime recently. I’m busy with school.”
“That’s what you continue to say.”
“I. Am.” Spinning with my hands on my hips, I glare at her. “Having a boyfriend complicates things. This is my last semester before I graduate. After that, I’ll worry about a relationship. And you know about my history. I… can’t yet.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “So, why did you accept this date?”
“I almost killed the guy. What choice did I have?”
She shakes her head at me, not believing a word I’m saying. There’s an attraction to the guy, but it doesn’t mean I’m ready for a relationship. It’s just a date. One. Date. My phone dings on my dresser and butterflies tickle my insides. He said he’d text me when he arrived. Tori reaches it before I do, waving it around, striding into the living room with it in her hand.
“Time to take a magic carpet ride, baby doll.”
I snatch the phone, laughing. “You’re a nerd.” She smiles wide, plopping down on my couch. “You going into work?” I ask while making certain everything I need is in my purse.
“Of course. What else do I have to do?” She sighs dramatically. I stop fiddling with my purse and peek up through my lashes.
“Yeah, your life is so monotonous.” She flashes a sly grin. It’s not boring at all. She has a boyfriend that takes her out on his yacht or flies her to random exotic destinations a couple of times a month for the weekends. I’m not jealous of Ben, or Mr. Silver as we call him, our nickname for him because he’s older than her by ten years and rich, but I am envious of what she does with him. I’ve lost count how many times he’s asked her to marry him. She loves him, but she likes her freedom too. He’ll need to strap her to a gurney to get her to the altar.
Tap tap tap. I smooth my dress, glance down to make sure my boobs aren’t sticking out and ask, “Do I look okay?” I shake out my hands, my nerves jumping into overdrive. Why am I so wound up?
“Stunning, Ell. Calm down. Like you said, it’s only a date.”
Taking a deep breath, I blow out my anxieties and open the door. Our eyes meet, and I can feel the thrum of my pulse as my heart picks up speed. His eyes work their way down my body, leaving a trail of heat.
“Wow,” he murmurs, his eyes blaze. “You look amazing.”
He’s only seen me in my work uniform, black shorts and a black tank, with Ocean’s sprawled across my boobs. My dark hair is loose and curled, unlike the bun it’s normally in. I even pulled out makeup which I normally don’t make time for between work and school.
I stop at the elevator and tilt my head in confusion as he keeps walking. Once he realizes I’m not by his side, he turns around. “Where’re you going?”
He flashes a boyish grin and shrugs. “I don’t do elevators.”
I glance at the mirrored doors and back at him. “Are you claustrophobic?” I’d be surprised if he said yes considering he was a SEAL.
His incredulous laugh confirms my thoughts that it’s crazy. “No. I don’t like to feel trapped in a box.”
“Isn’t that the definition of claustrophobia?”
He licks his bottom lip and it’s sexy as hell even though he didn’t mean for it to be. “It’s more about the loss of control than the confined space.”
I bob my head back and forth, kind of understanding. Although, not enough to make me take the stairs every day. I join him, walking down the six flights of stairs. I’m grateful we’re going down instead of up. That might be embarrassing.
He holds the door to the garage open for me, the smell of his cologne greets me as I pass. I close my eyes for a moment, reveling in the scent. I'm in so much trouble if his scent is getting to me. When he stops at a motorcycle - a beautiful black Harley - I peer down at my fitted dress and heels and glance back up to meet his uncertain expression.
“We don’t have—”
“I can go—”
We both say at the same moment. He chuckles and says, “We don’t need to take this, I’ll grab Cody’s car.”
