She laughed, and I adored the way a flush stole across her face. It highlighted her prettiness. “Yep. Gimme your clothes, Colin. I want you naked.”
I had to admit hearing her say that made my cock twitch.
“Not the date I had planned. I’m sorry.”
“We’ll improvise a little. Now, get out of those clothes, and I’ll toss them in the fast cycle. We’ll be back on track before you know it.”
“Great.”
Miranda
I was finding it hard to believe that Colin Preston was in my apartment—never mind naked in my shower. I carefully rinsed off the pretty flowers he had brought, arranging them in a vase. It was a lovely gesture, although, given what I knew of Colin so far, not surprising. From the moment we met, I sensed he was different. He was kind to everyone in the hospital. Friendly. His patients loved him. The staff admired him. A few of the females admired him far too much, in fact. Not that I could blame them. He was tall, with broad shoulders, sandy hair, and warm blue eyes. His hands were large, with long fingers, and strong. I felt his strength when he held my hand, yet his touch was careful and gentle. Much the same way as when he examined a patient.
I wondered if his patients felt the same warmth steal up their arm after he touched them, or if it was only me.
A sudden burst of curse words came from the bathroom, and I glanced down the hall, wondering what was wrong. It was strange to hear him so vocal and swearing.
He opened the bathroom door and appeared in the doorway.
“I think my sister took the wrong bag.”
I took in his appearance and then had to bite my lip and turn away.
“Are you laughing?”
“No,” I mumbled, busying myself with the flowers.
“You are. You’re laughing.”
I couldn’t help it. I began to chuckle, then the laughter burst forth. “Oh, Colin.”
He was wearing a pink t-shirt that was so snug, I could count his abs. And see them since it ended above his midriff. The arms were stretched to the limit, the seams already fraying as he dragged a hand through his hair.
It was the yoga pants that did me in. They were so tight, they looked painted on. They showed everything. The muscles in his thighs, his strong calves. The fact that he was circumcised. And packing a lot of heat. I was pretty certain he was uncomfortable. I felt myself flush.
“Sorry,” he muttered. “It was come out in this or the towel. It didn’t hide much.”
“Neither do those pants,” I replied, then clapped a hand over my mouth.
He glanced down, and I discovered what Colin looked like embarrassed.
Two slashes of crimson streaked across his cheeks. The tips of his ears turned red. And he bit the inside of his cheek. He was adorable. There was no other word for it.
I handed him a glass of wine. “I think you need this.”
He smirked as he took the glass from me. “You have no idea.”
We headed to the sofa, and I sat down. Colin bent to join me, the sound of material rending loud in the apartment. He looked at me, startled.
“Was that you?” he asked hopefully.
“No, ah, I think you just blew out the yoga pants.”
He sat down and lifted his arm to rub the back of his neck. The T-shirt sleeve tore loudly, and I had to cover my mouth to stop the laughter.
He shut his eyes. “God help me, this date is a disaster, isn’t it?”
I giggled. “Well, I’m thinking about how you’re going to explain to your sister about the torn pants and shirt.”
He sighed and leaned back into the cushions. He turned his head and winked, the humor of the entire situation too much to ignore. “She should be grateful I didn’t try to wear her thong.”
Then we were both laughing.
Colin
I sat back with a grateful sigh. Once my clothes were dry, we proceeded with our date. The restaurant I took her to was close to her place, so when I was dressed in my clothes again, we headed out. She had told me she loved Italian food, so Nonna’s was the perfect choice. Family-run, small, and romantic, it was a great place to take her.
Miranda had been a revelation all night. Sweet and helpful when she saw the disheveled mess I was. Funny and amazing when I walked out in my sister’s clothing. She wasn’t at all upset over the delay in our date. We sat sipping wine until my clothes were dry and we could leave. She even offered to just order in pizza and stay there, but I wanted to take her out.
We walked to Nonna’s, enjoying the slightly milder temperatures but avoiding getting too close to the road. She teased me about not having a sister and being a cross-dresser. In turn, I teased her back about a quirk I had quickly discovered about her. She had two cats, both of whom came to inspect me. Their names were Shakespeare and Keats. She confessed she named all her cats, even those her parents had, after poets. When I questioned the fact that one was a female, she shrugged. “They have no idea.” She made me laugh.
All night had been easy and fun. I genuinely liked her. She was warm and open. Intelligent and kind. She spoke her mind but was thoughtful at the same time. It was a rare combination.
I glanced at my watch, noting it was still only nine, even with the delay in our date starting.
“Feel like a little drive?” I asked. “I know a great place for cappuccino and cheesecake. It’s not far away.”
“Cheesecake? You just said the magic word, Colin. Take me, I’m yours.”
Then she blushed, and I chuckled. I couldn’t help leaning over and pressing my lips to her cheek. “First, you get me naked. And now, you’re mine? As first dates go, this one is getting better every moment.”
We headed back to where I’d parked the car, and I opened her door, waiting for her to slide in. I headed to the driver’s side and started the car. Cold air billowed from the vents, and I adjusted the heat. “It’ll warm up in a moment. There’s an extra set of mitts in the glove box if your hands are cold.”
She opened the glove box, a strange look crossing her face. She didn’t say anything but pulled out the mitts and slipped them on. She glanced around the car, doing a double take when she spied something on the back seat. Then she stared straight ahead, her body language tense.
“Maybe you should take me home.”
“Excuse me?” I asked, shocked. “I thought we were having a good time.”
“We were.”
I pulled into the parking lot of Bits of Heaven and parked the car. “Talk to me.”
She shook her head. “Saying the woman’s clothing is your sister’s is one thing, but the rest, Colin?” At my confused look, she opened the glove box and pulled out a long strip of condoms. From the back seat, she grabbed a pair of strappy high heels. Hanging from one glittery strap was a lacy thigh high.
“I think you need to clean out your car from one date to the next. I’m really not interested in being a conquest.” She stared out the window, muttering under her breath. “I thought you were different.”
I shut my eyes and groaned. “God, I wish Nan were here.”
“What?”
I turned to her in the car. “She could explain Jennifer better than I can. My sister was here for a visit. She lives in Europe, and I was taking her to the airport. In typical Jen fashion, she was late and disorganized. She realized she needed something from her suitcase and climbed into the back seat while I was driving and dug around to find it in her carry-on. That pair of heels must have fallen out, and I never noticed. She left her duffel, which is black like mine, in the trunk, which means she has my bag with a pair of sweats and a shirt that is far too big, instead. Or it might have a dress shirt and pants. I can’t remember what was in it.” I huffed out a sigh. “As for the condoms, she’s single and enjoys her, ah, freedom. She had them in her purse, and before she got out of the car, she must have thrown them in the glove box. She told me she left me a bonus. I never looked.” I took Miranda’s hand. “My sister is like a hurricane—she blows in and out of here fast, often leaving a path of destruction behind her. She once forgot to turn off the tap at Dad’s before she left and flooded the guest bathroom. I love her, but she’s a scatterbrain.” I waited until she met my eyes. “I’m not playing you, Miranda. I like you too much for that. And my last date was over a month ago.” I offered her a smile. “I could call my Nan, and she would verify Jen for you if it would make you feel better.”