A blush creep over my cheeks. “Thank you. You look very handsome yourself.”
“Oh, I know. I took at least ten selfies in the mirror before coming over here.”
He’s so ridiculous, but I’m grateful for the lightheartedness, because it’s felt like our last interactions have either been awkward or intense. I’ve missed this side of him, the fun side that I quickly started to become obsessed with.
“Ten seems excessive.”
“Five were with my shirt unbuttoned.”
The thought of Jason wearing his button-up and blazer with his jeans, but his shirt unbuttoned, staring into a mirror . . . good Lord, my legs tremble. I can see it, the ripple of his abs, the way his pants hang off his hips, only held up by his belt, the deep V in his sides.
I’m going to need to see those pictures and it must be written all over my face because Jason says, “Want me to send you one for the wallpaper of your phone?”
“Yes, I do.” Eager much?
“Damn right,” he says, snagging me by the waist and pulling me into his body. I shut the door and start to walk down the hallway but not before Jason tugs on me again, bringing me back into his reach. “Where’s my kiss?”
“Who’s to say you should get one right now? This is a date, after all.”
“You’re going to make me wait?” His brow lifts.
“Yeah, I am.”
“I can respect that. At least give me a hug.”
“That I can do.” He pulls me in and wraps his strong arms around me. Being held by this man is slowly becoming one of my favorite things. Who knew I loved hugs so much? Or maybe it’s just him.
“Thanks for saying yes to tonight,” he whispers. “I was nervous as shit to ask you.”
I pull away slightly so I can look him in the eyes. “I’ve been waiting, so I’m glad you asked.”
“Waiting? For how long?”
“Does it matter?”
He nods. “Yup, I want to know how long I’ve been blowing this.”
I stand on my toes and press a kiss to his jaw. “You haven’t been blowing this at all.”
“Do we need to review the texts from the other night?”
I chuckle and shake my head, placing my hand in his and walking toward the elevators.
“That won’t be necessary . . . I already reviewed them with Lindsay.”
“Come on.” He laughs and hugs me at the same time. This is only the start of our date and I already feel like I’m at the capacity of happiness. Can it really get any better than this?
It can.
It can get so much better.
Food in front of us, seated in a romantic booth, sitting across from each other, I can’t stop laughing.
I laugh so hard that I almost choke on my food.
I cough a few times and down some water before laughing again.
Jason just told me a story from his freshman year in college, his initiation. Let’s just say it required him dressing up in drag and trying to catch a chicken. You can fill in the rest. And because he’s the best date ever, he brought visuals with him, meaning, I saw him dressed in drag and despite being super muscular, he made for a very beautiful lady. Who knew his pecs could double as breasts, or that he would look better in a mini skirt than I do? It’s the ass . . . it made that skirt pop.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever get that visual out of my head, just so you know.”
“Uh-oh, did I just ruin my chances at bedding you?”
I pause, my glass of water halfway to my mouth. “Bedding? Are you an eighty-year-old? You can say fucking.”
“Bedding makes more of an impact.” In an English accent, he says, “I’m going to bed you, you witty wench.”
“You’re really not if you call me wench.”
“Have you or have you not been wench-like over the past week?”
“Excuse me?” I chuckle. “I have not been wenchy.”
“Oh, you’ve been wenchy.” He takes a bite of bread. “You’ve been really wenchy ever since I barged in on you trying to be romantic with a date. If a date is all you wanted, why didn’t you take it to begin with?”
“Honestly, because I didn’t think you were right for me despite having a crush on you.” Yes, I told him. And was suitably embarrassed for my stupid revelation. Although, it was really cute watching his face once he knew I’d crushed on him at college.
“Right for you?” He grows serious. “Why?”
“Because, there have been men in my life who’ve been just like you, fun and sweet, made me laugh.” I move my food around on my plate with my fork. “Very charismatic, but in the end, they were only trying to win me over because of my title, because of my family name, and because of what was in the bank. It had nothing to do with me and everything to do with the credit card I carried in my purse. You reminded me of those guys and learning from my mistakes, I decided to stay away.”
“So why the change of heart?”
I bite my bottom lip, contemplating if I should tell him about the Carltons, and the stupid things I said to them to save a deal. The truth is on the tip of my tongue, but then again, I really don’t want to ruin the night. It wasn’t really the Carltons that changed my mind. Yes, they gave me the push to pursue him, but it was his personality I couldn’t stay away from.
“You wore me down,” I answer, giving him the half-truth. “Your kind gestures, your apology to me after I lost it on you during the night of the broken enchiladas. You apologized to me when it should have been the other way around. You’ve been patient and kind with my mood swings. You don’t ever complain about my working late, but rather understand the hustle it takes to make something of yourself. Yes, your fun and outgoing attitude might have resembled those other men, but your character, your personality, your heart, they seem to be one of a kind. Plus”—I smile wickedly—“if you ever tried to screw me over, I know Knox would have a word with you.”
“Yeah, he would have more than a word with me. By the way, have you told Emory about this?”
“No.”
“Well, she probably knows.”
“Why?” I ask, staring him down.
“You see, I might have gone to Knox for advice on how to handle you.”
“How to handle me?” I ask, feeling slightly like a piece of meat.
He pacifies me with a pat to my hand. “Before you get in a tizzy, please consider what you just said, how you were hot and cold and weren’t sure if you wanted to date me. I got that sense too, and I needed advice. Knox knows you better than Carson, so I leaned on him. He told me to take things slow and be cautious. Given his advice, I’d assume he told Emory about us.”
“He’s a gossip and thrives off it. Of course, he told Emory, which only means one thing . . . Lindsay and Emory are probably talking about us as well.” Although, their radio silence is totally . . . not them. Hmm.
“Wow, isn’t that special? So many people talking about the beautiful connection we have. Touches your heart, doesn’t it?”
“Is that how this is going to be? Me being negative and you putting your Jason spin on it?”
“Doesn’t have to be. I can be grouchy too, especially when I have to buy toilet paper.”