“I think that comes with being a mom. We have a way of knowing when something’s going on, both good and bad.” She laughed and added, “In this case, it’s something good, right?”
“Right, Mom. I pulled my head out of the sand and realized that not pursuing Caitlyn just because she lived in the same building didn’t make any sense. As you said, I was passing up something amazing. And I don’t want to live my life constantly worried about the what-ifs.”
“Hallelujah! I’m glad to hear you say that, Griffin. So, when will I be able to meet her?”
“Tell you what, Mom, let me and Caitlyn have a chance to see how this is going first.”
“That’s probably a good idea. I’ll let you go and have fun.”
He disconnected and glanced at the time. Shoving his phone into his pocket, he headed across the hall. His knuckles had barely met the wood of Caitlyn’s door when it swung open. All thoughts of a suave greeting fled as his gaze landed on the beauty standing in front of him.
Her black hair fell in waves about her face and over her shoulders. Her makeup was a little heavier than what she usually wore, making her blue eyes appear even more brilliant and her pink lips begging to be kissed. Her curves were wrapped in a deep blue dress, fitted at the top with a hint of cleavage showing, then swirling out over her hips and thighs, ending just above her knees. And as his gaze continued downward, he feasted on her long legs, ending at her black heels, a little cut-out where her pink toenails could be seen.
Each part of her was gorgeous, but the entire package altogether was breathtaking. Dragging his gaze back up to her face, he was surprised to see the uncertainty in her eyes. “Babe…” He knew there was more he needed to say, but her beauty had his tongue tied.
She looked down and swiped at her skirt as though to brush away an imaginary wrinkle before lifting her chin. “Is it okay?”
Stepping forward, he tried not to rush as he enveloped her in his embrace. “Oh, hell, babe, I’m speechless. I know there are all sorts of things I should be telling you, like how gorgeous you are, how beautiful your dress is, how perfect you look, but I swear I can’t think of anything that would begin to express how bowled over I am right now.”
Laughing, she wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed. “That was a pretty damn good speech for someone who’s speechless. In fact, I’ve never received a better compliment in my life.”
He held her close, cupped her face, and bent to gently kiss her lips, careful to not smudge her lip gloss even when the bubblegum taste hit his tongue. Stepping back, he sucked in a deep breath through his nose and let it out slowly, willing the blood to stop rushing from his head to his dick. Clearing his throat, he smiled down at her. “We need to leave so that we can start this formal date. If we keep standing here much longer, the only place we’re going is your bedroom, and that is not the kind of date you deserve.”
She laughed and turned to the small table next to the door. She picked up a small purse, locked her door, dropped the keys into her purse, and slid the thin strap over her shoulder. “Then let’s go, because I’m excited to go on a real date with you!”
They headed toward the Inner Harbor, parking along one of the side streets. Jogging around the front of his truck, he opened her door and assisted her down. “I made a reservation at the Pier Restaurant.”
They’d already begun walking toward the harbor, hands linked, when she jerked to a stop and looked up. “Griffin! I haven’t been there in ages. They had the best seafood.”
“To be honest, I tried to make a reservation at the Harbor Emporium, but they were already filled.”
“No, no,” she said, shaking her head emphatically. “The Harbor Emporium is super fancy but also super-expensive. And, to be honest, you pay a lot of money for a meager portion. Granted, I’ve only been there once, but I’d so much rather go to the Pier Restaurant. There, I can order what I want, eat to excess, and enjoy your company without worrying if I’m spilling something on my dress.”
Her words hit him, and he breathed a sigh of relief. When he wasn’t able to get reservations at the fancier restaurant, he debated where to take her. He wanted their date to be memorable, but looking down at her wide smile as they continued walking along the harbor, he realized that any date with her would be memorable.
When they got to the restaurant, there was a line out the door with a hostess standing near a small podium. Bypassing the line, they were able to go straight in since he’d made a reservation. As they followed the next hostess to their table, Caitlyn leaned in, pressing close. “Good job on making a reservation. I had no idea they’d be so crowded!”
They were led to a table in the corner of the restaurant that jutted out over the water. Glancing around, he knew it had to be one of the best views in the restaurant.
They looked over the menus after giving their drink order to the server. He glanced up to see Caitlyn studying the menu closely, her nose scrunched. Christ, she’s cute. When she finally looked up and saw him grinning, she scrunched her nose even more.
“What are you smiling at?”
“You. You’re studying that menu like you’re going to be quizzed on it later. And yet, you’ve got the most adorable look on your face.”
“It’s because everything sounds so amazing. Sometimes, it’s easier in a restaurant when they only have one or two things that I like. Of course, that rarely happens because I like to eat almost anything! But a place like this? Holy moly, this is going to be a hard choice.”
“Well, they’ve got some great platters that include a lot of different things.”
Her eyes twinkled in the candlelight as her smile widened. “I know!” She sighed and rolled her eyes. “You know, we really can’t call this a first date because that will totally ruin what I order and eat.”
His chin jerked back as his head tilted. “What? Why?”
“Because if this was a first date, I’d order something small. Not a salad… I’m not one of those women who want to make you think that’s all I eat. But I definitely wouldn’t go big. But, if you agree that this is at least our third date, then I think I’ll get the broiled seafood platter and a baked potato.”
Laughing, he nodded. “Fine, fine. This is our third date.”
She clapped her hands right as the server came back and asked if they were ready to order. Looking up, she nodded. “Absolutely!”
He settled back in his seat after they ordered and relaxed. She was right. This was not a first date with the typical first date nerves and wondering if he was going to click with the person or end up wishing he’d stayed home watching TV alone instead. Glancing around the restaurant, he noticed several men’s gazes on her, but she was blissfully unaware as she stared out the window over the harbor with a delighted expression on her face.
“Oh, look! It’s the pirates!” she exclaimed, drawing his attention to where she was pointing. A tourist boat was in the water and another smaller boat with costumed pirates was racing around, calling out for the tourists to walk the plank.
Chuckling, he leaned forward and admitted, “I never got to ride one of those boats, but when we were kids, Mom would let us take the water taxis and go from one side of the harbor to the other. It was no-frills but cheaper.” For a second, he wondered if admitting to his more impoverished childhood was the right thing to do.