I watched her walk to the ladies’ room and was stunned by the affect that simple kiss had on me and also by her words. Who was this woman and how did she do that to me?
Joe looked at me as though he wasn’t happy about what had just transpired.
“What’s her story?”
Joe shook his head. “Don’t get any ideas. You hurt her and I will hurt you.”
I turned my full attention to the man in front of me.
“Why would I hurt her?”
Joe shrugged. “Never seen you around here before. If you’re passing through, or not planning on a simple life then that is not your girl.”
I was confused.
“I don’t understand.”
Joe said, “I’ll tell it to you simple. That girl is the light in this town. Everyone loves her and everyone protects her. She’s had a tough time of things and she almost didn’t rise out of the ashes of her past. Through the strength and courage she pulled from her depths, she made herself the woman she is today. No one in this town wants to see the woman she was before. I repeat, you hurt her and I will hurt you.”
I shook my head. “Understood, but she is one amazing and beautiful woman.”
Joe nodded in agreement then moved off about his business.
Lacie made her way out of the restroom heading toward the exit. I had two choices—stay where I was or follow her out to see what else there was to her. I damn sure didn’t want to sit here any longer looking at Joe.
I put money down on the bar and said, “I’m not going to hurt her. I promise.”
I stepped off the stool and went out the door behind her. I cleared the door then called out to her.
“Lacie.”
She stopped in front of a Jeep in the parking lot and turned to face me.
“I know self-defense so don’t get any ideas.”
She smiled at me as she said it.
I grinned at her. “Maybe you should use some of those moves on me because I don’t want this night to end.”
Lacie gave me a confused look.
“I don’t understand.”
I moved closer to her. I put my hand on her cheek then said, “I want to see you again. I don’t want this to be the last time I see you. I want that kiss on the cheek to be something more. I really want to take you out to dinner and ignore every damn phone call that comes in.”
Before she could move away, I moved in closer, my lips hovering just over hers.
“I’m going to kiss you, Lacie, unless you stop me right now.”
Lacie raised her eyes to mine. I looked for a reason to stop, only I didn’t see it. I dropped my lips to hers and softly kissed her lips—a simple meeting of lips, sweet, hot and over too quickly.
I pulled back slowly to look into her face.
“Will you go out to dinner with me, Lacie?”
Lacie looked at me as though she wasn’t sure what had just happened.
“I… ummmm… I… when?”
I wasn’t sure if that was agreement, or if it was confusion, but I was hoping for agreement.
“Whenever you’re free. Tomorrow?”
Lacie laughed. “Really? Tomorrow? You haven’t had a date in six months and you want to have one right away?”
I grinned. “I don’t want you to change your mind.”
Lacie shook her head.
“Tomorrow is Friday night. You sure you don’t have something better to do than hang out with me?”
I shook my head. “There is nothing I’d rather do than spend another night laughing with you and enjoying another meal together. What do you say?”
Lacie looked at me like I was crazy.
“I’m not a fancy girl. I doubt I’d fit into your lifestyle, Jackson.”
She turned to move away from me. I needed her to stop. I needed her to agree to see me again.
“Tell me you didn’t feel a spark at all tonight. Tell me you didn’t feel a connection to me and I’ll leave you alone.”
Lacie stopped, keeping her back to me. She didn’t move, and she didn’t say a word.
I moved up behind her. I put my hands on her shoulders.
“You can’t deny it, can you?”
Lacie shook her head.
“But, Jackson, that doesn’t mean this will work. I’m a small-town girl and you look like big-city business. I don’t have a place in your life. I try not to set myself up to fail. I’m not looking for any of this. I can’t, Jackson.”
Lacie tried to move from me, only I held on to her shoulders.
“If you don’t take a chance, you don’t know where that date could go. Isn’t that what you said about my last date?”
Lacie turned to face him. “That’s not what I said. Not exactly.”
I smiled at her, “No, not your exact words but you get the point. Take a chance, Lacie. Give me a chance. I feel like something brought us together here and I’m not ready to let it go. Tomorrow night, meet me here in the parking lot, or I’ll pick you up. Your call. Wear a dress, nothing fancy, and trust me to make it worth the risk.”
Lacie looked into my eyes. I placed my hand on her cheek again and she nodded.
“You can pick me up. Lord knows when you see my apartment you’ll understand why I say I don’t have a place in your life.”
She reached into her purse and pulled out a pen and paper. She wrote her address and phone number down and handed it to me.
I took the paper from her.
“You’re not going to regret this, Lacie. I promise. I’ll see you at seven thirty tomorrow night. Be prepared to be amazed.”
Lacie nodded, turning to get into her Jeep. She climbed into it, started it, then she looked at me. She gave me a tentative smile then waved as she pulled away.
I couldn’t believe my luck. This woman was incredible. There was something that just drew her to me. I couldn’t back away. I couldn’t just move forward and forget I ever met her. I needed more time with her. I needed to see where it could go.
Did she really think I was so shallow that I would consider her small town? Did she really think I was nothing but big city? I would have to prove her wrong. But how? I drove home, thinking the whole way how I could impress her on a date. A fancy restaurant would never suit her. Taking her back to The Tavern lacked imagination. I needed to sweep her off her feet. The only problem was I was way out of practice.
I arrived at home, still thinking about the woman who made me laugh. Not that she was overly funny, but funny in the simplest way. She just bluntly stated what she thought. She didn’t seem to hide her honesty. She wasn’t fake, and she seemed so genuine. No wonder Joe protected her. Hell, I wanted to protect her, and I’d just met her. She called herself small town, but I saw so much more to her.