Blake rang her doorbell right on time for their date. Butterflies filled her stomach like this was a first date. She giggled inside. This was far from a first date.
She opened the door, and found tall, sexy Blake standing before her. He wore a gray button-down and black slacks sporting a black belt with a polished buckle. Very understated, yet oozing style at the same time. The clothes fit him like they were custom-made.
“Hi.”
“Hi. You look lovely,” he said as pressed a warm kiss on her cheek.
She’d grappled over what to wear, finally settling on a LBD—little black dress—with sleeves to cover the white bandage. She worried if she would be over-dressed.
“Thank you. And you look handsome.”
“I want to try a new place in Loveland. It’s supposed to get chilly tonight. Do you have a jacket?”
She nodded. “Yes. Be right back.” She scurried to her bedroom, grabbed her phone and shoved it into her little purse, and scooped up her jacket laying on the bed.
After a short drive, they arrived at a Mediterranean restaurant on the lake. They were shown to a corner table in the enclosed patio with an exceptional view of the lake. The moon and stars reflected off the water creating a sparkling glow. “Oh Blake, this is beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it. I heard good things about the place, so I thought we should give it a try.”
“Good call.”
“Here,” he pulled out a chair for her to sit, facing the water and then took the seat next to her.
Immediately, she felt his body heat warm the side of her. Being out on a date with Blake felt comfortable and familiar in one respect. Yet in another way, it felt new and exhilarating as both of them had changed since college. A healthy dose of giddiness running rampant in her veins. Admittedly she’d been thinking about their date the entire day. And there she sat, staring at the menu, trying her damnedest to read the words to make a decision about dinner.
She peered under her lashes at Blake. He studied the menu intently as well and shifted in his seat to get more comfortable.
The waiter emerged before she could say anything. “Evening folks. May I start you all with a drink?”
Blake’s eyes met his. “Yes. We’ll take a bottle of Cakebread Chardonnay, and let’s start with a shrimp appetizer.”
“Very well, sir.”
He remembered how much she liked white wine. And Cakebread made her practically orgasmic.
He set his menu down and faced her. “How’s your arm?”
“Healing nicely.”
His eyes glanced down briefly. “I’m sorry about that, Charlie.”
She covered his lips with her fingertips. “No apologies. I’m alright, and it’s no one’s fault. I’ll be fine.”
His lips curved, and he nodded.
They drank their wine and devoured the shrimp. She couldn’t help notice Blake seemed fidgety that night, in a way she’d never seen. Was he nervous? Clearly, he had something important on his mind.
He needed to find the words. He was stalling. The sooner he laid his cards on the table, the better. He licked his lips for the hundredth time. “Charlie, I need to talk to you.”
She looked up from her wineglass. Her eyes hardened on alert. “Okay.”
His heart raced like a jackrabbit. He wanted to be honest with Charlie, but not hurt her in the process.
“I’m leaving for Chicago in two weeks.”
“Right.”
“I want to see you, but . . .” Why was it so difficult to just spit it out?
“But you don’t see us having a long-term relationship,” she finished for him.
She knew. He let a breath. “Yes. It would complicate things. I live far away. I have a business there. You have your family here and a growing business. We . . .”
“I know.” She laid her hand over his forearm. “Our time has come and gone. I understand. I’m good with that. We have our own lives, in separate states. It’s good. So let’s just enjoy our time together now.” Her lips curved. It wasn’t a big smile, but it seemed sincere.
She understood. He should be relieved. And yet, his stomach turned hard as concrete at her words. Our time has come and gone. She was right. He knew it. They both knew it. They should enjoy the time they had together.
He forced a smile, lifted her hand, and kissed the back of it.
They drank the entire bottle of wine, which helped him to relax. The conversation rolled, and the evening was turning out better than he had expected. She laughed at his jokes, asked questions about his company, talked about her plans for her company. They ordered coffee and dessert and could have stayed longer.
“C’mon. It’s getting late. I should take you home.”
He held her hand the whole drive home, and she didn’t seem to mind one bit. He needed to be touching her. When he pulled into her driveway, all he could think about was touching her from head to toe. Every soft, sweet part of her body.
He’d berated himself earlier. That night would be different. They weren’t going to be fuck-buddies for two weeks. He wasn’t going to use her and skip town. No, that night he would be a gentleman. He would kiss her goodnight and leave her alone.
And maybe that’s why he held her hand. So he wouldn’t touch any part of those vastly appealing legs.
“Stay put.” He smiled. He exited the car and walked to her side to open her door.
“Thank you, kind sir.”
She clasped his hand, swung her legs out, and rose. He was overcome. He pulled her close and plunged his lips over hers. He swiped his tongue against her. He could still taste the chocolate on her from earlier. “I love this dress on you,” he breathed over her lips. “Your legs look good enough to eat.”
Her darkened eyes sparkled. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Would you like to come in?”
He was tempted. “Not tonight. I need to check on my grandma. Tomorrow. How about a movie?”
A smile quickly covered her disappointment. “Okay.”
He walked her to the door and unlocked it. “I’m trying to be a gentleman here, Charlie.”
“Okay,” she said as she coyly peered up at him with an innocent smile.
He pulled her close one last time to claim her soft mouth, teasing, longing for more. His hand stroked her thigh. She moaned, and that spurred his hand to move higher. She hadn’t worn stockings, and quickly he learned her ass was bare. He couldn’t help himself. He had to know if she wore panties. Bunching her short black dress as his hand reached up her round globe, he felt her skimpy lace confection.
“Fuck, you feel so good.”
He massaged and caressed her ass. She whimpered in his mouth. He should stop. His first two fingers slid under the thong to her mons and down her slit. She was so wet.
She wants you, said the devil on his shoulder.
No, walk away, said the angel.
He dipped a finger through her lips to her core. He lightly pressed a finger in up to the first knuckle. He broke the kiss, pulled out his finger, and slowly sucked his finger clean.
Her dark eyes widened at his action.
“Go inside, strip out of that dress, and fuck yourself with your vibrator. I want to go home and picture your luscious body, spread out on your bed, pleasuring yourself. Making yourself come. When that vibrator glides inside you, picture it’s my cock. Understand?”
Her precious red lips gaped. She nodded.
He stepped back, and waited for her to turn around and walk inside. When he heard the door lock, he returned to his SUV.
“Christ almighty,” he exhaled. He nearly hauled her inside, laid her down on the first flat surface he found, and fucked her until she screamed in ecstasy. He wanted her in the worst kind of way. But she wasn’t just some girl, and he didn’t want to treat her as such.
His cock was hard as granite. He shifted in his seat to get comfortable. He’d need to take care of this ache. Soon.
Charlie had done what he said. She undressed, lay on her bed, and used her vibrator. It took hardly any time for her to climax. When she was through, she texted him.
Satisfied, but only partially. I need another one.
He must have been doing something because his response took a few minutes.
Oh, no babe. The next one is mine.
She sighed.
She rose from her bed and went to her bathroom to ready herself for bed. Thoughts about their conversation over dinner trickled into her mind. She suspected he’d want to clear the air about not having a relationship, not wanting to complicate things between them. She understood that. She’d agreed to that. But she didn’t like it.
Of course, it made absolute sense. They lived over a thousand miles away from each other.
She felt tears pricking the backs of her eyes. She finally had Blake back. They were free from the black cloud of the past that hung over them for so long. And she wanted him in her life. Was she asking too much?
Back in Chicago, Blake had a thriving, successful business. She couldn’t ask him to give that up to move back to Colorado. She also had a successful business, and her family was here. She could leave no easier than he could.
She sighed and flipped off the light switch. Enjoy the time you have, Charlie.
Sure. Easier said than done.