I’ve never been as excited about anything as I am about taking Sophie out on our date. I’ve never taken a girl on a proper date. Before Sophie, I thought I never would. As I press the doorbell, I realize I forgot to bring flowers.
The door opens and I’m surprised to see Sophie dressed for the Harley. She looks incredible in her black blouse and tight skinny jeans, it’s just not what I expected. I imagined her wearing something similar to what she wore on her date with BMW boy.
She looks me up and down, evidently as surprised by my appearance as I am by hers. Tonight I’ve ditched my cut. I even bought a new outfit for our date, dark wash jeans, a long sleeve gray shirt, and new boots.
“I wasn’t going to make you ride the bike tonight,” I say.
She looks down at her outfit. “Is this not appropriate? I can change.”
“You look amazing, but I don’t want you to think you always have to dress for the bike.”
She exhales, noticeably relieved. “Rooter, you hate being in cars. Of course I dressed to be on the bike.”
“This is our first date. I’d be happy to take my truck.”
“I like riding with you on your bike.”
She really is the girl of my dreams. “You are too good to be true.”
“No cut?” she asks as I lead her to my garage to get the Harley.
“Not tonight.”
“It wouldn’t bother me.”
I turn to face her. “That’s not why I chose not to wear it.” Feeling a little off my game, I swallow. “Sophie, there’s more to who I am than the Club. Tonight I just want to be a guy on a date with his girl.”
She smiles. “As long as you aren’t doing it for me. I don’t have that kind of expectation.”
Of course she doesn’t. This girl never ceases to amaze me. I place my helmet on her head and fasten it. “We need to get you a helmet of your own.”
Her eyes light up and she bounces on her toes. “So, where are you taking me?”
I shake my head and grin, unable to hide my excitement. “Have to wait and see.”
Sophie climbs onto the Harley behind me and wraps her arms around my waist. Just as I’m about to start the engine, she leans in to my neck in breathes in. My heart jumps at the unexpected show of affection. It feels incredible, her being this close, holding on to me.
Forty-five minutes later, we pull up to our destination—my aunt Pam’s beachfront cottage. It’s just like the pictures you see in magazines of beach-side living. High ceilings, light, beachy furnishings, dark floors, and tons of windows. If I had to guess, the place is easily worth a million bucks, but the setting is what’s truly phenomenal. It’s the reason I asked Pam to let me borrow it for the evening. The look on her face when I asked was priceless. She stared at me with big eyes and asked, “Did I hear you right?” She, like everyone else, considered me the consummate bachelor.
When we get off the bike, Sophie fusses with her hair, but I’m eager to show her what’s waiting for us. I tell her it’s perfect and take her by the hand.
I open the front door of the cottage and step aside to let Sophie enter first.
Her eyes are wide and her mouth hangs open as she takes in our surroundings. “Wow.”
I tug her hand. “Come.”
I escort her through the living room to the French doors that lead to the backyard to reveal my surprise. A beach-side candlelit dinner. Aunt Pam put out her best china and finest crystal and I draped the pergola in white curtains and red roses. Romantic music streams through the outdoor speakers.
“Rooter, this is…” Sophie starts, but pauses. “There are no words for what this is.”
Her reaction is exactly what I was hoping for. I place a kiss on her hand. “I’m glad you like it.”
“I more than like it. I’ve never…” her voice cracks and her eyes glisten as though she might cry.
Even though they’re happy tears, I pull her close. “I want to give you the things you deserve, Sophie.” I tilt her face up by her chin so I can see her eyes. “This is what you deserve.”
Her voice is barely more than a whisper, “Rooter, please kiss me.”
I lean in close. “I’m going to kiss you Sophie.”
She stares at me with pleading eyes and sucks in a breath, waiting for me to follow through.
I hover close and speak in a hushed yet determined tone. “I’m going to kiss you like you’ve never been kissed in your life. Like you’ll never be kissed by anyone else ever again.” Her lips part in anticipation, but I pull away with a smirk. “But not until the end of our date.”
She gasps. “That’s cruel.”
“Anticipation makes it better.” I wink, still smirking.
“I’ve been anticipating it for a year, a few more hours can’t possibly make a difference.” Her face turns bright red at her admission.
“Have you now?” I mock.
“I—I…” She stutters and looks away.
I chuckle at her sweetness. “I’ve been anticipating it for three,” I admit and turn her face to mine. “Stalker, remember?”
“I remember.”
Taking her by the hand, I guide her to the candlelit table that awaits us. After helping Sophie into her chair, I take my seat and wave for Pam who I know is watching from inside the house. She has agreed to be our server tonight.
“What will you be drinking tonight?” Aunt Pam asks once she reaches us.
Sophie glances my way, her forehead wrinkled. This is obviously someone’s home, not a restaurant. She could ask for any kind of soda, beer or mixed drink and we’d probably have it. I went all out for tonight wanting to make sure we’d have whatever she might want.
“I’ll have a Corona,” I say to my aunt and turn to Sophie. “You like whiskey and beer, right?”
“Yes.” Surprised, she blinks and her mouths parts a little.
“I had them stock Jack Daniels for tonight.” I know it’s her favorite. “Have you tried Corona?”
She nods and looks to Pam. “I’ll have Jack on the rocks and an ice water, please.”
“Sure thing,” Pam says and leaves to retrieve our drinks.
Sophie tilts her head to the side and smiles. “You really are something else.”
“What?” I play dumb.
A moment later, Pam reappears with our drinks in hand. “Would you like to order now or do you need a few minutes?”
Sophie pulls her eyebrows together in confusion before noticing the menu placed in front of her. As she reads, her eyes go wide. All three of the menu options are her favorite meals. I really do know a lot about her. Things I shouldn’t know at this stage in our relationship.
“Give us a few minutes,” I say to Aunt Pam.
“Wave when you’re ready,” she says before going back into the cottage.
“Just how close of attention have you been paying?” Sophie asks.
I shrug as though knowing so much about her isn’t at all strange and inappropriate.
Sophie brings the glass of Jack to her lips for a sip. She closes her eyes and lets the whiskey linger on her tongue a moment. “Thank you, Rooter. This is perfect.”
“I aim to please,” I say with a wink.
“Mission accomplished.” She winks back and it might be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
Sophie looks around, taking in our surroundings. Her hair blows in the breeze and she closes her eyes, leans back and inhales.
As breathtaking as our view is, it’s nothing compared to her. I can’t take my eyes off her. I could sit and watch her for hours. Days even. I’ve never been as happy as I am in this moment. Seeing the smile on Sophie’s face and knowing I’ve put it there makes me feel like a king.
“Can I ask you a question?” she asks, her tone serious.
“Of course.” I sit up straight and ready myself for whatever she might ask.
“What about the blonde? Are you two still together?”
That’s not quite what I was expecting. I thought she was going to ask about my life in the Club or something of that nature. Regardless, I’m prepared to be one hundred percent honest with her. “We were never together, Sophie. That should’ve never happened.”
“She stayed at your house while you were gone and then with you. I’ve never seen any other girl at your house before, so I must assume you’ve known her a while.”
She really has been paying attention if she noticed that I don’t bring women to my house. I can see how that’d make her think my thing with Candace was more than it was. “I’ve known Candace a while, but we were never in a relationship. It was just…” I stop mid-sentence, cringing over the fact that I’m talking about sex with another woman while on my first date with Sophie.
“Sex,” she finishes the sentence for me.
I close my eyes and cringe again. “Yeah, but it’s done, Sophie. You have nothing to worry about.”
She says nothing.
Her unsettled expression sends me into panic mode. “Sophie,” I wrap my hand around hers. “I’m not the kind of guy you need to worry about. I’d never hurt you.”
She opens her mouth to speak, but closes it abruptly and shakes her head. “Never mind.”
I scoot my chair closer to hers. “No. Say it. I need to know what you’re thinking.”
She opens her mouth and closes it again and takes large gulp of her whiskey. “I can’t.”
No, no, no. Whatever it is, I need to know so I can reassure her. I won’t have her worried that she can’t trust me. “Well, you have to because I won’t let this go until you say it.”
“I don’t want to ruin this.” She motions at our romantic setting.
“You won’t ruin it,” I assert. “Sophie, I want you to always be honest with me. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
She stares into my eyes intently as though she’s trying to read me. Finally, she speaks. “She and I are nothing alike. If that’s the sort of thing you go for, how can you possibly be attracted to me?”
Oh, God no. Please don’t think that, Baby. “Sophie that’s not the sort of thing I go for. She was just… available.”
She recoils from my choice of words, but there was no other way to put it. I want her to know, without a shadow of a doubt, that Candace is not, never was, and never will be what I want. It was just sex. It meant absolutely nothing.
“I don’t know how I feel about that.”
The disappointment in her eyes scares me. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been so honest. “Sophie, you must believe me. I have never wanted anyone the way I want you. Tonight is a case in point. I have never dated. Ever. You make me want things I’ve never wanted.”
Her mouth drops. “Never dated? How old are you?”
“Twenty-five, and no, not even in high school.”
She blinks. “How do you go twenty-five years without dating?”
“I was never interested in relationships,” I answer honestly once again and hope she can handle it.
“Oh.” She finishes her whiskey.
“Like I said, you make me want things I’ve never wanted. I want to date you.” I shake my head because that isn’t right. I want so much more. “No. I want to make you mine.”
“Why me?” she asks in a soft, disbelieving voice.
“Because you are unlike anyone I have ever met,” I shift forward in my seat. “You’re everything I never knew I always wanted. And I knew it the moment I first laid eyes on you.”
Sophie gasps and raises a hand to her chest. “I feel the same way.”