Page 12 of Can't Take Moore
“You’re the first,” he quipped, his lips curving into a cocky grin.
“I haven’t said that I’d go out with you on a date yet,” I pointed out, even though I knew that I was close to it.
“But you will.”
4
Dean
Five days—and several phone and text conversations—later, I was turning into Vienna’s driveway again. Only this time, I was there to pick her up for our first date.
When she’d seemed torn about accepting my invitation, it reminded me of what Baxter had shared about her saying that she wasn’t in a position to start a relationship. Since she hadn’t brought it up with me herself, I’d refrained from asking what she’d meant. But that hadn’t stopped me from chipping away at the reasons she had given me for why we shouldn’t go out until she’d finally said yes this morning.
I’d never been one to let the grass grow under my feet, and I wasn’t about to start with her. So when she’d replied to my last message to say that it sounded as though she needed to visit the Italian bistro that I’d been telling her about, I told her that I could take her there for dinner tonight. The surge of relief I’d felt when she’d shot back a text telling me to pick her up at six had been surprising in its intensity, letting me know that my gorgeous client had gotten further under my skin than I’d realized.
This was further proven when I walked up her steps and she opened the door before I had the chance to knock. I was five minutes early and hadn’t expected her to be ready yet, but she took my breath away.
The fitted top and flared bottom of her dress accentuated her curves, and her heels—which brought her eye to eye with me—did fantastic things to her legs. Her long brown hair was pulled back from her face in a barrette with the rest hanging down her back. She’d gone light on the makeup, emphasizing her wide brown eyes with mascara and her full lips with gloss. But that was all she needed to blow me away with her beauty. “You look amazing.”
“Thanks.” Her lips curved as her gaze swept down my body. “You don’t look half-bad yourself.”
My closet was full of suits since I often wore them for work, but I had caught a lucky break because I’d just gotten my favorite back from the cleaners. “Faint praise, but I’ll take it coming from you.”
After turning to grab her purse and sliding the strap over her shoulder, she gestured for me to move back so she could step outside. As she locked the door, she muttered, “I have a feeling you know exactly how good you look in that suit. You don’t need confirmation from me.”
“Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like it,” I teased, settling my hand on her lower back before we walked down her porch steps together.
She sent me a sideways glance. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Thanks.” I laughed and shook my head, surprised by how much I enjoyed the way she kept me on my toes.
Her answering giggle broke off when I stopped at the passenger side of my car to open the door for her. “You’re such a gentleman.”
As I rounded the car, I gave thanks for the cut of my dress pants. If they hadn't hidden how hard I was just from resting my palm on her lower back, she wouldn’t have thought I was a gentleman.
I’d never had such a strong reaction to someone before, which was what had gotten me to ignore my rule about mixing business and pleasure in the first place. And our age difference.
“When you meet my mom, you can vouch for my manners. She’ll be happy to know that I turned out to be the gentleman she tried making me.”
“Meet your mom?” she echoed, turning in her seat to gape at me as I started the engine. “Do I need to remind you that we’re only a few minutes into our first date?”
“I’m well aware this is the first time I’m taking you out.” I reversed down her driveway and onto the street. “But I don’t think you’ve realized just how small Mooreville can be. You’re bound to bump into her sooner or later.”
“Oh, right.” Her cheeks filled with a pretty pink blush.
“The gossip mill is strong, too. She’ll know exactly who you are.”
She let out a small sigh. “I suppose she will.”
“She’ll probably hear about our date before our drinks are brought to the table,” I added, enjoying how flustered she was getting.
“I can’t remember ever starting a date out like this.”
I didn’t like thinking about her with other guys. At all.
My teeth were clenched so tight, my jaw hurt. There was a burning sensation in my chest. My knuckles were white from how hard I was gripping the steering wheel. Something about Vienna Frost brought out a side to me that I never knew had existed. Jealousy.
“Then again, I’m not even sure when the last time I was even on a date.”
