Chapter 7

Blaine

From the time I woke up that morning until the time I looked over at the clock in the evening, I had Reese on my brain. I wasn’t the kind of guy that chased after a woman, especially if she wasn’t interested in seeing me in the first place, but this girl was different. There was something about her that really intrigued me and made me want to know more. Not only was she sexy as hell but she was awkward in a way that made me feel like there was someone really amazing underneath that shy persona. That, or she was a complete idiot that didn’t know how to talk to people, although I couldn’t see Caroline being friends with someone like that.

I could feel the nerves rising in my stomach, and I felt completely out of my element. I was always in control of my emotions and actions, but with the time drawing closer, I could feel myself losing that control and replacing it with nerves. I felt like I was on trial, like I was the one who had to go in and prove myself, but instead of being angry about that fact, I was nervous, desperately wanting her to loosen up around me. She was intimidating but not in the normal way a woman could be, but instead, in a fragile way that made me pause my normal routine with women.

I looked over at the clock and realized it was getting late. I needed to wrap things up at the office. I saved the files that I was working on and closed them out. It was the first time I had ever put a woman before my work, and although it made me nervous, there was no way I was missing this date over a few unfinished files tonight. I closed down my computer and stood up, straightening the cuffs on my shirt before pulling my jacket over my shoulders. I walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows in my office and looked out at the lights of Philadelphia, wondering what Reese was thinking in that moment, wondering if she was just as nervous as I was. I thought about the different dates I had been on in the past, and I still couldn’t think of one that gave me as much trouble as this one was.

I took in a deep breath and walked over to the door, making sure I had my wallet and keys before flipping off the light and heading for the elevator. The office was empty since everyone else had left over an hour before. I always worked late and was used to the silence of the building, but this time, my heart was beating in my ears. I climbed into the elevator and took it to the lobby where I waved at the security guards as I passed. Outside, a car was waiting for me like usual, and I climbed inside, giving them the instructions on where I wanted to go. As we drove along the crowded streets, I looked out the window at the people making their way home. I couldn’t deny that it felt good to be leaving work to meet this girl. Being alone was tiring after a while.

As we rounded the corner to the block where the restaurant was, my stomach did flips, wondering if she would be there already or if I would have a chance to order some wine beforehand. We pulled up out front, and the valet opened my door, nodding his head as I climbed out. I walked up to the doors of the restaurant as the hostess opened them and smiled kindly at me. When I got inside, I looked around the old warehouse that had been renovated into an upscale, new age restaurant. My eyes fell on my beautiful blonde date, sitting at the bar. I told the waitress we were ready for the table before walking over and putting my hand on her back.

“Hey there,” I said, smiling. “Sorry I’m late. Work was busy.”

She smiled. “You’re not. I’m just always early to everything.”

“You look beautiful.” I smiled, staring down at her short black dress and high heels. “Shall we?”

She nodded her head and followed me to the table. I pulled out her chair and pushed it in as she sat. I crossed over to my seat and sat down, ordering a bottle of wine from the server and letting out a deep breath. I looked across the table at Reese who was sitting quietly, her hands in her lap, and looking all around the restaurant.

“This is a cool place,” she said. “I like how they reused old warehouses instead of building new buildings.”

“Yeah,” I replied. “I really like what they’ve done with the older areas. They have spruced them up and given them an artsy appeal. I was hoping you would like this place when I suggested it.”

“It’s very cool,” she said, smiling. “So, Blaine, tell me about yourself.”

“Well, I own a tech company, Butler Technologies, and I—”

“Wait, you own Butler Technologies?”

I laughed. “Yes. I usually don’t tell people that because of that exact response.”

She blushed. “I’m sorry. It just took me by surprise. Please, go on.”

“That’s about it,” I said, chuckling. “I work constantly. Work is my life.”

“How did you meet Caleb?” Reese asked.

“We grew up together at the boys’ prep school that we attended in Lancaster,” I replied. “We’ve been in and out of trouble with each other for a very long time.”

“That sounds like me and Leena, my best friend,” she said, laughing. “We’ve been best friends since I met her at a summer art camp years ago, and she is a trip.”

“What do you do for fun?” I asked.

“Well, I’m pretty quiet and reserved,” she said sweetly. “When I’m not working, I like to just relax. Sometimes, I take a trip to the country to see the scenery, and sometimes, I just lay around the house watching movies and bonding with my fleece blanket.”

“That sounds amazing,” I replied, smiling. “To just lay there and not have anyone bother you. I would give anything for that.”

“So, do it,” she said. “Turn off your phone and just do it. You would be surprised how many things can wait until you’ve had a mental health break.”

“That sounds good in theory,” I said, laughing. “But I can see people knocking down my front door if I don’t answer the calls.”

We continued our conversation, laughing at the little things that were so different but so familiar between the two of us. As the wine flowed and our tongues loosened, Reese began to relax, and I could see that she was having a good time. She talked to me about her life, her best friend, and her family, all which sounded incredibly similar to mine, just on a smaller level. She was gorgeous, and every time she laughed, her smile just completely brought me to my knees. I didn’t know what was happening to me, but I couldn’t imagine being around anyone else at that moment.

We ate dinner but skipped the dessert, the time ticking by quickly. We finished up the bottle of wine, and I called for the check, knowing what I wanted to ask next. I had never been in a situation like this before, where the girl I was with on a date had completely captivated me. Reese was interesting. She talked smoothly and calmly, but there was an awkwardness to her that I found endearing and mysterious. I knew there was a lot more to this girl than what I had seen there at dinner, and I wanted to find out what it was. I wanted to know everything about this girl that I could, including what her body felt like in my arms.

I paid the check, and we stood up, my body telling me how long I had been sitting in that chair. Dinner had definitely transformed into the longest date I had ever been on that didn’t include us rolling around naked in my bed. The crazy thing was, I didn’t want it to end. I could have sat there all night listening to her talk about her life, her dreams of traveling, and what she loved about Philadelphia. This had definitely turned into something more than what I thought it was going to be, and I was happy about that. I walked Reese outside and turned to her, smiling.

“Would you like to come back to my place and have another drink?” I asked, hoping the answer would be yes. “I don’t live far from here.”

“Oh, um, I can’t tonight,” she said, hailing a cab. “I have to go to work in the morning, and I need to be getting home. But thank you so much for this date. It’s been really lovely and surprising.”

She leaned forward and kissed me gently on the cheek, lingering for several moments. I could feel the heat surging through both of us, and I wanted to reach out and kiss her deeply, but I refrained. She was tender and fragile in a way, and I didn’t want to scare her off after getting her to loosen up as much as she had tonight. I didn’t know what to say to the fact that she didn’t jump at coming to my house, so I stood there, watching her blush.

“Thank you for agreeing to have dinner with me,” I replied, slightly disappointed.

She climbed into a cab right after pressing her warm lips to my cheek once again, and she disappeared into the city traffic. The valet had already contacted my driver, who was sitting in front of me with the car, waiting for me to climb inside. To say that I was slightly disoriented by the way the date had ended would be an understatement. No one ever said “no” to coming back to my place. Then again, Reese was not your typical girl, and her turning me down no longer made me feel like I had no chance. She was so intriguing and mysterious, and I wanted to know more and more about her.

I climbed into the backseat of the car and watched as my driver shut the door. I pictured her sitting next to me. To my surprise, the image of her in my head didn’t show her next to me for one time only. I imagined her by my side like it was part of a normal routine. We weren’t even dating at this point, but I was starting to feel comfortable with the idea of being around her on a regular basis. I didn’t know what this girl had done to me, but there was no way that I was going to be able to leave her alone after this night together. She had enchanted me with just how real she truly was, and I knew that I had to continue to try to get her in my life… and my bed.

I sat back in the seat as the lights of the city passed me by and we came closer and closer to my penthouse. My imagination raged, thinking about her body, the way she moved, and how she had no preconceived notions or personal agendas. She just presented herself exactly as she was. She was sexy, grounded, and sweet, and I could tell she had a total heart of gold. It was completely blowing my mind how much I was into this girl, but instead of running away, I was dead set on keeping her firmly in my life. Still, I knew none of my normal tactics would work. I knew that I would have to learn to bend and move if I wanted to get her to stay.

When I got to my penthouse, I went upstairs and sat down on the couch, looking down at the remote. I flipped on the television and found a movie, smiling at myself for taking the time to relax. Reese was already affecting me in a positive way, and there was no way I was going to let this girl get away.