Chapter 9

Blaine

All day, all I could think about was the date I had that night. I woke up early, earlier than usual, and paced the kitchen, playing out every scenario possible in my mind. Finally, after about an hour, I started to overwhelm myself, and I took a deep breath, deciding that a workout and then breakfast was my best option. I had installed a home gym a couple of years before, so working out was as simple as walking into the other room and jumping on the treadmill. I started out with a four-mile run and then moved over to the weight bench, feeling like I needed to really exert myself in order to feel better. By the time I was done, my arms were burning, but my mind had calmed. I jumped in the shower and washed the sweat from my body, making sure that I washed meticulously, just in case I was able to get Reese back to my place that night.

When I was done, I threw on some sweat pants and a t-shirt, clicking on the heat since it had gotten pretty cold outside and the penthouse was more than chilly. I cooked myself a healthy breakfast and then went about my day, forcing myself to do the normal work stuff I usually got done on the weekends from my home office. When it was time to start getting ready, my nerves reappeared, but I figured there was nothing that I could do about them at that point. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the mirror, putting the finishing touches on my suit and staring at myself.

If I stood there any longer, I was going to second-guess my choice of clothes, which was a strange feeling, considering I had been confident my entire life. I grabbed my overcoat and keys and headed out of the house, ready to get this date started. When the car pulled up in front of Tres Leche, Reese was standing at the archway to the restaurant, looking absolutely amazing.

Her dress was tight, hugging her curves all the way to just below her knees. It had a plunging neckline and a playful, but sexy, satin belt that tied into a bow at her side. Her hair was loose and curly, cascading over her shoulders, and she was standing in five-inch black heels, clutching a small black purse with her faux fur stole draped over her shoulders for warmth. She looked absolutely stunning, and it almost left me breathless, just watching her standing there.

I sat there for another moment trying to gather my thoughts, blown away by the beauty of this woman standing there waiting for me. Once I had gotten myself together, I stepped out of the car and onto the curb, straightening my jacket and smiling big at Reese. Her cheeks blushed, and she grasped her clutch tighter, turning her knuckles white. I walked over and leaned in, kissing her gently on the cheek and smelling the sweet scent of her perfume. She smelled like vanilla and lavender, and it made my heart beat faster. In fact, she looked so amazing that I couldn’t even start to think about taking her inside and not showing her off to the world.

“You look absolutely stunning,” I whispered.

“Thank you,” she said, smiling and blushing. “I hope I didn’t overdress.”

“No, and even if you did, I wouldn’t want you to change,” I said. “You left me breathless when I pulled up and saw you standing there.”

“You’re sweet,” she said, already relaxing a bit.

“In fact, and shoot me down if you aren’t into it, but I want to say screw dinner at this stuffy restaurant and let’s go out on the town,” I said, putting my arms out. “The night is young, and you look too stunning to sit in one place.”

“All right,” she said excitedly. “Let’s do it. We’ll have an adventure.”

“I love adventures,” I replied, hooking her arm into mine. “And I know just where to start.”

I led her back to the car and opened the door, smiling as she climbed inside. Once we were in, I gave the driver the address to the first place we were going, excited to have a date like this. I was never the kind of person to throw caution to the wind and just make it up as I went, but there was something about being with Reese that made it feel safe. I knew this city like the back of my hand, and I wanted to take her to the most exciting places, and all in one night.

We still needed to eat, since alcohol would be involved, but there was a much more exciting place than Tres Leche. I looked over at Reese and smiled, watching her look excitedly out the window as we passed by all the other people making their way through the streets. It was still early, and I had already worked out a plan in my head. I wanted to make her laugh, see her smile, and push her out of her comfort zones, giving her no choice but to look to me for support. I wanted her to lean on me, to open up to me, and to begin feeling more like we were a couple than two strangers getting to know each other. There was no better way than to dive straight in, and this adventure just might be one of the most important I had ever been on. This adventure might bring me the girl I never knew I was looking for.

We pulled up to a street corner and got out, looking across the street at a small café that had tables set up outside and heaters to nip the cold fall air. It wasn’t quite fall yet, but the weather had already turned, and that just meant I could pull her closer as the temperatures dropped. I took her hand and carefully crossed the street, signaling to the hostess that there would be two of us.

“So, we are starting our adventure at my favorite restaurant,” I said. “It isn’t fancy or expensive, but I have spent many hours here contemplating my life, decisions for business, and escaping the high-nosed stress of fine dining. It has really become a part of my history.”

She looked touched that I would bring her to my special dining spot, and in reality, I was struck by it as well, since I had never brought a date there. We ordered wine and ate and laughed as the sun began to set behind the buildings. Reese was enchanting in ways I had never seen in a woman, and I couldn’t wait to continue the evening. When we were done eating, I paid the bill and ushered her back to the car, giving my driver the address of the next place. It took about twenty minutes to get there, and I was surprised when she reached over and held my hand. When we pulled up out front, she tilted her head at me, surprised that we were standing in front of the wildlife building.

“I want you to meet someone,” I said. “We only have a few minutes because they close soon.”

“Okay.” She laughed.

We walked through the building, looking at the exhibits quickly as we passed. Finally, we came to a special room, and I led her inside. She covered her mouth and shook her head as I led her to the edge of a large sanctuary where a female gorilla stood, grooming a small baby gorilla.

“This is Eliza,” I said. “I’ve been coming here for a very long time to watch her. She was rescued from a dangerous situation and was unfit to go back into the wild, so they brought her here. That was a rescued baby whose mother was killed, and Eliza immediately took him in, treating him as her own. She is my favorite thing about the area. A little, not well known, golden treat to Philadelphia.”

“She is amazing,” Reese gasped. “I love her. This is very special. Thank you so much for bringing me here.”

When we left the sanctuary, Reese was relaxed and clung to my arm as we moved back out to the car. After that, we went to a club where we danced the night away, laughing and goofing off with each other like I had never done with a woman before. She made me feel young and free, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her. For the first time ever, I was enjoying the company of a woman without constantly thinking about how to get her back to my bed.

By the end of the night, we were both drunk, but not from alcohol, from the excitement and fun of the evening. In fact, as we made our way back to Reese’s car, I realized that neither of us had anything to drink after the wine at the restaurant. We had both just naturally opened up to one another without any aided intoxication. When we got to her car, I opened the door and walked over to it with her. She pulled out her keys and turned back to me, her eyes glistening in the city lights. She leaned up and kissed me gently on the cheek, falling back to her position and shaking her head.

“That was probably the most fun I’ve ever had in this city,” she gushed. “Thank you so much for such a lovely evening.”

I stared at her for a moment, trying to decide whether to invite her back to my place or not. I didn’t want to ruin such an amazing night by making her think it was all about sex, but I wasn’t ready to let her go yet. As if she could read my mind, her cheeks blushed, and she smiled.

“I’m not ready to come back to your place just yet,” she said kindly. “But I want you to know that you are definitely on the right track, and I don’t mean because you spent money or complimented me. I feel wonderful when I’m with you, like you’re not just a date, but a friend as well. Thank you for that. You don’t find men that often who are willing to just let go and be there with a girl without thinking about how to get her into bed.”

“You’re definitely the most interesting woman I have ever met,” I said, reaching down and taking her cheeks in my hands. “I can’t wait until the next time we see each other.”

I leaned down and gently pressed my lips against hers, feeling her shoulders relax and her body lean into me. When I pulled away, she kept her eyes closed for another minute before smiling and turning red. I chuckled at her reaction but knew exactly how she was feeling since my heart was beating out of my chest.

“Goodnight,” I said as I opened her car door and then closed it once she was carefully tucked inside.

I hopped back in my car and watched her pull off, feeling like I was on cloud nine. I could tell she was being very careful with intimacy, and that was okay with me. This girl had turned my world completely upside down, and I was more than okay with waiting until she was ready. I could already tell that no matter what we were doing together, every date was going to be an adventure from here on out. Just being by Reese’s side felt like an adventure.