Chapter 7

JADE

After another busy shopping day, I hoist the heavy grocery bags into my personal rolling cart and slam the trunk closed. I decided to stock up on produce this week and the bags are too heavy for me to carry all at once. The cart makes getting the groceries inside ten times easier since I refuse to make multiple trips out to my car. I lock the doors and put my keys and phone into my purse before pushing the cart across the street to my building.

I manage to push the cart up the ramp and as soon as I’m about to reach for the door, I hear a man’s voice from behind me.

“Let me get that for you.”

I turn to the voice of the helpful stranger, my mouth poised to thank him, when I quickly realize I’m face to face with the rude Peeping Tom from the other day.

“Get away from me or I’ll scream,” I say.

He releases the door and holds up his hands defensively as he takes a couple of steps backwards.

“Whoa, I come in peace. Just give me a chance to explain before you haul off screaming bloody murder,” he says.

I roll my eyes and fold my arms across my chest. The half grin on his face makes me want to punch him. I’m pissed off and he’s grinning at me like an idiot, a sexy idiot.

“A chance? You had a chance to explain the other day and you waved off your crime like it was nothing.”

His smile fades a little as he tightens his face into a scowl. “Crime? I didn’t commit a crime, it was just a misunderstanding. You stormed off before I had a chance to explain.”

I decide to fish around in my purse and grab my keys. I have a tiny bottle of pepper spray on the keyring… just in case.

“What’s to explain? Watching someone undress, without their knowledge is a crime. In fact, I should report you.”

He closes his eyes and sighs. I can’t help but notice the musky scent of his cologne saturating the air. I’m trying to focus, but he smells so damn good.

“Listen, let’s start over. I’ve been waiting for you all day to clear up this issue between us.”

I shuffle nervously from one foot to the other. “What do you mean you’ve been waiting for me all day?”

The playful, yet sexy grin spreads across his face again. “I temporarily work and live over here and once you mentioned the window incident, I just used the process of elimination to figure out where you live. Of course, I don’t know which condo is yours, which is why I decided to wait outside hoping to catch you.”

“Oh,” I say, fumbling with my keys.

His cool demeanor is unsettling and attractive at the same time. I take my time soaking in and analyzing every part of his appearance. His slacks are dark gray and custom fit. The button-down crisp white shirt he’s wearing is tucked neatly into his waistband. The top button of his shirt is undone, giving him more of a relaxed look. Despite his plain-looking outfit to the untrained eye, I’ve spent enough time around Magdalene and Heath to know what expensive looks like.

“Now about this whole telescope thing. Yes, I have a room full of telescopes, and they may be pointed in your direction, but I wasn’t spying on you.”

I raise my eyebrow and tilt my head to the side. He laughs again revealing straight white teeth.

“I’m telling the truth,” he says. “Scout’s honor. Besides, I’m pretty sure I’d remember seeing a beautiful woman undress.”

I feel my skin flush in reaction to the compliment. He’s coming off a lot less creepy, but I’m not completely convinced.

“You mentioned staying in the area temporarily. Why is that?” I ask.

He runs his fingers through his dark hair and sighs again. “Long story short, I’m doing some research and it requires me to be hands on.”

“Oh,” I say, ready to bring this conversation to an end. “Well, from now on make sure your telescopes aren’t pointing into my freaking window or I really will call the cops on you. If you’ll excuse me, I have to get going.”

I reach for the door handle again, but he beats me to it.

“I still detect a little bit of anger in your voice,” he says. “Allow me to take you to dinner as my way of apologizing. I seriously don’t like you thinking I would do something so dishonest. I think if you get to know me a little bit, you’ll see where I’m coming from.”

I look him over from head to toe, sizing him up. His explanation of the window incident sounds sincere, and his eyes appear to be honest. I’m still a little creeped out by the whole thing, but there’s something about this man pulling me in.

“Please,” he adds. “I really want to make it up to you. And just so you know, I don’t give up easily.” He flashes another toothy grin and the familiar throb between my thighs makes its presence known.

There’s no denying my reluctant attraction to the man, and I momentarily wrestle with the idea of saying yes. Surely dinner won’t hurt anything.

“Okay,” I say finally. “I have some free time tomorrow night, we can go to dinner then.”

“Perfect,” he says, opening the door to the lobby as he motions for me to go ahead. “I’ll walk you to the elevator.”

I nod and start to roll the cart forward, but he grabs it with his other hand.

“I’ll get the cart, you just go ahead,” he says.

Well, that’s an unexpected but rather gentlemanly move.

“Okay,” I say, trying to hide the smile pulling at the corners of my mouth.

We reach the elevator and I push the “up” button.

“So, dinner tomorrow night at around seven o’clock sound good to you?” he asks.

“Yes,” I say, reaching for the cart. “Thanks, I’ll take this now.”

He nods, takes a step back and shoves his hands in his pockets. The move makes him look nervous, which is a relief to me. The moment is brief, but I like seeing him appear not so confident and in control. The elevator reaches the lobby and dings loudly before the doors slide open.

I roll the cart inside, and turn around to face him before pushing the button for my floor.

“I’m Asher Jordan by the way,” he says as the doors start to close.

“Jade Sinclair,” I say, hoping he heard me.

I smile the entire ride up to my floor. I step out of the elevator and make my way inside the condo. The place is still dark, an obvious sign Magdalene hasn’t returned home with Jacob yet. Once every other week, Magdalene, Jacob and Heath get together for a little family time, or rather, a little Heath and Jacob time.

I lean against the door and exhale.

I have a date tomorrow.

Granted, the circumstances for how the date came about fall under the not-so-normal end of the dating spectrum. But still, I’m both excited and nervous at the same time. It’s been forever since I’ve gone out, let alone out with a handsome guy. A handsome guy who is now on my radar to be on the lookout for.

Asher.

Even his name is sounds sexy. Not only is he attractive, but he’s charming too. I’m positive his charm is the main reason I even agreed to go on the date. Something about him makes me want to know more.

“Shit,” I say. “I should have asked him which restaurant he wanted to go to, so I can know the dress code.”

I quickly brainstorm the outfit options in my closet collecting dust. This is one of those times I wish Magdalene and I were the same size, so I’d have something to borrow. I’m overthinking this date. This is just a casual dinner… a casual dinner with a sexy guy.

To be fair, Asher didn’t explicitly mention this being a date anyway. This is just an “I apologize for accidentally making you think I was watching you get naked” dinner. I’m sure I have something in my closet that will be appropriate.

I push my little grocery cart to the kitchen and start unloading and organizing the food on the counter. I consider pulling out my phone and telling Rachel all about my date and everything else that has happened, but I decide against it. Knowing her, she’ll ask a million questions and I’m not ready to be interrogated just yet about a guy I don’t know.