Rose
“More eye shadow?”
“Less eye shadow,” Riley says. “He likes you the way you are. You probably don’t need any makeup really, but what fun would that be?”
“I can’t believe I’m getting ready.”
“And I can’t believe you ever considered not getting ready. Are you crazy?”
Maybe she’s right. Cristiano’s voice turns gravel to sand and his hands work magic. I can imagine that silky smooth deep voice of his and what he might say as he runs those incredible hands all over my body.
And his hands really are incredible. I’ve seen doctors work miracles before but that will go down in history. Not to mention the spark I felt when his hand touched mine.
But I don’t date doctors, right? Right?
I guess there are exceptions to every rule, but this sure is a big one.
If this goes bad or things heat up and then don’t work out then not only do I have to see this guy at work but also across the hall.
And I’ve already made a big enough fool of myself here at home. Turns out I was so frazzled the other night that I tried to park in his spot. I was on the wrong floor in the underground parking garage. It can be a maze sometimes, especially after working the amount of hours I have been this week.
Part of me is even surprised I’m upright. I should be using this time to catch up on some very much needed rest, but Riley convinced me otherwise. If I’m honest with myself maybe I didn’t need too much convincing in the first place.
And how weird is it that he has the exact same spot I do, just on a different floor? It has nothing to do with our units being in the penthouse. It was complete luck. Timing. When the old moved out the new came in, and we’re both new around here. More crazy luck, if luck is even the right word.
And as lucky as I feel, in some ways at least, that I’m going out tonight with such a desirable guy it’s actually Riley who reminds me that luck has nothing to do with it. She’s really encouraging me and telling me how beautiful I look. If she ever decides to take up self-confidence coaching for sure I’ll be her first client.
The sound of knuckles wrapping on the door three times in succession fills the room.
“It’s him,” I say.
“Wow, those hands of his must be thick to be able to put out a knock like that. Just imagine those thick fingers slowly moving inside—”
“The door!” I say, trying not to imagine that. I’m already feeling a bit wet at just the authority of his knock and the anticipation as we’ve been getting ready for near an hour now.
“Don’t worry. I’m not moving in. Just here to help,” Riley says as she opens the door to greet him.
“Not worried at all,” he says. “And this floor is ours and only ours.” I turn just in time to catch him wink at Riley. I’m glad that I saw that. His words were direct and if I didn’t see the wink I might, just might, have perceived it as a threat. But I know he’s not the kind of man to threaten a woman. It’s just that I’m not used to dealing with a real man. That’s what I’m quickly learning.
A man who knows what he wants and goes for it unabashedly. A man who says exactly what’s on his mind no matter who’s standing around. Nursing school didn’t exactly attract the most alpha of guys and most doctors are kind of clumsy nerds who try and project power but fail miserably. It’s like they think their title is the ultimate panty dropper. Gross.
But not Cristiano. And when you add in that authoritative voice, his height, and the way his body language never betrays him he really is the real deal. He’s the complete package.
And I’m trying to stay completely cool in his presence and I’m not exactly succeeding. Thankfully I caked on the deodorant, and even more so that it’s no show and doesn’t get cakey white like my last one did.
“You look incredibly beautiful,” he says as his eyes wander across my dress from head to toe and back up again.
“Thank you,” I say. The dress was a last second purchase on the way home from the Nordstrom Rack. I couldn’t believe they had it, and the one they had was in my size. I really am in luck today.
“Shall we?”
“We shall,” I say.
“Have fun kids!” Riley shouts as I step through the doorway of my four hundred and eighty-five square foot studio apartment and into the hallway. I can only imagine how big his apartment must be judging from the length of the hall. Not to mention he has a city view. Me? I’d be stuck with a landfill in the distance if I even had a window at all.
He offers me his arm right away. I’m thankful he doesn’t make me stumble around in these heels first before being a gentleman. I’m certainly not used to wearing them. I spend a majority of my life in Crocs, which suddenly seem like something completely different from the world I find myself in now. Heels a dress and going out on a real date with a doctor, and more importantly one I find attractive and am interested in.
I’m not going to lie, it’s nice that he has money, or that he appears to. But that’s nothing more than icing on the cake. Regardless of the amount of people on Tinder and Seeking Arrangement and all those other sugar baby and sugar daddy websites I do still believe in true love, and one and only one partner. That’s what true love is about…finding your one and only soul mate.
And I plan on taking the first step towards uncovering what makes him tick tonight.
I grasp a hold of the fine wool that makes up his suit jacket and pull myself just a bit closer. I don’t want to be too aggressive, but the smell of his cologne reminds me of the forest I use to play in as a kid. The ones that seemed to just suck me right in, even when my mother reminded me there could be bears lurking out there.
But he’s no bear. He’s a wolf. But the scent is the same and I find myself quickly being sucked right in.
And just like when I was a girl, I’m ready to see if it’s really dangerous or not.