Chapter 2
JEWELS
One year later
I can’t believe I let my cousin Mandy convince me to go on a double date with her. I’m fine in the big city by myself. Her words to me were, “You can’t sit inside all day by yourself. I can’t be your only friend.”
She didn’t take my response that I would go get a dog very well, so here I am.
Sneaking a peek at my watch, I see he’s late, leaving me at the table with Mandy and her boyfriend, Kent.
I already sucked back two Cokes and am tempted to order a drink to see if they card me. He better be hot, I tell myself. I focus my eyes on the table to be sure they don’t stare at the entryway.
A sharp kick to my calf brings me out of my thoughts, my deep blue eyes immediately fly up and over to where I had been so focused on not looking. My eyes lock onto him. I don’t know how I know it’s him but I do. And man he’s fine. I can’t help but lick my lips in appreciation. I feel mesmerized, as if I’m physically unable to stop my appraisal of him. It should be a sin to be this good-looking.
Everything about him screams he’s a woman magnet, from his perfectly tailored outfit to his dark, clean-cut hair, to his chiseled, clean-shaven jaw and smoldering dark brown eyes. Now I wish I had a drink in my hands. Somehow, my body begins to feel my brain’s scrutiny over eye fucking this stranger; I force myself to look back at the table. Trying to shrug off the effect he already seems to have on me.
Taking a seat by me, he greets Mandy and Kent. I wait for him to turn his attention to me but it doesn’t happen. Just great, he’s one of those guys. Fighting off an eye roll, I let my manners shine through instead. “Hi, I’m Jewels.” I try using my sweet vixen voice in hopes I might have the same effect on him as he does to me right now. I see the look on my cousin’s face and shrug impassively before my attention turns back to him. She knows I never go by Jewels only my nickname, Ruby. New town, new start, new name, I figure.
His smile is captivating. “Sorry, where are my manners? I’m Tyson Bennett.” His voice has a low, sexy rumble to it, making him even sexier.
I instantly forgive his rudeness and give him another chance.
The waitress comes to our table just then, her attention solely on Tyson. Seeing how everyone’s dressed, I wish I had known this was a nicer place; I feel underdressed in my jeans and T-shirt. I try not to squirm in my seat as a wave of discomfort washes over me. I now wish I had taken Mandy’s advice and picked something from her closet. The dress the waitress is wearing is perfect and I can’t help but wish I were the one wearing it. It is a simple black dress, formfitting, and has a triangular cutout on either side that exposes her skin, creating an understated sexiness.
Bringing myself back to the conversation, I hear him say, “And she will get a Bellini.” I hold my breath for her to deny him but it doesn’t come. Maybe this is the perk of hanging with older friends.
As soon as she leaves he places his arm around the top of my chair, whispering into my ear, “You look very nice tonight.” Up until this point I found him quite charming, but the textbook dating protocol is a turnoff. Especially knowing I don’t deserve the compliment based on how I’m dressed compared to everyone else here.
I give him my sexy smirk. At least the one Trevor used to say was sexy. “Thank you. You look very dashing.” And he does. He is wearing longer dark gray dress shorts with a thin, geometric patterned sweater in shades of blue. It is tight and delicious. I instantly begin to wonder what he looks like underneath it all. Would he have that rancher body with strong arms, or is he more of a six-pack guy? Either way, that shirt makes him look like he has it all.
“Are you from around here?” he asks with slight amusement dancing in his chocolate eyes. I mentally scold myself for drooling over him before returning to my checklist. Despite his initial rudeness, I give him points for trying to get to know me. I try not to judge myself that I am starting to go through my own checklist of date musts. Having a year in the big city, with knowing almost no one, I have had time to make my list as I read through a mountain of romance books. So far he has checked off two of my must haves.
“No. From Three Rivers. It’s a super small town where everyone is famous for at least one moment in their lifetime.” I let out a low laugh; trying to play down how true my comment is, yet also hating how the last remark slipped off my tongue without warning.
He chuckles, leaning in to lower his voice. “When was your moment?”
My breath freezes, but I recover fast. “I was lucky, it didn’t happen until I finished high school.” Needing to steer this conversation away from my disclosure, I ask, “How do you know Mandy and Kent?”
“I went to high school with Kent.” He looks in Kent’s direction but he and Mandy have drifted off into their own conversation. It’s like we are no longer at the table with them. I love that they seem to be laughing with each other, nuzzling into each other, and whispering into each other’s ears in their own private world. I want that someday.
“What type of music do you like?” He keeps eye contact with me, sending shivers down my spine. Trevor was never this attentive. I have no idea why I was so scared to go on this blind date. I now wish I hadn’t made Mandy tag along with me. I’m a big girl, I have this.
“Country, and you?” I turn my body into him, allowing us to talk in front of each other rather than beside.
He laughs, moving his arm so that it is now touching me. “Of course it is.”
“What’s wrong with that?” I ask, enjoying the comfortable banter between us.
Tilting his head, he gives me a look but ignores my question. I can’t define the look, but whatever it is it makes me feel warm and happy. “Rock.”
Just then the waitress comes back, ruining our moment. “Are you ready to order?”
He moves his arm back to the top of my chair, making me wish that he would put it back against my neck, then turns his attention to the waitress.
Gesturing to me, he responds, “She will have the steak, medium, with baked potatoes, fully loaded, and Caesar salad. I will have the same.”
Hold up! Did he just order for me? My cheeks puff out, letting out a breath. Yep, that just happened, like I have no voice.
“Medium rare, please,” I interject, feeling annoyed that he had the gall to order for me. Strike one.
He continues our conversation like nothing just happened. “How long are you planning on staying in the city?”
“Forever,” I answer honestly. I have no intention of ever going back. “I’ve outgrown Three Rivers.”
Our conversation ceases when the waitress comes back to our table to refill Mandy’s wine. It’s impossible not to notice her beautiful body as she stretches across the table.
“Your dress is beautiful,” Tyson compliments, having her turn and smile at him. Which is a very nice compliment if he were talking to me, not some other girl on our date. She giggles and thanks him then reaches over to top up Kent’s wine, elongating her torso beautifully right in front of us.
That is when I see his hand start to come up, pausing before moving to rest on the glass in front of him. I can’t help but look at him and then to the waitress. Do they know each other?
Turning her eyes back to Tyson, she gives him a sexy fuck me look. The one I wish I could master. Instead, I look like I’m just drooling and in need of help. Damn those romance books! Anyway, strike two.
Rolling my eyes, I inhale the rest of my Bellini that is now liquid and not slush because I have wasted my time with talking to him.
Looking around the dimly lit lounge, it looks like the women that come here don’t actually eat. Only lettuce. Even Mandy. She needs to get back to her ranch roots and have a bloody steak. Anyway, not the point.
Mandy and Kent finally begin to acknowledge our presence. “Who’s your celebrity crush, Jewels,” Mandy asks me out of nowhere, putting me on the spot. Is this the type of question I want to answer on a first date? I turn more toward the table so I can look at Mandy.
“I don’t know, Scott Eastwood. I liked him in The Longest Ride.”
“He was so good in that movie!” She turns to Kent. “We should watch that when we get home.”
Our meals come out looking mouth-watering good. I can’t wait to try this steak; it has been a good few months since I have had one. My measly paycheck doesn’t afford me the opportunity to splurge often.
Taking our first bites of our perfectly cooked steaks, the conversation of celebrities continues.
Out of nowhere, but must have been inspired by our celebrity-centered conversation, Tyson says, “I hate skinny girls.”
Say what? Strike three.
Now I would like to say that I’m thin, not stick model, but I am not fat. My upper thighs have always touched. I never knew other people’s didn’t until social media. I would like to consider myself a size five or seven, but it depends on the brand. Sometimes it’s a nine. I exercise, love food, but try to eat a well-balanced meal most days. I can’t say no to chocolate. It’s a love affair we have had since I can remember.
Did I mention I had not eaten all day and am starving? So I do the first thing that comes to mind, I reach over to his plate and take the remaining half of his baked potato, fixings and all.
The look I’m rewarded with is priceless and full of confusion. I shrug like it’s nothing. “You did say you don’t like skinny girls.” Then I dig into that bacon, sour cream, and cheese-topped carb goodness. It is delicious. I can even hear myself moan over how good it tastes.
*
TYSON
Fuck, did I really just say what I did? It came out all wrong.
The way her mouth wraps around a huge chunk of my potato has me mesmerized. Those lips are plump and sexy as hell. I can feel my pants tightening as I think about what they would feel like.
She takes another bite and I can’t help but think she is honestly the most beautiful girl—no, woman—I have ever seen.
The way she is moaning and licking her lips with each bite she takes has my dick twitching. I could sit and watch her eat every day. It is refreshing to be around someone who is so real, down-to-earth, and not afraid to call it as she sees it.
I mentally kick myself. I started out so smooth. Then the more she talked the more flustered I became. What the fuck was with that?
Throughout the rest of our evening I try to recover but it seems all is lost. At best I get an irritated smirk. The bill comes and I announce, “I have this,” while reaching for the table’s tab. I feel it is the least I can do. I can’t help but flash my fancy credit card, hoping to buy her attention back on me. Her death glare doesn’t escape me. This girl is confusing, chicks usually dig this shit.
Despite giving her my best look that says I’m interested, Jewels looks bored and unimpressed. I can’t help but rake her body over with my eyes. She’s not looking anyway; I can’t do more harm than I already have. Her body is perfect; she has the perfect amount of curves. Just enough to hold onto when staking my claim in the bedroom. Her hair is nothing like I’ve seen before. It’s a shimmery golden blonde with light red highlights. It’s thick and I want to give it a little yank to elongate that swan neck so I can taste that flawless cream skin. Typically, by this point of an evening, my date would be wrapped around my arm, hoping that I will ask them for a nightcap. Instead, Jewels has her chair as far away from me as possible, her legs pointed in the opposite direction.
We all get up and I try to lead her out of the opaque lounge by placing my hand on the small of her back. I have an urge to touch her, and I can’t help but try to lessen the space between us. To my dismay she keeps her stride two steps ahead of mine, my fingers barely able to brush against her.
Like a gentleman, I walk her right to Kent’s truck. Mandy and Kent stay a few feet ahead of us, even with Jewels keeping a steady pace. Then Mandy stops right in her tracks, Jewels practically runs her over, taking half of Mandy’s shoe off as she trips over her stationary cousin. I have to muffle my chuckle as I reach out to Jewels to help her from not falling onto the dirty parking lot.
“I forgot my purse!” Mandy tells Kent, who looks to me and gives me a knowing smile. “Come with me to get it.” The two turn to go back into the restaurant, leaving Jewels and me alone. Jewels has no time to protest as she straightens up, shaking my arm off of her.
“You’re welcome.” I grin, knowing she won’t be thanking me for saving her.
The truck is only a few feet from us and I smile bigger knowing she has to make small talk to me. I can’t help but stare at her pouting lips. I want to nibble on them.
“Tell me,” she begins, and I’m surprised she is initiating the conversation, “how do your dates normally go?”
“Well, for starters, I would be driving them home at the end of the night.” I lean into her, trying to show her that I am flirting. Opening the back door, I try to show her that I can be chivalrous. Hoping it will sweeten her up.
She leans back into me; I think I’m starting to get my magic back again. “And that’s all, you would just take her home?” Her head is tilted looking at me, and those eyes are fucking stunning.
I place my hand at her lower back. “Now, that part is always up to her.” I wink, as I rub my hand across that smooth skin that peekaboos from her shirt hem.
“And that’s what I thought.” She hops in the truck and begins to do up her seatbelt.
What just happened here?
“Tyson Bennett, I think you are too much of a player for me.”
I have no time to respond before she closes the door, almost taking me out with it.