Easy For Keeps

“No,” she says and shakes her head. “Kurt loved you, but he’d want you to be happy, Sarah. He’d want you to live your life. You can’t be a nun forever.”

“I’m not a nun,” I counter, but she keeps going.

“Besides, I set you up with someone last year. Granted, it was horrible, and I apologize, but I wouldn’t set you up if I had issues with you dating.”

“It was terrible,” I reply with a laugh, remembering the date she set me up with last year in Miami. I couldn’t get home fast enough. “But, to be fair, I wasn’t ready to date yet either.”

“You’re so ready,” Becca says. “And I’ve got things covered here if you decide to, you know, sleep over.”

“I will not be sleeping over,” I say emphatically, but she just grins.

“I’m just saying.”

The doorbell rings and Hailey runs out of the bedroom but knows better than to open the door.

“Okay, I think I’m ready.”

Becca takes in my black flowy blouse and dark blue jeans and nods. “You’re a hottie. And those red heels are to die for.”

“And you’re my favorite sister-in-law,” I reply with a laugh as we walk to the small living room.

“He’s here!” Hailey says with a loud whisper. “Hurry! Open the door!”

I comply and have a millisecond of losing my words. What the man does to a blue button down shirt and a pair of jeans should be illegal in the state of Louisiana.

Or the whole country.

“You look amazing,” he murmurs and leans in to kiss my cheek.

“Adam!” Hailey squeals, excited to see her new friend. “You’re here! Are you taking us on a date?”

“No, baby,” I reply quickly. “Remember, I told you that I’m going out with Adam tonight and you are going to watch Belle with Aunt Becca.”

“Okay,” Hailey says, the wind completely gone from her sails. But she walks to Adam and wraps her arms around his legs and hugs him tight. “I like Belle.”

“I know you do,” Adam says and pats Hailey on her head. “You’re still wearing her dress.”

“I told you, we can’t get her to wear anything else. I have to wash it after she goes to sleep at night.” I gesture to Becca, who is staring at Adam with wide eyes. “This is Becca, my sister-in-law.”

“Hi,” she says and wiggles her fingers in a wave. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too,” he replies with a smile. Adam squats beside Hailey to talk to her and Becca leans in to whisper to me.

“Do not come home tonight. I’m serious. If you come home, I will be so disappointed in you. This dude is hot.”

I nudge her with my elbow just as Adam stands and holds his hand out for mine. “Ready?”

“I’m ready.” I kiss Hailey good-bye, hug Becca, and follow Adam out of my building.

“I’m taking you to dinner,” Adam says after he gets us settled in the car.

“Great. I’m starving.” It’s a complete lie. I haven’t been able to eat all day. My stomach has had a serious case of the butterflies.

But I’ll never admit that to him.

“I hope you’re not a vegetarian, because I was thinking barbecue.”

“Nope, that sounds great.”

And to my surprise, it’s not far from my place. Before I know it, Adam has parked and escorts me inside a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant that doesn’t look like much, but smells amazing.

And just like that, I’m suddenly hungry.

When we’re seated and sweet teas have been delivered, Adam leans across the table to take my hand in his and smiles.

“Thanks for saying yes.”

“Thanks for asking.”

“I might have a few more questions tonight.”

“Well, I think that’s part of getting to know someone better. Asking questions.” I sip my tea. “So I might have questions too.”

“Sounds fair.” He nods and watches me carefully as he raises my hand to his lips and plants a kiss on the base of my thumb.

I had absolutely no idea that my thumb was an erogenous zone.

“Your hair is beautiful,” he says with a smile. “You have a lot of it.”

“I do.” I nod and push my fingers through it. “And thank you.”

I glance up to find his eyes narrowed, just a bit, on the fingers in my hair, then they find mine. I may be out of practice, but I know what sexual chemistry is, and we have it.

In spades.

The electricity is palpable.

But the kicker for me is, not only do I want him to strip me naked and take me on the ride of a lifetime, but I like him. He’s a nice guy.

He kind of has the package, which is good because I don’t want to have a one-night stand with an asshole.

I have standards.

“Tell me about Becca.” Adam sips his tea. “Is she the nanny you mentioned the morning I met you?”

“She is,” I reply with a nod. “She was living in Miami, where I’m from, and decided she wanted to come out here to go to school. She offered to help take care of Hailey for me because she knows that my job can be demanding. I can get called out in the middle of the night at times, and I don’t want to have to find a sitter for Hailey at all hours of the day. This was really a win-win for both of us. She gets a place to live, with family, and I have a live-in nanny.”

“That’s great,” Adam says with a grin. “She seems sweet. Your ex doesn’t mind that you’re still close to his sister?”