Cassandra gnawed on her lip as she waited in her apartment for the rideshare car to show up. She and Nasir had agreed to meet at a “low-key dinner spot,” but after Googling his suggestion, Cassandra thought it looked like fine dining with astronomical prices.

“I don’t know if I should do this,” Cassandra moaned to her friend and work colleague Laura, who had come over to help her pick out the perfect outfit. She hadn’t even told her friend Nasir’s name, but she couldn’t decide if it was because she didn’t want to jinx it or because she didn’t expect anything more than one date. “We probably won’t even have any chemistry this time around. It was a fluke, you know? Something in the air at the wedding.”

Laura leveled her with a look. “Oh, please. You’re a matchmaker, and one of the best. He obviously matches with you in some way.”

“Yes, but we work with profiles,” she said, rubbing her thumb over the silver clasp of her handbag. “This guy doesn’t have a profile, he just has…that ridiculously attractive face.”

Laura snorted. “So why don’t you want to do this again?”

“Because it’s going to be awkward, and he’ll realize he made a mistake, and I’ll have the Taxi Ride of Shame!”

Laura creased her brow. “So, does the Drive of Shame involve sex or not?”

“No, it involves returning early because your extremely sexy date realized he was drunk at the wedding, and it was all a farce.”

“Jeez.” Laura sighed. “I’ve never seen you this anxious before. Listen, keep it simple. Why don’t you just have sex with him and be done with it?”

Cassandra checked her phone for the billionth time. The car was three minutes away, like it had been for the past five. “I can’t do that, either.”

“Why not?”

She shook her head. “Because I like him.”

Laura cocked a brow. “Even more reason to sleep with him.”

Cassandra huffed. Two minutes away—the rideshare was a constantly nearing dot with no intention of arriving. “I mean, I want to. I just…don’t want to like him even more. I know his type—he’s all about business.”

“I thought you said he didn’t have a profile.”

“He doesn’t, I just picked up on it. So why should I sleep with him and fall for him, when it won’t go anywhere?” She gnawed at the inside of her lip. “I don’t even want to date.”

“Then why bother meeting up with him?” Laura eased into an arm chair. “If that’s how you feel about it.”

“Because I want to see him.”

Laura grinned, shaking her head. “You’re impossible. Let’s go downstairs and look around for the driver. He’s probably circling the block wondering which apartment building is yours.”

Cassandra sighed. “You’re right.” She let them out of the apartment, legs like jelly as she raced down the staircase in her matte black heels. She’d dressed conservatively but nicely—a simple high-necked but form-fitting black dress and silver earrings. She’d pulled her blonde hair tight to her head and knotted it in a low bun. She spotted the right make and model of the taxi creeping slowly down the street. She waved at the driver, and hugged Laura briefly before crossing the street to meet the car.

In the back seat of the sedan, Cassandra tried to regain her cool. Nasir had offered to come pick her up, but she’d refused, choosing instead the slightly-aloof-and-independent path, even though she was dying to see what he’d come get her in. Probably a helicopter.

The car pulled up to an understated brick building with twinkle lights in each window. She hurried to the front porch and pulled open the door, a whoosh of conversation and garlic greeting her. She stepped inside the dimly-lit restaurant, adjusting to her surroundings, fidgeting with an earring. As soon she stepped inside, Nasir strolled into view, a broad grin on his face.

“Cassandra.” He came up to her, leaning in. She froze as his face neared hers, struck dumb by the sudden affection. Was he already kissing her? He placed a quick kiss onto her cheek, the heat of him sinking into her, clouding her mind, hitching her breath. When he pulled away, his smile grew wider.

Her mouth hung open, and she couldn’t force a response out.

“Sorry, was that too much?” He laughed, shoving his hands into his pockets. “It’s how we greet people back home. Come on, let’s go find our table.”

She stumbled after him, mind hazy, like the afterglow of an orgasm. Just from a kiss. This guy is too intense. You should run…or have sex with him. She smiled politely at the hostess, thankful to find her facial muscles were finally taking orders, and weaved through a tightly packed restaurant full of small tables for two. They came to a table tucked up against a window overlooking a quaint, if small, back garden. Nasir held her chair for her as she settled into place, then helped her scoot in.

“Wow.” Finally, her voice returned. “I thought you said this was a low-key meet-up,” she said, forcing herself to meet his gaze. His grin could melt steel. “But it looks like you plan to wine and dine me.”

“So does that mean you want wine?” He opened a stiff board menu, perusing the options. “You pick everything—I want no say in the matter.”

She grinned. “Now you’re just showing off.”

“I prefer to leave the choices to the lady.” He set the menu down. “You’re more beautiful than I remembered, Cassandra.”

She bit at her bottom lip, like it might hide the ear-to-ear smile. Heat crept into her cheeks. “Well. That’s certainly a great way to start out a date.”

His gaze darted over her face, as if he was trying to memorize it. “I only speak the truth.”

“What other truths do you have?” She lifted a brow, trying to be flirty, but really she was hungry for details. The faster she could put together a makeshift profile of Nasir, the sooner she could determine if he was worth letting her guard down for. But she feared the walls were coming down of their own accord already.

“Don’t make me spill my truths so soon,” he said. “We haven’t even ordered wine. I’m not here to talk about me.”

“But I want to know.” She batted her eyes, and he melted visibly. “It’s important to know as much as possible about the man who is more handsome than I remembered.”

He cocked a grin just as the waitress arrived. It took Cassandra a moment to force her attention off Nasir. When asked for their drink order, Cassandra said, “A bottle of prosecco. Whatever you have.”

When she left, Nasir opened his menu again. “We should really look, so we know by the time she comes back.”

Cassandra opened the menu, skimming the two pages. “There are no prices.”

“That’s okay.” Nasir glanced up at her. “You’re not paying.”

She cast him a coy grin, and read over the options twice before settling on the herb-encrusted halibut. Pushing the menu to the side, she leaned forward. “I made my decision. Now it’s time for me to probe.”

He glanced over the top of his menu, his dark eyebrows arching. “Oh?”

“Where are you from?”

“Lebanon.” He shut the menu. “Where are you from?”

“Riverside.” She narrowed her eyes. “Now what sort of work call would steal you away from a wedding?”

He smiled, looking a little guilty. “One that comes from sharing a business with your two younger brothers. Including one who frequently drops the ball.”

She relaxed. Now this was the interesting stuff. “Do you run it?”

“Technically, no. But practically?” He hefted with a laugh, eyes following the waitress’s hand as she returned to pour two glasses of prosecco. “I’m the one behind the wheel, and everything falls in my lap.”

The first crucial parts of his profile were solidifying: a punctual, traditional, responsible workaholic. Somehow, this was comforting. She wouldn’t expect anything, and she wouldn’t feel bad if he didn’t expect anything either. A win-win—or lose-lose, if she got sad about it the next day.

After the waitress took their orders and left them alone once more, Nasir lifted his glass. They clinked before taking sips of the bubbly beverage.

“What do you do? You said you knew the bride and groom from a work project.”

Her chest tightened. The vagueness that worked so well at the wedding wouldn’t cut it here at this hyper-intimate dinner. “I’m a consultant.”

“For…?”

“Think of like…interoffice relations or mergers.” She cleared her throat, mind careening through examples that might placate his curiosity without revealing the exact nature of her job.

He nodded but didn’t look convinced. “Interesting. So you work inside different companies, or…?”

“Hey now. I said it was time for me to probe, not the other way around.” She wagged a finger at him.

The two kept up lighthearted conversation until dinner arrived, which segued into lots of moaning about how good the food was, which turned into a second bottle of prosecco, which led into hours two and then three of conversation and coffee. By the time ten p.m. rolled around, Cassandra was definitely tipsy—and a little shocked.

“This place is closing down,” she said, draining the last sip from her glass. “We should go.”

Nasir had paid the bill almost a half hour ago, but they’d whiled away the last dregs of the evening without noticing. He eyed her with a gleam in his eye. “We should.”

She nodded, feeling the trails his gaze left over her body. “Let’s go then.”

“I’ll take you home.”

She bit her lip, trying to weigh the pros and cons of that through the haze. On the one hand, it was super convenient. On the other, she still had some distant duty to remain aloof and independent. Strictly because she knew this couldn’t—and wouldn’t—go anywhere with Nasir. Neither of their lifestyles would allow it. His probably more by business—hers by choice.

“I can get a cab.”

“No. Let me take you home.” He drained his glass, setting it on the table. “I have a driver.”

Her brows shot up. “A driver?”

Nasir nodded, pushing back from his seat. “Come on.”

She wobbled to her feet, checking and then double checking she had all her belongings with her, and followed Nasir until he offered his arm. She clung to him, thankful for the sturdy forearm, the wafting cologne, the heat of him that coated her in a pleasant blanket of security. What if you invited him up?

The restaurant was nearly empty as they walked toward the front door. Nasir nodded to the hostess on their way out. Before them, a black Cadillac waited at the curb.

“This is mine,” he said, hurrying ahead of her to open the back door. “Let’s go.”

She slid in wordlessly, unable to find an appropriate response. With Nasir, half of her kneejerk reactions were girlish squeals or frustrated grunts of wonder. But it wasn’t necessarily attractive—or polite—to highlight the socioeconomic differences of a date. She swallowed a sigh as he got into the back seat from the other side of the car. He smiled over at her, the hazard lights clicking softly as the driver awaited instructions.

“Where do you live?”

She rattled off the address to the driver, her voice sounding strange and harsh in the quiet elegance of the upscale Cadillac. Once the car shifted into gear, Nasir let his head fall against the headrest.

“I must thank you for an incredible evening,” he said, turning his head to look at her. “I really don’t do things like this.”

“You were overdue. And apparently, so was I. I’ve never had a three-hour dinner before.”

He laughed softly. “You’re easy to talk to.”

The ride back to her place alternated between pleasant silence and soft conversation as the lights of Los Angeles whizzed past their bubble. When the driver pulled up to her street, she guided him to the appropriate building, where he parked without shutting off the car. Nasir nodded toward the front door.

“Let me walk you to your door.”

She nodded, pushing out of the car before he could jump around and open it like a gallant gentleman. He offered her his arm, which she took gratefully, for the tiny number of steps to the front door of her building.

“Thanks for the lovely evening,” she said, weighing her words, half-hoping he would suggest that they say screw it and just go to his house and fuck. Was this the prosecco speaking? “I really enjoyed myself. Way more than I thought I would, actually.”

Nasir turned to her, squeezing the sides of her arms. His hands were so hot—it seemed everything about him was abnormally warm, as if the man himself were made of molten lava. “I can say the same. I should add, however, I expected to enjoy myself immensely.”

She laughed, feeling herself drift closer to him. Maybe she’d get a kiss out of the mix—that wouldn’t be so bad. “You’re much more optimistic than I am.”

His dark gaze swept over her face. “I’m just grateful to have met you.”

She sighed a little, pulling back, seeing the perfect out to say goodnight. He wasn’t going to bring her back to his place. Just say goodnight.

“Do you want to come upstairs?”

The words left her mouth before she’d even thought of them, prompting both her and Nasir’s eyes to widen. His answer came just as fast. “Absolutely.”

She grinned, taking his hand in hers. “Great. Follow me.”