“Meena.” Blake’s voice was upset, but I didn’t look back as I swam to the dock. Thankfully, Devin was no longer anywhere to be seen. I pulled myself out and slipped my tank top on before pulling my shorts up. My mind was caught over the almost-kiss and I fumbled with the button for a minute.

“Meena.” Blake hauled himself out of the water and walked toward me. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I pulled my cap on and took a deep breath before turning to look at him.

“Oh no. I know that nothing means something.” He ran a hand through his hair, spraying water around him. He looked at me and his eyes took on a determined gleam. He moved in my direction and I took a few steps back. I bumped into the ladder and froze. I started to turn and climb up, but his strong arms barricaded me between his warm chest and the plastic of the ladder. I couldn’t turn without rubbing against him and that seemed like a very dangerous option.

“Sometimes, nothing really does mean nothing.” I looked up at him and hoped my face didn’t give me away.

“This isn’t one of those times. Devin’s an asshole, but I swear I didn’t know he was watching us.” My heart bucked. He thought I was mad at him.

“You’re right. Devin is an asshole.” I tried to cross my arms, but there just wasn’t enough room. Giving up, I sighed. “Look, I don’t go around just kissing people. Especially the ones that work for my family.”

He chuckled. “So I’m the hired help. Ironic.”

“Irony or not, it’s the truth.” I glared at him.

“You wanted to kiss me just as much as I wanted to kiss you.” His eyes dropped back down to my mouth and I felt the fire in my stomach rekindle.

“That’s not the point.” My words were breathless and I frowned, realizing that I had agreed to what he said.

“And I’m only here for another six weeks. I’m more like an intern than a hired worker. It’s not like I’m getting paid.” He didn’t move any closer, but I felt the tension jump between us.

“No, you’re here because you beat some kid up. Not really a good first impression.” It was the truth. Even if I did suspect that he had a good reason for what he had done. There was something honorable about Blake, even if he was a bad boy.

“True enough.” His eyes were thoughtful and I felt like I was walking into a trap. “And you don’t go around kissing just anyone.”

“Right.” I nodded my head. “I hardly know you. And you don’t know me.”

“Then get to know me.” His arm moved and he reached down to grab my hand. That warm tingling slid up my arm as he rubbed my knuckles. “I want to get to know you.”

I looked at him, completely at a loss for words. His warm eyes were earnest as he studied my face. It was one of the few times I had seen him without any guards up or snarky attitude. My mouth opened and the word came out before I even realized that I was going to say it. “Okay.”

“Okay?” A smile curved along his mouth and I felt my knees grow a little weak. Oh, that sneaky smile was death to my resolve. “How about dinner?”

“Dinner?” Apparently my mouth was not in the mood to wait for my brain.

“Yes. Dinner. A date. I know a great little place, unless you have somewhere you’d prefer to go.” His thumb was making little circles on my hand and it was making it hard for me to think.

“When?”

“Are you busy tonight?”

I snorted. I was never busy unless it pertained to the sanctuary. His smile grew; he knew he had won, and, despite myself, I found it charming that he was so excited. “No. I’m not busy tonight.”

He leaned back, but didn’t let go of my hand. “Good. Do you like seafood? Not allergic? Or does it remind you too much of work?”

I rolled my eyes. “Seafood is fine.”

“Then I’ll pick you up around eight.” He squeezed my hand before letting go, and I was sad to lose the feel of his skin against mine.

“This is weird—you know that, right?” Standing this close to him, I had to tilt my head up to meet his eyes.

“Why is this weird?” He smiled and I could actually tell that he was happy that I had agreed to the date. There were little crinkle lines at the corners of his eyes and his smile didn’t hold any snarkiness.

“Because. You just asked me out and we still have to spend all day together.” I motioned between us. “It’s just… weird.” My vocabulary was really astounding today.

“So? It just means we have more time to get to know each other.”

I shook my head and turned to crawl up the ladder.

“Or are you worried I’ll decide I don’t want to go out on a date with you?” I glared at him over my shoulder. His amused grin was all I needed to see to know that his cocky tone was a joke.

“I’m more worried you’re going to start following me around like a love-sick puppy.”

He hopped onto the bottom rung of the ladder so that he was pressed against my back. “Oh, we’ll see who’s following who around.”

I met his eyes and tried to slow my breath. His long, hard body pressed against mine was giving me ideas I didn’t need. Especially if I was going to be spending all day with him. He seemed to be thinking along the same line, because his breath had picked up.

“You know, kissing is a good way to get to know someone.” He leaned forward even more, pressing his entire body along mine so that I could feel every inch of him. And I do mean every inch. “A very fun way of getting to know someone.”

“Yep.” I turned away and started up the ladder. “I’m going to have to get you a collar.”

His chuckle slid over my skin. “Game on, Meena.”

Chapter Ten

- Meena -

We spent the rest of the day talking about the design he had come up with, making tweaks on the computer, and discussing how best to launch the new logo. Dad popped into the house once or twice to ask how it was going, but for the most part we were left alone in the living room. There were a couple of times that I felt a bit awkward, knowing that we were going out later, but Blake had a way of keeping me on my toes and putting me at ease at the same time.

Around five o’clock, Blake looked at me over the computer and smiled. He closed the top slowly and stood up.

“We still haven’t picked a color for the font. I don’t like the green you chose.” I frowned.

“We can work on it tomorrow.” He tucked his laptop back in his bag. “But right now, I need to go get ready for my date. I don’t want to show up covered in dolphin skin.”

“She must be something special if you’re going to go shower.” I grabbed our cups from the table and took them to the kitchen.

“She gives me a hard time, but she’s worth it.”

Heat ran up my neck and I was glad I wasn’t facing him. Otherwise he would have seen the goofy grin that spread across my face. Schooling my features, I turned back toward him and leaned against the counter. “And what kind of place are you taking this girl to?”

“It’s my favorite restaurant. A little joint near the coast that has a great outdoor sitting area. It’s pretty casual.” He slung his pack over his shoulders and picked up his helmet. “I can’t take her somewhere too fancy.”

“Why not?” I frowned at him, wondering what he was thinking.

“Well, it’s kind of hard to ride a motorcycle in a dress.” His eyes gleamed wickedly. “And if I take the motorcycle, then she has to hold on to me.”

“Sneaky.” My lips twitched.

“You have no idea.” He walked over to me, his helmet hanging at his side. With every step he took, my stomach jumped. The distance between us seemed to disappear as he braced one hand on the counter next to my hip. He leaned down and very gently kissed the side of my head. His lips only met hair, but it still felt like electricity ran over my body. He lingered for a moment, and I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent. He smelled like sun-kissed skin and salt water. When he pulled back enough to look into my eyes, part of me hoped that he would just go ahead and kiss me. A large part of me. From the way his eyes lingered on my mouth, I was pretty sure he was considering it, too.

“See you in a little bit.” With a quick smile he turned and left the house, but it took a lot longer for me to move away from the counter. I wasn’t sure if my heart would ever go back to a normal rhythm.

Mom walked in from the back door, took one look at me, and smiled. “So?”

“So what?” I blinked at her owlishly.

“Am I making dinner for three, four, or two?” She leaned against the doorframe and smiled again.

“Um, two.” My hands twitched at my sides. “I’m going out with Blake for dinner.”

“Good.” She nodded her head and stood up before walking into the kitchen. “Are you going to go for a swim now or when you get back?”

I glanced at the clock and frowned. “Later. I want to have enough time to shower before he picks me up.”

“What are you going to wear?” She picked up the cloth on the counter and looked me over.

“I have no idea.” I looked down at my clothes and frowned. Most of the things I owned were suitable for running the sanctuary, not for going out on dates.

“What about your pink skirt? It looks great on you.”

“Can’t, he’s bringing his motorcycle.”

“Ah. I see.” Mom frowned. “I hope he has an extra helmet.”

“I’m sure he does.” I never saw him without one, so I was pretty sure he wouldn’t expect me to ride without it.

“Okay. Then how about capris and some cute sandals?” She set the rag down and headed for my room. I followed behind her and watched as she deftly flicked through my closet. “This top looks good on you.”

She handed me a low-cut top that flowed away from my body. “The aqua is so pretty against your skin.” Next she fished out some khaki capris and handed them to me.

“You’re pretty good at this.” I smiled at her. The shirt even went with my nail polish.

“I’ve been on a few dates in my time.” She looked at me, her eyes a little bit sad. “This is good for you. You need to experience a little more of life.”

“But Blake Weathering?” I set the clothes on my bed. “Shouldn’t you be raising hell about me going out with someone who is doing community service?”

“I’ve read his record.” I looked at her sharply, but she didn’t look remorseful in the least. “We get to read them all when they’re sent to us, but rarely do. You know how Dad is—everyone deserves a second chance. I pulled Blake’s chart after that first breakfast. The way he looked at you… Well, you’re gorgeous and he’s pretty good-looking himself.” She shrugged. “His record is clean. A few run-ins with teachers or other students, but when you read behind the lines, most of it looked like he was standing up for himself. He makes good grades, doesn’t get into any serious trouble. Everyone makes mistakes. But if he does anything out of line or you feel threatened, you tell me. Deal?”

“Deal.” I bit my lip. “Did it say why he did what he did?”

“He refused to explain himself, which is why he wasn’t allowed to walk.” She shook her head. “I really don’t know.”

“Huh.” I didn’t really want to ask him again. It felt like I was prying, even though I felt like I should know. Mom left so I could shower, and I had a mild moment of panic. What were you supposed to do before a date? I didn’t have a lot of experience in this department. I had gone on a group date with Violet once, but that was more to be her wingman. The boy I had been paired with was allergic to seafood, which had made me incredibly nervous. I had spent the whole night avoiding his attempts to hold my hand because I was worried I’d send him into anaphylactic shock. Violet’s older brother, Max, has kissed me once, but it had been more of an experiment than anything else.

I picked up my phone and texted Violet. If I didn’t tell her I was going on a date, she would skewer me alive. Her response was immediate and just as exuberant as I expected. The next text from her was a long list of things to remember. Bring my own money, don’t eat spaghetti, don’t let him kiss me on the first date. Sheesh, I didn’t need a mom with a best friend like Violet.

After my shower, I played with my hair, picked out my favorite shell necklace, and sat in my room chewing my nails. I kept looking in the mirror and wondered what I had forgotten. I had liberally applied deodorant and then wiped it off, worried I’d get it on his shirt while holding on for the motorcycle ride. Then I reapplied some, because I couldn’t go on a date and stink. Thankfully, it was one of those hypoallergenic kinds, so it didn’t bother my skin too much. A lot of chemicals gave me blisters and rashes. Even the majority of my clothes were cotton. Synthetic stuff made me itch.

The rumble of a motorcycle made my heart skip. When I heard the knock on the front door, I stood up and took a deep breath. The clock said seven forty-five. I grabbed my purse off the bed and walked into the living room just in time to see Dad opening the door.

Blake was wearing jeans and a green T-shirt that suited his complexion. He shook Dad’s hand and came in the house. He smiled at me and I felt relieved that it wasn’t awkward. I pointedly looked at the clock in the kitchen and raised an eyebrow.

“I guess I was a little eager, huh?” He ducked his head and looked at me from under heavy lashes.

“It’s expected. Should I bring a bag of puppy treats with us?” He laughed while Mom and Dad looked between us, confused.

“Where are you guys going?” Dad asked.

“Sugar’s. It’s just outside of the city limits.” Blake smiled at Dad. “They have great food.”

“I’ve been there!” Mom placed a hand on Dad’s shoulder. “You’re right. The food is delicious.”

“Have fun.” Dad smiled at me, but I saw him shoot a look at Blake that made my eyes widen. “But you should remember that I know where you live.”

“Yes, sir. Very aware of that fact.” Blake didn’t mock Dad or seem upset at the insinuation. He just accepted it for what it was: a father worrying about his daughter.

Dad smiled, his shoulders relaxing a bit. “Just don’t forget you have work in the morning.”

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