Mallory

I twist this way and that as I check out my outfit with a critical eye. After going through every single piece of my pathetically small wardrobe, I chose a pale blue sundress that ends just above the knee. The top has simple spaghetti straps and a heart shaped neckline that doesn’t show too much cleavage. I’ve got a little more height than usual thanks to my platform sandals— they’ve got tons of fabulous bling in the form of some crystal gems—which is a bonus. My hair is down and curled softly toward my face, which I think looks nice. I went all out and put on some strawberry-flavored lip balm and some mascara, too. Turning, I look at Cleo who is currently lounging on the bed behind me grooming herself.

“What do you think, pretty girl? Do I look okay for my first date?”

She stops licking her paw and looks me over for about two seconds before she meows and returns to what she was doing. I’m going to go ahead and take that meow as a yes, I look okay for my first date.

In lieu of a female friend to help me out and cheer me on while I got ready, I bounced all my crazy talk off Cleo, who seemed to take it good-naturedly. She sat on the edge of the tub while I bathed and then monitored closely after I got out and started to paint my toenails. She was particularly excited about that, so much so that I ended up painting her front claws the pink glitter color I’ve been using for the last few months. Luckily, it’s non-toxic so it can’t hurt her if she licks her claws.

After we were finished with nail time, she sat on the bathroom counter while I dried, brushed, and then curled my hair. Since she made it clear that she too needed pampering I ran and grabbed her special brush from the living room and then brushed her until her coat was shiny. Once I moved on to makeup and getting dressed, she got bored and retreated to the bed to watch me while she pampered herself.

Looking at the watch on my wrist, I spring into high gear when I see that John will be home to get me at any moment. Since I the day I met him he has starred in every fantasy I’ve had about dating. That the dream is becoming reality is so sweet I can barely believe it. Grabbing my purse from the bed, I blow Cleo a kiss and then head into the kitchen to wait. Just as I cross the threshold of the room, I hear John’s big truck pulling into the driveway.

My breath catches when he opens the door and walks in. I realized yesterday that he doesn’t wear his uniform home, so I’m not surprised that he changed at work. What I am surprised by right now are the nice pair of black pants and white button down shirt he’s got on. Have I mentioned lately how insanely hot John Wright is? Because it’s so extreme, it is almost too much for my brain to handle. His face lights up in a smile when he sees me.

“How fuckin’ lucky am I?” he says in that growly-man voice of his that makes my heart race. My heart pounds faster as he crosses the room to me. “Coming home to find the most beautiful girl in the world waiting for me is even better than I imagined.”

I know I’m blushing as he pulls me into his arms and covers my lips with his. Every one of the kisses John has given me since the first one last night have gotten impossibly better. For years, I wondered what it would be like to kiss him and the reality is even better than my best fantasy. When he ends the kiss and lifts his head to grin down at me, I’m breathless.

“Missed you today, honey.”

I know this because he texted me a bunch. Other than a few church friends who are my grandmother’s age and the staff at the restaurant I worked at, no one has ever texted me before. The back and forth exchange John and I had today was incredible.

“Missed you, too,” I answer softly.

“Ready to go on our date?”

I nod. “More than ready.”

Unwrapping his arms from around me, he stands straight and then links his right hand with my left before guiding me to the door. Just like the day before, he walks me to the truck and helps me get in before he walks around the hood and gets in himself.

“Know we had spaghetti last night,” he says as he buckles his seatbelt, “but there’s an Italian place down the road that has the best chicken marsala I’ve ever eaten. Hope you’re hungry.”

I nod as he puts the truck in gear and backs out of the driveway. “I don’t know what the etiquette is about admitting that I’m starved on a first date, but I am.”

John snickers and sets his hand on my leg as he drives. “Fuck etiquette,” he says firmly. “Want you to be you, babe, not some whacked out version of you who is worried about how to act. For what it’s worth, I’ll be happy to see you putting some food down. You’ve lost weight since I left Chattanooga. Why?”

“I, uh, couldn’t afford much in the way of good food. Also, working at the restaurant meant I was on my feet for hours and hours each day.”

His eyes dart my way before he turns his attention back to the road. “Ruby didn’t have life insurance or anything?”

“She did have a small policy, but after paying for the funeral I was left with about two thousand dollars. Since I wanted to move here, I put myself on a strict budget and worked my butt off to make it happen.”

His hand tightens on my thigh a bit for a second or two. “Fuckin’ kills me, babe. I’ll always wish you’d found a way to get in touch with me because I’d have picked you up and brought you here immediately. Never would’ve had to bust your ass for tips and you’d have been eating like a normal person this entire time.”

I slide my hand over his and rub my thumb against his skin. “If I’d known you wanted me with you I would’ve come right away. Since I did have a clue, I did what I had to do to get here. I think it’s working out pretty well.”

He looks over at me and grins before looking back to the road. “Workin’ out better than I could’ve hoped, babe. Got you under my roof in under two hours of finding you. Give it a little while and I’ll have you in my bed, too. Even thinkin’ about what it’ll be like to make you mine all the way makes me crazy.”

“What’s a little while?” I ask.

I bite my lip as I finish speaking, mortified that I was just so forward. I know the blush on my cheeks is as bright as it’s ever been.

John groans as he pulls into the parking lot of the restaurant and finds a spot. Only when the truck is off and his seatbelt is unhooked does he face me. Sliding his hand behind my neck, he brings me to him and kisses me with such heat that I can’t think. When he lifts his head and breaks the kiss I blink up at him dazedly while he stares down at me.

“I’ll give it to you when you beg me for it and not one second before. That’s how I’ll know you’re really ready. You saved yourself for a reason. Don’t wanna rush it.”

My internal temperature skyrockets about eight hundred degrees. “I, um, wow,” I splutter.

“Wow was me findin’ you and bringing you home for good yesterday after thinking about you every day for three years.”

I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. “I thought about you every day, too,” I admit.

John pushes himself back with a groan. “Babe, you’re killin’ me. Everything you say turns me on,” he says.

Before I can respond, he gets out of the truck and comes around the hood for me. Opening my door, he helps me out, linking our fingers together as we walk into the restaurant.