CHAPTER ELEVEN
Ryan
Dates weren’t common in my life. When I spent time with a woman, it was usually a one-night stand, and then nothing. As I stared into my closet, I couldn’t remember the last time I took a woman out. Nothing in my wardrobe seemed appropriate for a nice restaurant. I felt certain that nothing I owned would impress Jacqueline, and the thought brought my mood to an all-time low.
More than anything, I wanted tonight to go well. Jacqueline and I were just moments away from moving forward with this new relationship. I didn’t want to do anything that might screw it up.
Reaching into my closet, I grabbed a blue button-down I hoped would bring out my eyes. I paired it with a clean pair of jeans and some nice shoes. We weren’t going to a fancy restaurant, but we also weren’t going to the diner. I needed something reasonably comfortable, but attractive.
“What do you think?” I asked, holding up the outfit for Bob to see.
He was lying on my bed with his legs sprawled on either side. His eyes were focused on my face, but he didn’t make a sound. As I stared at him, I expected a meow or even a hiss. Instead, he simply blinked.
“No?” I asked. “You don’t like it? What’s wrong with it? The shirt?”
Bob continued to blink, closing his eyes slowly. I sighed and threw the clothes onto the bed beside him. He glanced at them before turning his attention back to me.
“Well, you don’t have to like them,” I said. “I’m sure Jacqueline will.”
Bob rolled over onto his back, stretching his legs in the air. With his belly exposed, he looked younger and more like a kitten. I grinned and reached over to pet him. He hadn’t been playful with me since I adopted him, and I hoped maybe he was finally warming up to me.
The second my hand touched his fur, he jumped and darted away from me. He leapt off the bed and sprinted toward my closet. When I looked over, I couldn’t see him anywhere.
“Really?” I called. “You’re hiding from me now? Justina could have mentioned you were the weirdest cat in the world before I adopted you. Bob. What kind of a name is that anyway?”
Shaking my head, I got dressed and went in the bathroom to check my appearance. My dark hair was still cut short from the SEALs, so I didn’t have to worry about that. Still, I washed my face and thought about shaving. I checked my watch and saw that I didn’t have time. I had to leave in ten minutes. Besides, I liked the way I looked with some scruff. Hopefully, Jacqueline would too.
When it was time to leave, I looked for Bob one last time. He was still hiding in my closet, but I couldn’t find him anywhere. I turned off the light and left the door open, hoping he would run out and reveal himself. He didn’t. After a few seconds, I gave up and left the room. Checking Bob’s litter box and food bowl, I saw that everything was in order. I hurried out the front door, locking it behind me.
As I walked to my truck, I was surprised by my own anxiety. I felt nervous and shaky as I climbed behind the wheel and fired up the engine. It roared to life, and I drove over to Jacqueline’s.
She didn’t live far from my apartment, but it felt like a different world. Jacqueline’s complex was much nicer than mine. Decked out in the latest architectural designs and models, it took my breath away when I first pulled up. There was a gate blocking my entry, so I pushed the button for Jacqueline’s apartment and waited.
“Hey!” her voice rang out. “Ryan?”
“Yeah, it’s me,” I said.
“Buzzing you in,” she said.
There was a sharp beep, and then the gate swung forward. I pulled into the parking lot and found Jacqueline’s apartment. She lived on the second floor of the first building. Even from the outside, I knew her place was huge.
“Hi,” I said when she answered the door. “You ready?”
She smiled. “Yup. All set.”
Jacqueline stepped outside and turned to lock her door. In that moment, I scanned her body. She was wearing a gorgeous purple blouse and a tight pair of jeans. The heels on her feet made her butt look even perkier than normal. When she turned around, I cleared my throat and pretended I wasn’t checking her out.
“So,” she said. “Where are we going?”
“There’s this little Italian place downtown,” I said as we climbed in my truck. “La Nona, or something like that. Have you heard of it?”
“I have,” Jacqueline said with a nod. “But I haven’t been yet.”
“Perfect,” I said, grinning. “I like your hair down, by the way.”
“What?” she asked.
“I meant to say that when you first came outside,” I said. “I like it down. It’s pretty.”
“Thank you,” Jacqueline said, blushing slightly. She reached up to touch her blonde curls self-consciously.
When we arrived at La Nona, I parked and hurried around to open Jacqueline’s door. She seemed surprised, but she smiled as I helped her climb down. We were silent as we walked up to the restaurant and the hostess seated us.
It was a Friday night, so I expected the place to be busy, but it wasn’t. We were seated right away at a quaint table near the back. No one was around us. There were a few other people in the restaurant, but we could barely see them from where we sat. Candles flickered on every table, and I immediately knew La Nona was a great choice. This place was perfect.
“Can I admit something?” Jacqueline asked after we ordered our food.
I shrugged. “Sure.”
“I was nervous about tonight,” she said.
I laughed. “Me too.”
“Really?” she asked, sighing with relief. “Good, it wasn’t just me then.”
“No.” I shook my head. “I was practically shaking the entire way to your apartment.”
“It’s silly, isn’t it?” she asked. “We’ve known each other forever. Why would we be nervous?”
“Because this makes it real,” I said softly. “It’s a date.”
“Is it?” Jacqueline asked with raised eyebrows.
“Isn’t it?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” she said, sighing. “God Ryan, this is all so complicated.”
“It doesn’t have to be,” I said.
“Doesn’t it?” she argued. “I mean, what would we tell Bradley? Or my parents?”
“Nothing yet,” I said honestly. “Listen, I like you. I don’t know how it happened or why, but the second I saw you standing on my doorstep, I was immediately attracted to you. You and me. There’s something here.”
“There is,” Jacqueline said, her eyes flickering up to meet mine. We looked at each other across the table, and I felt my stomach tighten with desire.
“Then let’s just see what happens,” I suggested. “We don’t have to worry about everyone else’s reactions just yet. I think we should enjoy whatever it is we’re doing. At least, for a little while.”
Jacqueline’s smile was timid, but it made her entire face light up. I grinned and reached over to take her hand. She played with my fingers while we waited for our food and fell into an easy conversation. We talked about her clinic and her friends, she told me stories from her time in college, and I told her some from my time in the SEALs.
Talking to Jacqueline was comfortable and simple. She made me laugh and made me think. Her wit was sharp, and it kept me interested throughout the entire conversation. With most women, I would have already been bored, but with Jacqueline, I couldn’t get enough. I wanted to sit there and talk to her all night.
We spent three hours at La Nona, just talking and eating dinner. By the time we were ready to leave, my attraction to Jacqueline had increased tenfold. She wasn’t just sexy. She was brilliant. Every word she said was intelligent and captivating.
I drove her back to her apartment, holding her hand the whole way. When we pulled up to her place, I turned off the truck and turned to face her. Her eyes were already locked on my face and there was a hunger behind them that I knew all too well.
“Do you want to come inside?” she whispered.
I laughed softly. “You have no idea how much.”
Jacqueline grinned and led me upstairs to her place. We walked inside and were immediately greeted by two dogs and a cat. Jacqueline calmed them quickly and put them outside on the patio so we could be alone. I watched her every move, unable to tear my eyes away from her alluring body.
When she turned to face me, my desire was reflected in her eyes. She moved quickly, closing the space between us in two steps. Her arms flew around my neck and her lips landed on mine with a fierce need. I caught her, lifting her slightly into the air before throwing her backward onto the couch.