“I’ve always been one for looking after people. I met my best friend Kate by punching the school bully when we were ten.”
“Wow, so I should watch myself around you then?” he asks with a sly grin.
“Yeah, buddy, or else you’ll be in big trouble.” I say, putting up my fists in a mock Rocky impression gone bad. I try to put on a tough face, but fail miserably when I start giggling.
“Hey now, no need to get violent.” He holds his hands up in surrender. “I could tell you were a tough nut the moment I met you.”
I raise my eyebrow at that. It seems Sex on the Beach thinks he has a talent for reading people.
“And what else could you tell from me?” I’m genuinely interested now, but the cynic in me wonders if this is just a line he uses on women to get them into bed.
“That you’re a beautiful, well-adjusted young woman with the most gorgeous blue eyes I’ve ever seen, and a smile that could bring any man to his knees.” Oh my God. Did he really just say that? Holy crap! It’s like he’s the professor of ‘How to get a girl’s panties to drop 101” and he’s giving every man a lesson.
I feel my breath quickening and my pupils dilate. Delicious Daniel is on his game and Goddammit, I definitely want to play, naked, now! Damn Kate and her three date challenge.
“All of that from one look?” I ask, my voice squeaking and giving away my interest.
“And more…”
I squeeze my legs together, trying to distract myself from the errant thoughts racing through my head right now. Well, two can play at that game. “Really? Are those glasses of yours armed with x-ray vision?” I say, my mind jumping into Mac overdrive. “Holy hell, you’re the real life Clark Kent, aren’t you?” I lean forward excitedly, bouncing a little in my seat. I make a point of looking around to pretend that no one can hear us.
“Does that mean you’re wearing your spandex Superman suit underneath this hot get up, cause I have this fantasy where Superman does this thing with his…” I whisper to him, causing him to start choking on his mouthful of beer.
“I…. um…… shit, Mac, that’s all kind of hot right there.”
I love that I got him all flustered. “Oh, shit, I’m sorry, my brain got a bit side tracked” I say innocently, adding a wink when he slowly starts to recover his breath and thoughts.
“That thought is gonna be burned in my brain for a while now, gorgeous, that’s the stuff dreams are made of,” he says huskily. He shakes his head, obviously trying to regain some composure.
“And how old were you when you came back from New York?” I quirk my brow. I’m dying to know how old he is.
“Subtle, Mac, very subtle,” he murmurs, taking another swig of his beer. “I’m twenty-eight, and I’ve been back in Chicago for around four years now.”
“Wow, that’s awesome.” I finish up the last of my drink, blushing when I accidentally slurp in the empty glass. “Oh my God, that’s so embarrassing.”
Daniel, being the ever present gentleman, chuckles softly and grins at me like I’m the funniest person in the world. “Should I burp so that we’re equal?” he asks jokingly, totally snapping me out of my embarrassment.
“Ha, ha. Very funny. You’re a funny guy, you know that?”
“I’m glad you think so. You like funny guys?”
“I think I’m starting to,” I say playfully, enjoying the banter we have going on. I’ve always had a thing for men who can go toe to toe with me. “Out of interest, do you always pick up women on the L?”
He flashes me his megawatt smile again, and I literally melt in front of him.
Clean up, aisle three.
Taking a final swig of his beer, he moves out of the booth and stands beside me. Shit! Is he ending the date already?
Holding his hand out to me, he leans down into my personal space, whispering in my ear, “Come with me, Mac. I want to see the lights over the lake with you.” Is this man for real? I’m starting to think that he’s just a delicious figment of my imagination. I mean seriously, who can resist a suggestion like that! Especially when it’s whispered in your ear.
“Sounds perfect,” I reply, grabbing my purse as I try to get out of the booth as gracefully as possible and take his outstretched hand as he leads me out of the bar.
Once we’re on the sidewalk, I shiver. It has turned colder in the hour or so that we’ve been inside the bar, and of course I didn’t bring my coat. Daniel, feeling me tremble, stops suddenly beside me. In a daze, I watch him shrug off his coat and hold it open for me to put on. As I put my arms through the coat, he slowly pulls it up and onto my shoulders, gently stroking his fingers over my skin as he moved. Wowzers, that’s just as potent as that laugh of his.
I look up at him, and his eyes are warm, full of something that I can’t quite put my finger on but I’m definitely gonna try to find out. “Thanks,” I say shakily, trying to remain standing. Right now I want to throw myself at this man but;
a) We’ve only just met.
b) It’s our first date.
c) We’re standing in the middle of the sidewalk outside a busy city bar.
“You still want to see the lake?” he asks, looking down at me. His eyes drifting to my lips. Shit, I can’t break this damn three date rule, Kate would never let me down even if the only thing on my mind right now is jumping Daniel’s bones right here, right now.
“Definitely,” I answer with a smile. Anything to stop me thinking about the two of us going straight to bed sans clothes.
Something feels different about this date, about being with Daniel. I can’t explain it, but I find myself not wanting the night to end. I want to spend more time with him. His eyes, his gorgeous dark brown hair that you want to grab while you kiss the life out of him. The way he carries himself, he truly is a gentleman. I mean he gave up his coat to me on a first date. Who does that?
I think I’m gonna have to make sure that I keep my boundaries clearly defined. I don’t do committed relationships and haven’t done for the past four years. Don’t get me wrong; I like men and I like sex. I mean, who doesn’t? But Daniel seems to be affecting me to way too much, too soon. I’m going to need to be careful with him.
“We’re here,” he says softly, knocking me out of my conversation with inner Mac.
I look around the waterfront and gasp at its beauty. “It doesn’t matter how many times I see it, it always takes my breath away.” I’m unable to tear my eyes away from the shimmering lights cascading across the rippling water of Lake Michigan.