“Come on in. I’m just about ready.”
He walked in and she closed the door behind him, trying not to stare at his ass. Or imagine her hands on said ass. While he was naked.
Get a grip, woman.
Instead, she focused on what he was wearing, assessing the overall look. There was something about men in button-down shirts and blue jeans that really got to her. Maybe because she’d been surrounded by men in either suits or scrubs her entire life.
Plus . . . Tucker. Thick black hair and those glasses, and the eyes behind them. Deep, green eyes he fixed on her when he turned around.
This was what happened when she didn’t have sex for a really long time. Katie and Marie were right. Her libido was definitely coming out in full force right now.
She’d have to remind herself to keep her focus tonight.
It was a date. They were going out for dinner. Nothing more.
“Nice place.”
She shrugged. “Just a condo. It’s really nothing much. I didn’t want to buy a house—not right now, anyway, since I don’t spend a lot of time here.”
“Because you’re always at the hospital.”
She nodded. “Yes. How about you?”
“The same. I’m on the road a lot, and I want to make sure a team is going to keep me before I decide to invest in a house. So I’m leasing a condo. I don’t live too far from you, actually. Just a few miles down the road.”
“The new complex? The one they finished up last year? The Shenandoah Heights neighborhood?”
“Yeah. That’s the one.”
“I love those condos. Big porches and a great park and pool. I have a friend who lives over there. The square footage is awesome.”
“It’s pretty nice.”
“Did you get the two bedroom or three?”
“Three. I have a big family and some of them like to visit. Between Grant and me, we can put them up.”
“I’m very jealous. The floor plan for the three bedroom is very generous for a condo.”
He walked into her living room. “Your place has decent space. I like your kitchen. Do you cook?”
“I hardly remember what it’s like to have the time to fix a decent meal. And to be honest, I don’t really know how to cook many things. How about you? Do you cook?”
“On the grill outside. Steaks and burgers and things. I do make fantastic pancakes. Plus, I can microwave the hell out of anything.”
She laughed. “So your awesome kitchen is going to waste.”
“Pretty much. Like tonight.”
He was giving her a look, when she realized they were just standing there in the living room.
She obviously didn’t entertain enough, either. Her mother would be appalled. “Oh. I’m so sorry. I’ll be just a minute. Please sit down.”
She dashed off to the bedroom, finger combed her hair, applied lip gloss, then took one last look in the mirror.
Decent. Okay, she looked hot. Good enough to get laid, if that’s what she had in mind.
Which she didn’t. At all. Much.
Okay, maybe a little.
“This is ridiculous,” she whispered to herself as she grabbed her purse, her sweater, and opened the bedroom door. She pasted on her best smile and decided whatever happened—happened. She was tired of the inner war she was having with herself.
Tucker stood as she came out.
“Did I mention you look gorgeous tonight? Though you look pretty damn hot in those scrubs you wear at the hospital, too.”
He was not making her inner war any easier. “Thank you.”
He held the door for her, then shut it behind her. He also opened her car door and waited while she slid in before closing the door and going around to his side.
Maybe that was normal. Maybe all guys did that. But she’d dated enough in college to know that wasn’t true.
“So where are we going tonight?”
“I thought I’d keep it light and easy since you were a little wary about going out with me.”
She looked down at her hands. “I didn’t exactly say I was wary.”
“Oh, I think you made it clear. But you can trust me, Aubry. I’m a pretty great guy.”
She shifted her gaze to him. “And so modest, too.”
His lips curved. “Yeah, that too.”
He drove toward the west end of the city, and when he pulled up in front of a light brown brick building and parked, she turned to face him.
“Are we stopping at a friend’s house?”
“Nope. This is part one of our date tonight.”
She had no idea what that meant, but when he came around to her side of the car, she got out. It was then she noticed the sign planted on the front lawn.
Madame Sheila’s Psychic Readings.
She tilted her head and gave him a look. “Seriously?”
“Yeah. I thought it might be fun.”
“I’m going to tell you up front that I don’t believe in this stuff.”
He shrugged. “We’ll give it a go. Madame Sheila might have insight into our futures.”
“Uh-huh. Sure she will.”
Though she had to admit, it sounded fun. Hokey as hell, but fun.