The Do Over

hake Shack became my new favorite place. I'd asked for burgers, so he took me to the best burger place in town. We laughed, and he listened to me go on and on about my books.

He asked, "What were you reading during training? You looked like you were in anguish."

I blushed as I remembered not only being busted but also the effect he had on me when our eyes first locked together. "Well," I started, "it's a love triangle, and whenever there's a triangle, there's angst. And that's where I was at—Angst Central. It was intense. I haven't been able to read lately, so I don't know what happens, and it's driving me nuts."

I couldn't help it. I loved talking about my books. I had to laugh. When I talked about all my different books, I got excited. I didn't go into the tiny detail of my fictional boyfriend love affairs. It was our first date after all.

He sat there, looking at me intently.

With the way I talked about my books, most people thought I was nuts. I wondered if he'd want to see me again.

Then, he laughed. It wasn't a loud laugh, but I couldn't tell what it meant.

I was still a little neurotic from my attempted intervention. "Are you laughing at me?" I asked defensively.

He smiled. "No, not at you."

"Are you sure? Because it sounds like you're laughing at me," I accused, narrowing my eyes.

"I promise you that I'm not laughing at you," he assured with a smile.

I pouted. "Hmmm, I'm not convinced."

"Now, don't get that way. Please. I just loved watching you talk about your book. You looked so happy and excited. Your face lit up, and you looked so adorable," he said in a very sincere voice with soft eyes.

I gave him a shy smile. I liked how I felt when he looked at me and said those things.

Wanting to change the subject, I thought about how I owed it to Macy to do a little recon work. "So, have you and Chris been friends for long?" Dangling a crinkled fry in my hand, I noticed his eyes were watching me as I put it in my mouth. This could be fun.

"For as long as I can remember. Do you really want to talk about Chris?"

I batted my eyelashes as I sipped on my diet soda. "Birds of a feather flock together."

"That's not accurate. That would be more Chris and my brother, Wyatt. See, Chris and I actually started off as arch-enemies, probably like the things written in those books you love so much." His eyes sparkled as his lips curled into a delicious smile.

"Now you have to tell me the story. Did it involve a love triangle?"

"It was brutal. We were both madly in love with the same woman." His eyes shifted as he sat back in his seat.

I felt a twinge of jealousy. "Go on," I encouraged. "You can't say that and then leave me hanging." I was literally on the edge of my seat, staring into his eyes.

"We were five years old. My mom was his kindergarten teacher. Now, you have to understand that my brother, Wyatt, is a mama's boy, but I was always her little man. Imagine my horror when Chris, along with nine other little boys in the class, fell in love with her golden blonde hair and bright blue eyes." He shook his head and tightened his lips into a straight line.

I'd never been more attracted to a man in my life. "Well, what happened?" I prompted him, waving my hands for more.

"At the playground, Chris would hang around my mom like a lovesick puppy. It was pathetic. Even at that age, he flirted. He told her how pretty she was, and he always needed to hold her hand in line. It drove me nuts. My mom reassured me of her unconditional and undying love, but the thought of Chris giving her little gifts irked the crap out of me. He was teetering on a fine line, and then he crossed it."

"The suspense is killing me. Tell me what happened."

"He came up to me on the playground one day and told me that he was going to marry my mom when he got older." He laced his fingers together and stretched his arms.

I'd never seen this side of a man, and I found it to be the most heartwarming experience.

"So, I punched him in the face and put an end to that nonsense." He shrugged his shoulders. "We've been best friends ever since."

I laughed. "So, you've been a jealous fool all your life."

"I don't share." His eyes were tender, but he was making a very clear point.

"Good. Neither do I." I shifted in my chair. "Okay, you have some explaining to do, don't you?"

He scrunched his face and nodded.

"Uh-oh," I said, smiling.

He really did look tortured, but if it was possible, it was cute at the same time.

Straightening up, he nervously said, "I'm man enough to tell you the truth."

With that opening line, my eyes opened wide. I was at war with what I should feel—apprehension—versus what I did feel. I felt at ease.

I had to admit that it was strange listening to this man tell me how he went through my purse, found my address, took me home, changed me, and tucked me in. I'd only known him for about twenty-four hours. Damn those Cosmos! If it had been anyone else, I would've been in an uproar about the violation of my boundaries.

Then again, I had to give him credit. He did try to get my cooperation, but he should've tried harder. How many Cosmos did I drink? Although I had a thing with boundaries and personal space, as he told me what happened, I could tell from the expression on his face and the tone of his voice that he took care of me.

"So, next time, do you want me to try harder to wake you up?" he asked with a smirk.

I smiled at him. "What makes you think there will be a next time?"

"Oh, I don't think there will be," he said.

My stomach dropped.

He winked. "I know there will be."

Knowing I could play his little game, I felt the urge to tease him. I couldn't help myself. I asked, "So, did you cop a feel?"

I didn't know what I wanted his answer to be. Even though I was being playful, I needed to know if he had taken advantage of me. I was all over the place. I wanted him to be different from the other men I'd dated.

His blues eyes looked straight into mine. With all seriousness, he said, "I won't lie to you. I wanted to."

His tone was so damn sexy and commanding that I couldn't help but hold my breath as he spoke.

"But, no, I didn't." He leaned in closer toward me. "Let's just say that you'll remember when I do."

I felt a heat rise within me. Hiding the blush behind my glass, I sipped my diet soda. "Confident, aren't you?" I flirted back.

He looked to the side and then straight back at me and smiled.

I couldn't control the smile that broke across my face. I was doomed to stroke his ego at every turn. Maybe that's not a bad thing.

After we finished eating, he extended his hand to me and we walked out to his car. Liam was a complete gentleman at dinner. I was a little disappointed that our evening was coming to an end. I had a great time with him, and I enjoyed his company. As we approached my front door, I fumbled for my keys. I was nervous. Even though I already knew how his soft lips felt against mine from our kisses before, this actually felt like our first kiss. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I wasn't under the influence of my Cosmos. The truth was that I really wanted to kiss him.

When we were saying our good-byes, he leaned in and pulled me into an embrace. I held on to him for dear life. His arms felt warm and inviting as they wrapped around me. My heart pounded in my chest. He pulled back ever so slightly and tipped up my chin with his hand. Leaning down, he pressed his lips against mine. When his tongue teased my lower lip, I opened my mouth for him.

Then, I became lost in his soft but sensual kiss as tingles coursed through my entire body. I could barely catch my breath as my heart beat feverishly. Every cell of my body was yearning for him. Pulling back, he pressed his forehead against mine. He could've taken me right then and there.

He said, "I want to see you again." He kissed my forehead and hugged me again.

"I'd really like that," I answered, swooning.

I unlocked the door, reluctantly not wanting the evening to end. He waited until I was inside before he made his way to his car. Inside my dark living room, I foolishly did a happy dance to put all happy dances to shame.

As I made my way to my room, I pulled off my shoes, tossing them in the closet, and plugged in my cellphone to charge. It was only a matter of time before a couple nosey friends wanted details.

Getting ready for bed, I pulled out my Team Kindle tank top that I loved sleeping in. I was too excited to actually fall asleep. I crawled into bed and pulled out my Kindle, so I could continue reading my book. I'd never taken so long to finish a novel. Then again, I'd been a little busy this weekend. When my phone beeped, I grabbed it to read the incoming text message.

Macy: Well? Did he do the deed?

Dani: None of your business.

Macy: That's a no.

Dani: Shut up and leave me alone.

Macy: Not a chance.

Dani: Did a little recon for you.

Macy: Details?

Dani: Chris crushed on Liam's mom.

Macy: That's gross.

Dani: He was five. Liam beat him up for it.

Macy: So, he likes older women.

Another text came in.

Liam: Thank you for having dinner with me. I had a great time.

Dani: I did, too.

Liam: I want to see you again. Soon.

Dani: You better.

Liam: Absolutely. Sweet dreams. XOXO.

Dani: Good night. XOXO.

A giddy smile crossed my face. No longer able to concentrate on reading, I put my Kindle away. All I could do was think about Liam. I recalled the feeling of his lips on mine. The thoughts both thrilled and terrified me.

Sitting in my car, I stared at the text messages we'd just exchanged. I had a great time tonight.

I loved watching her talk about her books. She'd captured my undivided attention. The look on her face was priceless. She'd sat up with an expression full of enthusiasm. I didn't like that she'd thought I was laughing at her. What kind of a*shole would I be if I did that? The moment she'd let her guard down, her eyes sparkled. I couldn't get enough of her smile. I'd listen to her talk about her books all night long if it meant I could see her face light up.

It had been a really long time since I'd let anyone get close to me. It had just never felt right. In less than twenty-four hours though, I'd shared a part of me that I'd kept very private. There was just something about Dani that was different. I barely knew her, but it was like I'd known her my whole life. It was the way she walked down to the front of the classroom the first day I met her. It was her eyes, her smile, and the way she tilted her head to the side as she bit her lower lip. It was the way she felt in my arms. It was the smell of her hair and her perfume lingering on my shirt. It was the way she flirted.

She was smart, sassy, and sexy as hell. I could spend a lifetime licking her lips, tasting her mouth, and sucking on her tongue. It was still more than all of that. It was the way I felt around her. I didn't have the words to describe it all, other than to say that my heart started beating again because of her.

As I got out of my car and walked into my dark apartment, I tossed my keys on the counter and then headed over to my desk. As I booted up my computer, I stared at my reflection on the monitor. I wasn't impulsive by nature. I usually planned things out and thought them through, even if it was a split-second decision. There was always a reason and method.

A clever idea had come to me while we were eating. I'd never done anything like this before. I just wanted to know what made her tick. I needed to learn a little bit more about her.

As the Internet came up, I thought about what I was about to do. The more I thought about it, the more I started second-guessing myself. What am I really going to gain from this? I wondered if this could blow up in my face. Would she think I'm a stalker? Or worse, would she think I'm whipped?

I sat there and stared at the screen. Then, I heard a ping from the online video chat. I leaned back in my chair, lacing my hands behind my head, as I opened the chat window.

"Hi, sweetheart," she said, smiling into the computer camera. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

"Well, hello to you, beautiful. How are you doing on this gorgeous night?"

"Considering this treat, I'm doing fantastic. So, are you going to tell me why it's been so hard to get in touch with you?" she asked in a soothing non-accusatory tone.

Shaking my head, I smiled. "That's not true, and you know it. I always have time for you."

"Is that so?" She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "Oh, am I being a nag? I don't mean to be. I just miss you. Tell me, how have you been?"

"Slow down. It's late, and you're asking too many questions." I chuckled softly. "You know it's true. I'm never too busy for you. And you're not a nag." I leaned forward. "Work is awesome. You know I love it. Friday was hard though. Damn drunk drivers. Enough of that. Tell me something new."

"I asked about you, not work."

She always saw right through me. I knew I had to tell her about Dani. I just didn't want to jinx it. It was bad enough that I was questioning what I was about to do a few minutes ago. I needed to keep some perspective when it came to Dani. I wasn't usually won over so quickly. But, damn, she had that it factor. I definitely had Dani on the brain and under my skin. Maybe this chat would stop me from making a complete ass of myself.

"I'm doing great. In fact, I'm better than great." That should pacify her for at least a couple of days. I quickly shifted the conversation. "Now, how are you?"

"Fine," she deadpanned. "It's always beautiful here in October. You should come up to Asheville to visit me and see for yourself. Or you can just tell me about the girl." She smiled with satisfaction.

I sighed, furrowing my brow. How on earth does she know?

She admitted, "I know that look, and I'll save you the trouble. I was talking to your brother today, and he mentioned that you were quite 'smitten'—that was the word he used—with a 'hot babe'—again those were his words."

"That's interesting. I haven't seen him this week. Our shifts didn't coincide," I said, raising an eyebrow. "Was Chris hanging out with Wyatt when you called?"

This was just awkward all around. As true as it was, I didn't want to talk to her about being smitten with Dani. My hesitation had nothing to do with Dani or how she made me feel. As I thought about her on the beach, watching the sunrise, my heart started to beat faster. Maybe it had to do with how real my feelings were for her.

"Liam, I love you dearly." Her eyes softened, making the turn in this conversation even more bizarre. "And I hope that it's true. I would love for you to be smitten."

The words just flowed out of my mouth without much thought. "Her name is Dani. I met her yesterday. She's beautiful, smart, and funny. She's sweet and sensitive. I took her to the beach and told her about Dad. You know I don't talk about him with just anyone, but it felt right to tell her. We went out to dinner tonight, but I have to pace myself because I'm really enjoying her company. I'm finding that I want to know everything about her."

Her face broke into a huge smile. "She must be very special if you told her about your dad. Seize the moment. Love doesn't always happen—"

"Whoa. Stop it right there." I had to put the brakes on this conversation fast. "I never said anything about love. I like her." I paused for a moment. "Okay, I really like her a lot, but I've only known her for a day."

She shook her head from side to side. "You forget that I know you better than you know yourself. It's written all over your face. Trust your heart. Anyway, I want some grandbabies to spoil, so get with the program."

"Mom, this conversation has just gone into the no-fly zone," I interrupted, looking away from the monitor.

"When are you going to see her again?" she asked relentlessly.

"Not soon enough," I said, smiling like a goofball.

As our chat came to an end, I had all the encouragement I needed. I typed in Amazon.com, opening the door to discovering just a little more of the mystery of Dani Ruiz. Shaking my head in disbelief, I ordered a Kindle Fire HD. I'm such a sap. I might as well have handed her my balls on a silver platter.