“Don’t. I don’t want you to say it until you’re ready and I can see that you aren’t. Don’t think I’m insulted because I’m not. I can tell it’s not your feelings for me you doubt. Your doubt is in yourself.” He smiled and cupped my face. “We’ll have to work on that.”
I sighed and dropped my forehead to his, closing my eyes. Somehow he always pinned down exactly what was inside me. “Thank you. For everything.” I opened my eyes and kissed his nose.
A slow smile stretched across his face, and he slowly and deliberately scrunched up that nose and sent my panties into a frenzy. I leaned forward and bit him on the tip of that adorably edible nose, taking him by surprise.
Blake smirked. “It’s not Tuesday.”
“I know, but I’m starving.”
He laughed. “Well, we can’t have that now, can we?”
As if on cue, the waiter appeared with our food, and Blake reclaimed his seat opposite me. Conversation flowed easily as we learned even more about each other. I told him a little about my family and how much I adored them. He seemed surprised since I avoided talking about them and assumed I had a bad home life when it was quite the opposite.
He mentioned spending the upcoming holidays together and I agreed to consider it. Although it would be hard to have him there, I didn’t really want to go back home alone, and Jace needed to be with his family. Of course, he always showed up for a portion of each holiday to polish off the vodka before his mother demanded he come home.
Blake and I enjoyed our evening, barely noting the staff’s presence. It was just me and him. And I didn’t just mean in that room. I meant in this life. I could feel it. The shift in the atmosphere as I opened up to him even more. It felt so natural. So good.
For the first time in years, I felt secure. And I hoped it would stay that way. It all felt too good to be true.
Dabbing my napkin to the side of my mouth, I placed it beside my plate. “I’m stuffed. That was delicious.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Blake checked his watch. “We’ll have dessert at our next destination. Do you mind?”
“Not at all. I can’t take another bite of anything else right now anyway.”
“Even if I did this?” Blake scrunched his nose again, and I almost lost it.
I licked my lips. “Use that sparingly in public if you don’t want me to be a walking pheromone.”
“Maybe I do.” He winked, and my belly fluttered.
After he paid, he lifted the rose from the center of the table and handed it to me. “For you.”
I accepted it and slipped my palm into his. This was already the best first date imaginable, but he’d made reference to dessert, so I knew he wasn’t done. “So, what’s next?”
“Patience, my dear.” He guided me through the front door and onto the sidewalk.
“Come on. Tell me,” I pouted.
“Patience.” He dragged out the word, drifting his eyes to the curb and nodding his head.
I looked up, expecting to see a livery cab. What I saw instead halted my steps. A pristine white horse flanked with a carriage proudly stood before me. The driver hopped down. “Mr. Turner.” He shook Blake’s hand and moved his eyes to me. “And this must be your angel.”
“Could she be anything else?” Blake regarded me with pride, brushing the pad of his thumb along my jaw. “After you.”
A horse and buggy? Is he fucking kidding me?
Blake gripped my hips, hoisting me inside, and my eyes fell to the rose lying across the seat. I scooped it up with a grin, joining it with the other one I was holding. The driver placed a warm blanket over us, and proceeded to pour us each a glass of wine. Blake wrapped his arm around me, and I snuggled into his warmth.
The wine coupled with the blanket and Blake’s insane body heat kept the bite out of the November night air. The horse clip-clopped through the streets of the upper west side, and I turned to Blake. “You’re incredible.”
“I could say the same to you.”
“No, you can’t.” I laughed. “And don’t downplay your fabulousness.” I wagged a finger at him. “I don’t deserve you.”
“You deserve more than I could ever give you.” He paused, studying me, his eyes holding a deep sincerity. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. Cheers, Angel.” We clinked glasses, and then he looped his arm through mine, urging me to take a sip through interlocked elbows.
I was in awe of the beauty of the city this time of night. All of the twinkling lights when they weren’t lost in the hustle and bustle of it all.
Eventually, the buggy came to a stop in front of one of the most expensive hotels in Manhattan, and my gaze traveled from the golden doors to the roof. I sat up straight. “We’re going in there?”
“We are.” Blake slipped a bill into the driver’s hand and jumped down, reaching up to me. I supported my weight on his shoulders, and he dragged his hands along the full expanse of my sides taking his time, eyes locked heavily onto mine. His muscles expanded as he kept control of how slowly he slid me down against the hard front of him.