Page 21 of Closing the Distance

The truth is I want to see where this goes. I may feel like a fish out of water, but Ty doesn’t seem to notice the stares. In fact, he’s barely stopped touching me since he picked me up, so clearly he’s not judging me for my dress. Why should I let other people’s judgment impact my night with him?

I’m not on a date with them. Ty’s opinion is the only one that matters.

I’m feeling slightly more confident when the maître d’ seats us at a table near the back—tucked behind a wooden partition with a beautiful painting of the ocean at sunset—offering some privacy from the other patrons in the restaurant. He leaves our menus in front of each of us before walking away. A waiter quickly replaces him, taking our drink order and then giving us a few minutes with the menu.

“Do you know what you want to eat?”

“Um, I’m not sure yet.” Honestly, there are some things on this menu I’ve never heard of. I’m kind of terrified I’ll be ordering bull’s testicles or something. That’s apparently a delicacy, right? I fight a grimace at the thought and focus on what sounds familiar.

He sets down his menu and leans forward. “I need to make a confession.”

I set down my own menu, mirroring him. “Okay.”

“I don’t know what half this stuff is.”

I can’t stop the smile that breaks out on my face and the relief that courses through me. “Oh, thank God. I don’t either.”

“I was trying to impress you, but I think I might’ve been better off choosing a restaurant where I actually know what is on the menu.”

My heart flutters. “You wanted to impress me?”

The lighting might be dim, but I don’t miss the slight flush on his cheeks, and my own smile grows as all the stress and worry completely fade. “I don’t know if I should be ashamed or not that you have to even ask. Of course, I want to impress you.”

I pick up my menu, trying to hide the way I’m sure my own heated face is flushing. “I appreciate the effort.”

He huffs out a laugh. “We’ll see about that after you accidentally eat something that is supposed to be high-end cuisine, but is really something like bull’s testicles or squid brains.”

I drop my menu and stare at him with my mouth open. It’s like he’s in my damn head. This is what it felt like the night we were together too. Easy. Uncomplicated. Fun.

With everything that’s happened since, I forgot how in sync we were that night, like two puzzle pieces fitting together perfectly.

The waiter comes over, and we each order a steak, and then while we wait, we talk. The conversation flows easily between us as he asks me more about my job and my students, especially the ones he talked to when he came earlier this week. I ask him about football, because truthfully, I don’t know a single thing about the sport. I tried to watch his away game, but both Blaire and I were equally confused about what was happening as we watched.

The entire time we talk, Ty’s gaze stays locked on me, as if no one else in the room exists. Our food is delivered, and we keep the conversation light as we tuck into our meal which thankfully turns out to be delicious. I’m only about three bites in when Ty puts down his fork and looks down at the table.

“I can’t do this,” he says.

My smile drops along with my fork, my appetite completely gone with those four words. How did I read him so wrong? I thought this date was going so well.

Then he looks back up at me, and his eyes burn with a heated intensity I’ve only seen on him once before. “I’m trying to be a gentleman, but I can’t sit here and pretend I’m not dying to kiss you again. I can barely focus on what we’re talking about because all I can think about is kissing your lipstick right off your face.”

I gape at him in shock. That was not what I was expecting him to say. Then he shocks me further when he reaches around the side of the table and pulls my chair next to him instead of where I was seated across from him. He moves me like I weigh nothing, and then we’re next to each other, and he drapes one arm behind my back, resting on the chair, while his other hand comes up to trace my cheek. His gaze eats up every inch of my face like he’s memorizing each line and freckle and storing it away for all eternity.

I can hardly breathe.

His thumb grazes my cheek. “I’m going to kiss you now, so I can actually give you a proper date where I’m not distracted by that sinful mouth of yours…or at least less distracted, hopefully.”

“Okay,” I whisper, my voice raspy and filled with desire.

He watches me for another second and then his lips are brushing against mine in a kiss that’s somehow both tender and passionate. My body melts against his as I let out the faintest moan and part my lips. His tongue swoops in, not needing any more invitation, and then nothing in the world exists but Ty. He groans deeply, but soft enough I’m sure only I can hear, before pulling away. He places one more kiss on my tender lips before he sits back, and I open my eyes to find his hooded and glazed with lust.

“Maybe that wasn’t my best idea because now I just want to keep kissing you.”

I cup his cheek, mirroring the way he held mine during our kiss, and he leans into it, his eyes closing like my touch is the best feeling in the world.

Only Ty.

He’s the only man who’s ever made me feel like this. Like I’m special to him, precious, worthy of being cherished and spoiled. I might be confused about a lot right now, but there’s one thing I’m not at all confused about anymore. I want him. I want him to want me and love me the way I’ve always dreamed of being wanted and loved.

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