Page 17 of Seductive Heat

"I'll be right back. I just want to put in my order." Tammy walks away.

"Is she going to sit with us?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Even she acknowledged we’re on a date."

"Just go with it. She's very dense about this, even when you tell her to her face she's being a third wheel. Besides, we've got time to get to know one another, right?"

"Yeah."

A soft smile appears on his handsome face, and he reaches out his hand to grab mine and squeeze it gently. It makes me feel like we're connected somehow, and I don't want that feeling to go away. So we sit there like that, holding hands, until Tammy comes back with her ice cream cone.

The good thing about this whole thing is that Tammy knows me well. This means she spends the rest of the evening telling Theo funny stories about me, like how I once turned a whole load of laundry pink by putting my red socks in or how I suck at ball sports like baseball, basketball, and even volleyball. Thankfully, Theo is a nerd, and I don't think he'll be very interested in doing sports with me. Fingers crossed.

At around ten p.m. I put a stop to the date.

"Theo, I'm sorry, but I've got class tomorrow. I should be going to bed soon."

"That's fine, goddess. Tammy, do you need a ride?"

She wiggles her keys in front of us.

"No, I'm all set."

The ride back is quiet, and I start getting nervous. Was Theo embarrassed by what a dork I was growing up? Does he not like me anymore after hearing all that stuff about me? It just looks like he's doing a whole lot of thinking. He parks in my driveway. I notice my sister's car is not in the garage.

"Let me walk you to the door." He says.

He comes to the passenger seat, unbuckles me, and takes my hand. Once we're in front of the door he turns and watches me with a loving look on his face.

"Are you doubting my goddess status now that you've discovered I was a dork growing up?" I whisper.

"I think you're more perfect than ever."

He brushes my hair away from my face and leans towards me. This is it, this is when he kisses me for the first time. I open my lips lightly and look up at him, desire in my eyes. Before I know it, our lips are touching. The kiss is gentle at first, making me melt, but then I breathe him in and get hungry for him and lick his lips to gain entry to his mouth.

I don't care if he thinks I'm too forward. I want this man in ways I never thought I'd want anyone before. He lets me in and our tongues do battle together. I feel his hands going up and down my arms, and then they circle my waist in a possessive manner. He softly pulls me to him, and I get lost in the fire between us.

When I grab his shirt to pull him closer to me, I realize we're making out in front of all the neighbors, and I stop kissing him. I'm breathing hard, so I need a moment to get a hold of myself.

"I'm sorry, we're out in the open, and the neighbors are nosey. They'll tell my sister."

"Yeah, I did not make a good impression on her, either."

"She'll relax once the background check comes back."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Sorry, no."

"She loves you. She wants to protect you. I'd do the same thing."

He leans forward again and gives me an innocent peck on the lips.

"You have a good night, goddess. I'll see you on the weekend."

"Goodnight, Theo."

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