Page 54 of Some Like It Hot

“No. Because then you’ll order the least expensive thing on the menu, won’t you?”

His face turns an adorable shade of red.

I chuckle. “Are you a vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian?”

“No.”

“Then how about a filet?”

“That sounds great.”

I turn, and the server instantly appears. I order for both of us.

When I turn back, Aidan is eyeing me. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Make the server understand you need something when you don’t do anything? You just looked at him.”

“That’s his job. It would be insulting to him if I waved my arm around like a madman.”

He drains his beer. “I think you’re doing it to me right now.”

“Doing what?” My heart is suddenly drumming a hard beat in my chest.

“Letting me know what you want by looking at me.”

“What do you think I want?”

“Me.”

“Then it’s working.”

After we eat dinner and continue to casually chat and get to know each other as we stroll down the sidewalk outside of the building, Aidan tells me, “Our next date, I’m taking you into my world. I want to see you squirm a little.”

Second date. I love the sound of that.

I eye him. “You’re going to enjoy watching me squirm?”

“Kind of.”

“What will we be doing? Do I need special shoes?”

Aidan laughs. “Maybe. I’m debating between darts and bowling. Both take place in sticky dive bars.”

Dear God.

“Please don’t use the word sticky. I’m begging you.” I’m laughing with him. “But I’m willing to try anything once and I’m sure it will be highly entertaining to the locals to see the aging Brit attempting to bowl.”

The January air is like glass shards slicing through my face, but I steel myself against it, not wanting the night to end early. We’re just walking without a plan. The two whiskeys I drank have warmed and loosened me up.

“How old are you, if I can ask?”

“I’m thirty-eight. You?” Aidan definitely looks younger than me, but I don’t worry about age differences. I just like to feel a connection with someone, and I do with him.

“Twenty-seven.”

“And your life is where you want it to be?”

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