Page 35 of One More Weekend

Moving closer, Jenna nodded. “Definitely. The shirt is hot and makes you look really tall and broad and the trousers are perfect.”

The conversation itself wasn’t anything different than we would have said months or years ago. But I felt like every word meant something new.

Walking to the front door, I slipped on my black, leather loafers and shoved my keys and wallet into my pocket. Jenna’s matching velvet heels clicked against the wood.

On my knee, I looked up at her. My throat tightened as she towered over me.

How the fuck am I supposed to make it all night?

Shaking it off, I rose to my feet. I was still just an inch or two taller than Jenna – even in her four-inch Jimmy Choos.

I pulled open the door and let Jenna head out in front of me.

Once we were on the street, Jenna waited for me to tell her what direction we were headed. But instead, I stepped off the curb and held out my hand.

“What are you doing?” Jenna laughed at my gesture.

Feeling her eyes on my slender, veiny hands, I looked over my shoulder as a yellow cab slowed in front of me. “Getting us a cab.”

Scoffing, Jenna walked closer and smacked my shoulder. “These are way too expensive, we can just Uber.”

I shook my head, popping open the door and holding it for her. “Nope. This is the New York way for a New York date.”

Doing as she was told, Jenna hopped inside. Before she could try to slide over, I closed her door and ran around to the other side.

“I could’ve slid over.” Jenna rolled her eyes.

Winking, I chastised her, “Ladies don’t slide.” Then I turned my attention to the driver. “34th and 5th, please.”

The cabbie nodded and hit the gas. “You got it.”

And just like that, we were off.

Looking over at Jenna, I saw her mulling over the location. “That’s too far East to be Penn Station or Madison Square Garden.”

“Yep.” I smirked, waiting for her mind to catch up as the cab soared up Bowery and then Third Ave.

But then her mouth opened and I knew she’d made the connection. “Are you kidding?”

“Nope.”

Just as it connected for her, the cab slowed to a halt in front of the iconic Empire State Building, the art-deco skyscraper towering above us as Jenna’s head tilted back to look up at it.

We hopped out of the car after I paid the fare.

“This way.” I guided Jenna inside, grabbing her hand to make sure I didn’t lose her in the throng of commuters headinghome after work. Hopefully, she wouldn’t notice that my palms were clammy.

I pushed the revolving door which opened into a massive lobby, gray marble stretching up from the ground to the ceiling. The floors, a speckled terrazzo, had a satisfying click under Jenna’s heels as we made our way back toward the bronze and aluminum desk at the far end of the building.

“Sy, this is insane.” Jenna lowered her voice.

Shaking my head, I smiled as I approached the doorman. “Hey, we have tickets for STATE and then to go up. I’m Geo’s friend.”

From over my shoulder, I watched Jenna’s eyebrow raise as the guard nodded his recognition. “Hell yeah, this way.” The guard left his coworker to man the desk which he guided us to a back entrance of the restaurant on the main floor.

Once we entered, a hostess guided us to a table under my reservation.

As we took our seats, the hostess smiled and looked between us. “Geo is one of our favorites here so please do not be shy about ordering anything you like.”

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