Page 10 of The Pen Pal
When she looks back at me, her eyes shine, and it nearly kills me. “You know, I hoped you would disappoint me.”
My heartbeat slows to a stop. “Why?”
“Because if you were as amazing as the guy I emailed, then I’m in big trouble.”
Relief crashes into me. “You didn’t think I was going to let you down on our first night in the flesh, did you?”
“I wanted you to. But I’ve only been here for five minutes, and you’ve already checked out two of the ten things on my list.”
At the mere mention of the list, the air between us changes. Electricity sizzles through me, sharpening my longing into a blade. “Well, the night is still young.”
The server has impeccable timing because I was about to dive into our list. Maybe that’s my cue to step it back a little bit. I don’t want to come on too strong, but I need Amelia to come out of her shell. She’s still a bit shy around me, and I don’t know why. I need the spitfire side of her. The one not afraid to tell me what she wants.
He takes our orders and leaves.
“Are you nervous around me, Amelia?”
She lets out a chuckle and traces the rim of her wine glass. “I talk a big game in emails, huh?”
“Do I scare you?”
“No, no. It’s just that … you kind of seem like the guy mothers warn their daughters about.”
I smirk. “Good. I was starting to worry I came off too wholesome.”
She hesitates for a beat and looks away, her voice softer. “Maybe I’m afraid I won’t live up to what you imagined.”
“Impossible. You already exceeded expectations, and you haven’t done anything except smile.”
Amelia rolls her eyes. “So dramatic. You’re going to flatter me into getting cocky.”
I find enough courage in me to reach over the table and trace circles on the back of her hand. She turns it over, palm up. “I want you cocky and flirty. I want you to lean over this table and whisper something filthy in my ear just to see me lose my cool.”
Her eyes widen a fraction, her full, red lips parting. Her voice is barely above a whisper. “I’m not wearing anything under this dress.”
My face splits in a slow smile even as my heart hammers against my chest. “There she is.”
3
AMELIA
Unlike Adam, I came to this date with zero expectations. After all, I didn’t really care what he looked like. All I knew was how fast I was falling for a man I hadn’t even met yet. I had his name, yes, but I didn’t actually do my research. I wanted to be surprised, and boy oh boy, was I ever.
If Adam had antlers, scales, or two heads, it wouldn’t have mattered. I’d still do everything I promised, which was to tick off things on his list.
But then, I see him, and dear Lord, a warning would have been nice.
He could have told me he looked like Tom Hardy, if Tom Hardy were over six feet, had blue eyes, and long-ish black hair that kissed the tops of his ears.
He had no business knowing how to talk dirty and looking this good. I saw him, and my self-esteem plummeted to the ground.
Hot sparks shot through my body when he took my hand, and my core clenched when he started drawing on my palm.
It wasn’t fair!
But then, he tried to coax me out of my shell, where I wanted to stay forever if I could, and that did me in.
His face has darkened ever since I told him I wasn’t wearing anything. He was about to say something when the server came bringing trays of food.
