Page 16 of Blind Trust
“You’ve going to ply me with milkshakes and pie with ice cream, and all manner of sweets, so that I’ll think of our days spent together as sweet ones. It’s all an evil plan to tempt me with sweets until I’m besotted with you.”
He laughed. “You’ve got me. Is it working?”
“Oh, yes,” she said. “I’m just not sure I’ll fit into these jeans if you keep this up.”
“Well, then we’ll have to work it off of you,” he said.
Her eyes went wide again as she froze and got quiet.
“We could start going for a walk after dinner, before we turn in for the evening,” he said. “Or when we stop for lunch.”
Relief showed on her face.
Did she really think I was talking about sex right now? We haven’t even kissed. She must have gone out with some real winners, not just that guy who attacked her.
He wondered what her other relationships had been like. Before the attack.
“Unless you have some other, nefarious plan to get me naked and work the sweets off,” he said.
She laughed. “No, I’m not the nefarious type. No dastardly naked plans in this girl.”
“Well, that’s a good thing,” he said. “Cause I’m not ready to get naked with you.”
Surprise showed on her face. “You’re not?”
“Nope. It’s too soon,” he said. “We’re just getting to know each other. No reason to rush things.”
He wished he could capture the look on her face just then, as she sat taking in what he’d said. There were a lot of expressions he’d like to capture.
The many looks she’d shown him so far on this trip. He’d never forget them, as they’d be frozen into his memory. But for a moment, he wished he could capture this image.
He wondered how she felt about having her picture taken.
“I would like to rush into one thing, though,” he said.
“You would?” she said. “What one thing?”
“Kissing,” he said, smiling wryly. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you for weeks. But the timing needs to be right for a first kiss. At some point on this trip, after we see your friend, I’m going to kiss you—if you’re all right with that.”
“I’m all right with that,” she said, her words rushed. “But I thought maybe you were going to ask me out again.”
She sounds disappointed.
Inwardly, he wanted to shout,Yes!But he kept this to himself. “Does that mean you’re ready for me to ask you out?” he asked instead.
“Mmm-hmm,” she answered.
Joy filled his chest. “Miss Cecelia, may I have the pleasure of taking you to dinner in San Diego, as our official first date, followed by a walk on the beach?”
“Oh, yes!” she said. “That sounds fantastic!”
Amazing, he thought.She’s gone from not wanting to go out at all to enthusiasm and a yes.
And that was perfect.
“It will be,” he said. “It’s a date.”
Now, they had two more nights to anticipate their official romantic date. Everything about this trip was going perfect. He almost couldn’t believe it was going so well.
