Page 67 of The Situation
“You ladies are missing out,” Curtis says. “Wine is an experience.”
I choke, pressing a hand to my chest as I hack up a lung.Curtis, the best wine on earth doesn’t hold a candle to the experiences I’ve had as of late.
“Are you okay, Aurora?” Jamie asks, watching me curiously.
“Yeah.” I clear my throat, patting my chest. “Excuse me.”
Jamie removes Curtis’s cape, and he gets to his feet. He’s shorter than I would’ve guessed, and thinner than I imagined. I might’ve been vaguely interested in him if I didn’t just leave the sexiest man alive.
I groan at the thought.
This is so unfair—to me and to every man I meet in the future. I can’t compare them all to Tate. He can’t be the bar by which other men are measured. No one stands a chance.
Settle down, Aurora. This is your newfound libido talking. Tate might be gorgeous, sexy, sweet, and an absolute legend in bed, but Lewis and Kent both seemed wonderful at first, too. Give it time.
I sigh. I’m either a sucker for punishment or a terrible judge of male character.
Come to think of it, I might be both.
“Here you go,” Curtis says, handing Jamie a few crisp bills. “Great work.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll call you in about six weeks,” he says.
“Sounds like a plan.”
He nods. But instead of leaving, he turns to me.
I have the sudden urge to run. It’s not out of fear—I could probably take ole Curtis with my shears if I had to. It’s more of a disinterest in conversing with him. I came to talk to Jamie about Tate, not chitchat with a self-described wine connoisseur.
“Aurora, right?” he asks.
“That’s right.”
He smiles broadly. “Would you be interested in going out for dinner on Wednesday night?”
Jamie makes a face as she sweeps around her chair.
I start to turn him down.Who goes on a dinner date in the middle of the workweek?My lips part with a practiced speech about being too busy to date right now, but thanks for the offer. But before those words can come, I stop myself.
Why turn him down? Is he my dream man? No.But I’m supposed to be making sure that I sample the goods before I settle down again, and I’ve never dated a vino lover before. Maybe it’s what I’m into.
I snort, covering it with a cough.It’s not what I’m into.But at least I won’t be home rotting and dreaming of Tate. That’s the real objective.
I think.
“Why not?” I say, returning his smile as widely as I can. “Let’s do it.”
Jamie mutters something under her breath.
Curtis’s face lights up. “Would you like to go anywhere specifically?”
“I like about everything.”
“I really prefer that you pick the place, so I know you’ll enjoy it.”
“Okay,” I say, wishing he had taken the lead and made the decision. “How about Leo’s downtown?”
