Page 90 of I Choose You
Reid opened the door before I had the chance to climb the three stairs on his stoop. One look at him changed my entire mood. My smile took up my whole face as I took him in. He was dressed in a pair of black jeans and a button-down shirt, and his hair was shorter than it was this morning but still long enough to add a little style to it.
He looked delicious.
“You keep staring like that and we’re not getting out of this house,” he said, his voice low.
“You look incredible,” I told him honestly. “Where are we going?”
“I want to take you out tonight. We can walk through the seafarer museum, get some dinner, maybe take a walk downthe beach if it doesn’t get too cold,” he said.
My eyes lit up at the mention of the local history museum dedicated to the old fishermen’s trade routes that were once the backbone of this town.
A knowing smirk spread across Reid’s face. “I thought you would like that.”
“I do. I really do.” I nodded. “But we cannot go out with you looking like that and me looking like this.” I gestured up and down my body.
Reid’s brow rose as he took me in. “There is never a moment when you don’t look like the most beautiful person on the planet.”
I brought my mouth to his for a kiss and wrapped my arms around his middle. He gathered my hair in his hand and tilted my head back, deepening the kiss. He stepped back inside, pulling me with him, and kicked the door closed.
“Give me five minutes to change.”
“It won’t take me five minutes to get these clothes off you. I can have you naked in five seconds flat.”
“Museum. Dinner. Walk.” I swatted at him and pulled away. “You stay there. Do not follow me. I was promised dinner, and I want it.”
“What about what I want?” he yelled after me.
“Dessert.”
He growled but thankfully didn’t follow me into the bedroom to change. Otherwise, there would have been no chance of us making it to this date.
The May weather was starting to warm up, but it could still get chilly once the sun went down. I changed into a pair of black skinny jeans and a cute top and my trench coat.
Reid was waiting for me in the living room. His gaze didan appreciative sweep of my body, settling on my face. We locked eyes. A deep emotion swirled within them, pulling me to him. The fun, flirty guy from moments ago was gone. I leaned into his chest, and his arms came around me.
“You ready?” he asked quietly.
Not even a little bit. I wasn’t ready to leave. I wasn’t ready for this to end.
I smiled at him, placing a chaste kiss to the corner of his lips. “Ready when you are.”
Reid led me to my car and opened the passenger door for me.
He tried to put on a happy face during our walk of the museum for my sake, but a current of tension was quietly emanating from him.
“What did you think?” he asked on our ride to the restaurant.
“It was fantastic. I can’t believe I hadn’t visited it before. There is so much history here.”
Reid reached over and twined his fingers with mine. “There’s a lot more to this little seaside town than meets the eye.”
“There certainly is.” I brought his knuckles to my lips for a kiss.
Dinner was at Benson’s Steak House; Reid had even made a reservation. Once we were seated, the waiter came over to take our drink orders, a beer for Reid and a glass of wine for me. As soon as he walked away, I reached for Reid’s hand again.
“Are you alright?” I asked.
He sighed. His deep brown eyes looked tortured as he searched my face and blew out a slow breath. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
