Page 34 of Playboy

“Thank you,” she whispered as she looked back up into his honey-colored eyes. Feeling a little brave, she placed her hand on his chest.

“You look good yourself. I love the color green on you. It brings out the color of your eyes.”

He grinned before taking her hand in his, bringing it up to his lips and kissing it.

“We’d better get going so we’re not late for our reservation,” he said, leading her out of the apartment and toward the elevator. Any other time, she would take the two flights of stairs down, but as nervous as she felt, she wasn’t confident she could handle the stairs in three-inch heels without embarrassing herself.

Playboy held her hand as they waited for the elevator. When it arrived, they both got on, and Playboy hit the button for the ground floor. As the elevator started to descend, an awkward silence fell between the two of them, and Gabby’s nervesreturned in full force as questions filtered in and out of her mind about what this date would bring. What would they talk about? Would she make a fool of herself? What was he expecting from her at the end of the date? Would this be their first and last date? Was she overreacting? She felt like her head might explode. Why on earth was she so worked up about a date? For heaven’s sake, she kissed him and even had dinner with his team last night.

She was snapped out of her insecure thoughts by the deep voice that softly called her name.

“Gabby?”

When she looked up, she met Playboy’s concerned gaze. But then she also realized they were standing next to his car in the parking lot. And he was still holding her hand.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered softly, turning her head away from him out of embarrassment. She couldn’t believe that she had zoned out and had walked from the elevator to the parking lot without even knowing it. She wished that the ground would open up and swallow her.

“Hey, look at me,” Playboy softly spoke as he cupped her cheek with his warm hand, bringing her eyes back to his. He gave her a warm smile that she felt in her heart, and she couldn’t help but smile back at him.

Jesus, he must think I am batshit crazy. Just tell him the truth.

She took a deep breath. “I swear I’m not crazy. I’m nervous as hell about this date,” she admitted, which drew a laugh from Playboy.

“It’s okay. And I get it. I’m a little nervous myself,” he admitted, and that made Gabby feel a little bit better.

She smiled and then lifted up and gave him a quick peck on the lips before quickly ducking into the car.

???

Playboy luckily found a parking spot not too far from the restaurant. After turning the car off, he hurried around to Gabby’s side and opened the door for her. Holding out his hand, she smiled and thanked him as she climbed out.

He held her hand as they crossed the street and walked one block to the entrance of the restaurant.

He couldn’t have asked for better weather. There were a few clouds in the sky as the sun was lowering, making room for the moon as it started to appear. The temperature was in the low seventies, and it was expected to drop only a few more degrees. It was a perfect fall evening for a date on the beach.

“Are you okay with sitting outside?” he asked as he opened the door.

“Yeah. That sounds nice. It’s supposed to be a beautiful evening.” she replied, smiling at him.

He gave the hostess his name, and they were quickly shown to their table on the outside patio that overlooked the beach. The small two-seater table they were seated at was the exact table he had requested. It had the perfect view of the water, and there was an outdoor heater nearby in case it got chilly.

Playboy looked around as he sat down across from Gabby.The atmosphere of the evening was perfect, as if the universe had conspired to make the moment unforgettable. The gentle sound of the waves lapping against the shore provided a soothing backdrop, while the cool breeze carried the salty scent of the ocean. The soft glow of the lanterns cast a romantic light over their table, adding to the magic of the night. But the most perfect part of it all was the woman sitting across from him. Her smile and the way she looked at him with those bright, determined eyes—she was everything he never knew he needed. She was the reason the night felt perfect.

He smiled at her, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.

Gabby looked stunning in every way possible. But he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her blue eyes that sparkled with anticipation.

“This place is beautiful,” she said, glancing around.

“Not as beautiful as you,” Playboy replied, feeling a rush of warmth when she blushed slightly at his compliment.

Before she could respond, the waiter appeared to take their drink orders.

Playboy looked at Gabby.

“I’ll take a chardonnay, please.”

“And I’ll have a Yuengling, please.”

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