Page 72 of My Mistake To Make

‘Where is everyone?’ she asks, smiling as she looks over me, relaxing back on the steps.

‘I sent them all home a little early.’ I push myself up to stand and enter her space, leaning in to press a brief kiss to her lips. ‘What did you buy?’

Curiosity gets the better of me, and she smiles.

‘Nothing too interesting, just some clothes, underwear,’ she flushes pink, as though she didn’t mean to tell me that, and I arch one eyebrow.

‘You can’t say ‘nothing interesting’ and then say underwear. I am very interested in that.’ She shakes her head, embarrassed, and I laugh. ‘Damn, girl. You’re cute as hell. You know that?’ Her cheeks blaze, and I laugh but step back and pat her backside, ‘Get inside before we get into some trouble out here in the open.’

I know I’m just making it worse, but goddam, if I don’t love that shade of pink on her skin.

I sent the guys home and rushed back to make sure I was the one there to hand Bo over to Jessie, then I showered quickly and headed back up here, hoping I would still beat Cara back. Step one, done.

‘You want me to help you carry your haul upstairs?’ I ask, and she laughs.

‘It’s hardly a haul. I think I can manage.’

‘Okay then, get upstairs. You have a date to get ready for.’ Her eyes widen, and I smile, stepping closer and turning her toward the stairs.

‘A date?’ she questions. Stepping onto the bottom step and turning to me. Man, she looks pretty today. ‘But nobody can know.’

I lean in and kiss her lightly.

‘There’s no dress code at this establishment. You just need to be comfortable.’ I step forward and use my hands on her hips to encourage her backward. ‘Go, get ready. Our reservation isn’t for another,’ I lift my arm to look at my watch, just for effect, ‘forty-five minutes.’

She takes another step and smiles down at me from her slightly higher position.

‘Are you picking me up?’

I can’t keep the smirk from my lips.

‘I’ll be waiting for you right here, darlin’.’

She takes another step back, then turns and bounces up the stairs excitedly, and I turn toward the kitchen, ready to put step two into action.

Can We Go Upstairs?

Cara

When I make myway down the stairs exactly forty-seven minutes later, Doug is standing where I left him. I can’t help but smile at the expression on his face and the way the butterflies in my stomach take flight.

‘Have you been standing there the whole time?’ I ask, coming to a stop on the bottom step and loving the feel of his large hands as they come to my hips.

‘No, I’m here to pick you up.’ He winks, and I chuckle. ‘You look so fuckin’ beautiful.’ He grins, squeezing my hips a little, and I smile.

I put on a little black skater dress with a sweetheart neckline that I bought today. I liked how wavy my hair was from the plait he put in last night, so I didn’t do anything with it. I just showered and put on the tiniest bit of makeup and a little perfume. I didn’t bother with shoes as I gathered we weren’t actually going anywhere.

Doug holds his arm out, and I loop mine through it, stepping down and letting him guide me toward my living room.

I gasp as we enter. ‘Oh, my god.’

The space is pretty barren, as my lovely new sofa is still covered in packing plastic and pushed back out of the way. The floors and walls aren’t finished, so the room isn’t decorated, but somehow, it’s transformed. Doug has laid out blankets and cushions. He’s lit candles all around the space, and there are wee little mason jars of wildflowers dotted around.

‘Doug, this is—’ I press my hand to my chest as my eyes roam the space.

‘Hold on.’ He releases me and pulls his phone from his pocket, then presses play. One of my favorite songs,Everlongby the Foo Fighters, starts to play quietly. Loud enough to hear but quiet enough that I can still hear his breath—I can still hear my own.

‘This is amazing.’

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