Page 34 of The Playboy's Playbook

This has been the longest damn week of my life. Luke had to knock me upside the head more times than I can count because I kept getting distracted.

All I could think about was Laila.

By the time we’re wrapping up our workday at the construction site and I’m headed home, Laila is already in bed, so we’ve kept up with our lunchtime video calls. That does nothing to satisfy me when all I want to do is hold her in my arms.

I finally get to see her tonight because Luke shut down the site early because one of the crewmen’s kids had a football game and he didn’t want to miss it. Luke understands that showing up matters, no matter what age the kids are.

I texted Laila and told her that I wanted to see her and take her on a date. In typical Laila fashion, she complained about not having anything to wear.

We’ve only been out twice in public – first at Brody’s Bar and the second at Frank’s Diner. Both times it was empty and there were hardly any people around.

This time, I plan on taking her someplace special. I’m hoping everything goes according to plan. But then again, it adds to my character development if something goes to shit. I just hope tonight isn’t a night where the universe decides to teach me a lesson.

I arrive to pick up Laila from her mom’s house fifteen minutes early. I’ve never been on time or early for anything in my life, but for her, I’d show up a day early.

I finally shake my nerves to get out of the truck and walk towards the front door. I ring the doorbell and bounce nervously, careful not to grip the bouquet of flowers in my hand too tight.

“Just be cool, Matty. Just be cool,” I mumble to myself. Nola barks and scratches at the door before Laila tells her to get in the kennel.

As soon as Laila opens the door, it’s like we’re in a movie. The light from the entry way gives her an angelic glow.

“You’re early,” she chuckles.

“I didn’t want to risk running late because of traffic,” I say. She steps aside and invites me in and I press a kiss to her forehead.

“More flowers? My mom’s gonna run out of vases,” she says, taking note of the pink and white bouquet I still have a death grip on.

“Then I’ll buy your mom more vases so I can keep giving you flowers.”

She takes the flowers from me and walks to her kitchen to put the flowers in another vase and sets them next to the ones I bought her on Memorial Day. I take the time to scan her body and my dick immediately hardens.

She’s dressed in a form fitting, pink dress that stops just above her knees and white strappy heels. Her curly hair is pulled into a ponytail with a few strands hanging loose. Her makeup is simple, nothing over the top, but Laila doesn’t need to wear makeup in my opinion. She’s already gorgeous without it.

“Oh, I also bought Nola something,” I say, reaching into my back pocket and pulling out a toy flower bouquet. It matches the flowers I bought Laila and has crumble paper that makes noise when puppies chew on it.

“You’re adding to her pile of toys I’m trying to get rid of.” She smiles and walks over to retrieve Nola from her kennel.

“Look what Matty bought you, Nola,” Laila coos, holding the Yorkie close to her chest and bouncing her. I extend the toy to Nola and she sniffs it before grabbing it in her mouth. As soon as she hears that paper crinkle, she goes wild. Laila gently sets Nola down in her kennel to let her enjoy the new toy.

“I think she just got a new favorite toy,” I say proudly.

“I don’t know,” Laila wavers. “That panda bear toy never leaves her. Even when I think she’s lost it, she turns up with it.”

We share a laugh as we stand in silence and watch Nola play. I place my hands on Laila’s waist and pull her closer to me, kissing her softly. She’s heaven in human form. At this moment, there’s no going back.

I’m in love with Laila Wright.

Chapter Sixteen

LAILA

After Matt and I finally stopped kissing and I made sure Nola had plenty of food and water, we made our way to his truck, which he had to help me step into. It’s such a tall truck, a man’s truck. It fits him.

He turns on the country station but keeps the volume low. He reaches over, grabs my hand in his, and begins driving to the restaurant, which I still have no clue where it is. Oakridge doesn’t have many fine dining locations, but I would’ve been okay with going to the Waffle House.

I’ve never been in a serious relationship, so this is all new to me. Matt’s a veteran at the dating game, albeit not the best example to look at. No matter, he still has experience in how to act, what to say, and what to do. I’m out of my element here and the more I think about it, the more nervous I get.

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours, baby?” Matt asks, sensing my nerves.

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