Page 32 of Only One Tent
“Me too.” I worked from home and set my own schedule, so I could work or not as I liked. He probably didn’t have that option, though his boss, Drew, was probably a very cool boss. I’d known him a long time, and he was always a decent guy. And more so, since he’d gotten together with Justin. A man like him was better with someone. And I suspected I was too. “Want to go out tonight? I’d like to pick you up at like six. Would that work?”
“Uh…sure.”
“Good. Text me your address, and I’ll see you tonight.”
“Okay.” He sounded quiet and shy. I knew he turned in on himself when uncomfortable, but I wanted to drag him out. I was nervous how he’d react, though. Because I didn’t tell him where we were going, and he didn’t ask. If he had, I would have told him to wait and see. But it would work out.
“This isn’t a dinner date, though, so you should eat before I get there.”
“Uh, okay. I will.”
“Good boy. See you tonight.” Yeah, we could do dinner some other time. I’d told him I would wine and dine him, and I would, but first, this date was going to be a make-or-break for us, and I wanted to get into it with him right away. Because I was pretty confident it was going to be themake-itside of that equation.
Turns out, I was more nervous than I thought I would be when I knocked on his door. His house was cute, and not all that far from mine, but where mine was a modern ranch on the west side of Parkland Heights, his was a Spanish-style bungalow just north of Hyde Park. Only a fifteen-minute drive through backroads.
His house had a driveway, where Skyler’s little sedan was parked and two sidewalks leading up to his front door. One from the drive and one from the street where his quaint little mailbox stood. I waited for him beneath the covered porch with its arches, looking out into the street on one side and a little patio with a couple of chairs and table out the other. When he opened the front door, I could see straight through his house to the giant sliders and backyard, which was obviously lush.
“Hey. Want a drink first?” He held his hand out, inviting me in.
“No,” I shook my head. “Thank you, but no drinking tonight. Maybe after.”
“Uh. Okay.”
“You ready?” When he nodded, I took his hand, gently pulling him out of his house and into my arms. I wrapped him up, liking how he fit against me. I gave him a quick kiss.
“Let me lock up.” He turned and locked the door before dropping the keys in his pocket. He followed me down the path to my car in his driveway.
“This is not the car you had on the camping trip.” He pointed at my little red sports car.
“I have more than one car. I like this one for date night. Don’t you?”
“Yeah, it’s cool.” I opened the door for him, tucking him inside.
I got in the driver’s side and strapped in. “It’s pretty new.” It was a BMW Z4, and I’d only had it for a couple of weeks. “I like how sleek it is, but it’s not the most expensive car in the world.” I shrugged. I didn’t want him to think I didn’t care about throwing money away, but I also wanted to impress him.
He wore a pair of slacks and a shirt with a tie. They fit very well, and he looked like a hot businessman. I was dressed similarly, sans tie. “Uh, should I lose the tie?” he asked, nervously.
“No. I like it. You look good.”
“Definitely a different look than camping clothes. But you’ve seen me in a suit.”
“Mmm…I have. And I recall you looked good then, but I think you look better now.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re actually with me.”
“Oh.” He looked out the window as I drove.
He sat up more as we drove along, taking note of where we were, and when I pulled in the parking lot, he said, “Oh shit. Afterglow?”
“I figured we’d put our memberships to the test.”
He put his hands over his face. “I hadn’t thought about…”
“I told you what I want in a relationship, Sky.”
His head jerked up. “Relationship?” I stared at him. What the hell did he think this was? I was too old for hookups. “Uh…okay. I can do this.” He shut his eyes tight for a second then looked back at me with those piercing peridot eyes.
