Page 51 of Forever Wild
This may be the best first date I’ve ever been on.
Thor is everything I thought or hoped he would be. He’s cute. He’s smart and funny. Attentive.
He is that perfect combination of flirty yet respectful. I caught him checking out my cleavage, but he also spends a significant time on my eyes and he told me I looked nice.
We decided to meet up for drinks instead of dinner. It’s my standard first date itinerary to make sure I like a guy before committing to two hours of awkward conversation while eating at lightning speed to hurry things along.
“I’m having a great time,” he says, smiling at me. He has this golden retriever energy that is so likable and endearing.
“Me too.”
“Do you want to grab dinner?” he asks as the bartender is setting our seconddrink in front of us.
I hesitate for only a beat. “Yeah, yeah, that would be great.”
He takes the initiative and goes to the hostess up front to ask for a table. A few minutes later we’re being escorted to a small table in the back of the restaurant and menus are put in front of us. And all of a sudden, the date feels a lot more serious than it did two minutes ago. Thor is great and he seems to be into this, into me. And I’m, well, I’m still thinking about the annoying hockey player I left earlier today.
I don’t understand what his deal is. Jack’s, not Thor’s.
He’s into me. Whether he’ll admit it or not, I know that he is. The question is why wouldn’t he admit it? He is a gold star member of casual relationships. It isn’t like I asked him out on a date. And sure, I get that sleeping with a teammate’s sister is probably off-limits in his mind, but I’m not just Ty’s sister. I thought we’d moved past that over the last couple of weeks.
“So, where were we?” Thor asks, shaking me out of my Jack thoughts.
“Oh. Right.” I blink away the haze and think. “I was telling you about my brother. He’s great.”
“Older or younger?”
“Four years older, but we’re close.”
A pleased smile lifts both corners of his lips. “I love that. I’m close with my siblings too.”
I’m relieved he didn’t ask more about Tyler. I never tell a guy on the first date that my brother plays for the Wildcats. Having different last names makes it hard for people to guess. All the guys are local heroes and get recognized easily within fifty miles of the arena, but as long as I’m not walking next to Tyler, people don’t usually put it together.
I’m so proud of Ty, but all my life I’ve sat through dates and partieswhere people asked about him like I wasn’t the one sitting in front of them. For at least our first date, I’d like Thor to be more interested in me than my brother.
“Brothers or sisters?” I ask. I already know he has one of each from the cyber sleuthing I did, but I’m not about to admit that.
“Older sister and a younger broth…” His words trail off as his gaze, which had been pinned on my face, lifts and his eyes widen. “HOLY SHIT. Jack Wyld.”
My eyebrows crease. Did he just figure out somehow that my brother is a hockey player?
“No. I mean, yes, he’s a Wildcat, but my brother is?—”
Thor interrupts me. “Jack Wyld ishere.” He gives me this big, goofy grin like we’re in on some secret together.
What the actual fuck?
“Holy shit.” He looks away from me again. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I turn slowly in the direction of the front of the restaurant.
I already know it’s going to be him. I can feel it in the fluttering of my stomach and the way my skin vibrates when he’s nearby, but I’m still not prepared for laying eyes on him.
It’s the first time I’ve seen him dressed in anything but athletic wear all summer, and goddamn I forgot how hot he is. A white T-shirt stretches across his chest. His jeans are casual but fit in a way that show off his fit and toned body. His dark hair, freshly cut by me, is styled in his signature slicked-back look. It really isn’t fair that he’s so fucking hot.
Jack is talking to the hostess. His lips are curved in a smile that doesn’t meet his eyes. His gaze lifts and locks on me. I suck in a breath at the sight of him. He doesn’t tear his eyes away as he continuestalking to the woman. She nods and then he starts toward us.
Thor is talking, saying something about how much of a fan he is and how excited he is to see him. I barely hear any of it because Jack is headed straight for us.
I already knew it was too much of a coincidence for him to be here for any other reason, but my pulse still races with every step that brings him closer.
