Page 32 of Reckless
10
Kelly
Candlelight flickered on the table between us, making the exquisite green of Gage’s eyes shine entrancingly. I found it hard not to get lost in them, could barely remember what it felt like not to have them on me all the time.
By the time I’d changed into the only other dress in my closet, a cliché little black dress, and jazzed it up with some artsy jewelry, Gage had been busy on the phone making amazing last-minute plans.
He’d flown us by private jet—which was where we sipped the champagne he’d mentioned—to New York. Where a long black limo had been waiting to take us to Zen, an upscale Japanese restaurant. There, we were greeted by a bowing Japanese man, who escorted us to a private dining room with an open balcony garden. In the background, traditional Japanese music played, the trill of a flute and thump of the drum setting the mood.
“It’s so…”
“Romantic, Kelly?” His gaze fell on the wide chaise that awaited stuffed diners. I could imagine them rolling themselves to its cushioned softness while digesting the night’s fare—or doingotherthings.
Oh god, the way my name rolled off Gage’s tongue preceded by the word “romantic” was pure seduction. I felt it everywhere, particularly between my thighs, in my breasts, which now felt swollen. Even with him sitting across from me, just out of reach, I couldn’t stop imagining him kissing me again, touching me everywhere. The way his gaze caught me up, the chaise practically reflecting in his eyes. I could picture us on it, our arms around each other, his mouth on me.
Was this what I wanted?
Finish what you started.
Maybe if we finished what we’d started, got it out of our systems…
Maybe if I had a real memory to look back on instead of silly fantasies of us tumbling into bed together. Maybe it would be awkward and horrible, and I could laugh and forget him forever.
Yes.
Yes, I would finish what I’d started with this man. And then I’d be able to finally let him go. But first, there was dinner to get through.
“Well, this is a bit different from the dates we had as kids, isn’t it?” he asked as he took a drink of the champagne that was rapidly going to my head and making me giddy.
I wanted him to stop talking, to put a hold on our food and just take me to the chaise already.
Patience.
I laughed. “This is a lot fancier than hanging out in the park or loitering in back of Zippy’s Gas Mart.”
His eyes grew wide, and I knew the memories were flooding him too. Endless days after school spent hiding behind the gas station in the woods, kissing until our lips were chapped, exploring every inch of one another’s bodies without ever taking it all the way.
I bit down on my bottom lip, trying to keep my breathing even and to stop myself from asking him to kiss down my neck like he used to do. Had it always been such a challenge to keep myself in check in Gage’s presence? I readjusted my position on the seat.
“Yeah,” he snorted out a laugh. “It wasn’t so much about going out on actual dates then.”
“Do you remember how you asked me out? Mr. Romantic?”
He pointed a chopstick at me. “Hey, I was practically a kid, I didn’t understand romance at all.” He laughed. “I tried my hardest.”
“You just said…” I lowered my voice to mimic him, “‘wanna be my girl?’”
“I know, but I already knew you liked me because Will blurted it out at Kat’s party. So, there wasn’t much point in holding back, and it seemed like the next logical step. You said yes.”
“Of course I did. I’d been crushing on you from afar.”
My girlfriends had grown sick of hearing about how much I liked Gage, and they were relieved when we started dating…until they realized I’d only have more to say about him. I’d wanted to yell about our love from the highest structure in New Hope, which was probably the water tower.
How did I let what happened come between us?
“Well, trust me, I’m a lot smoother now.”
The memory of that brief but incredibly intense kiss flooded me again. Not that I’d thought about much else all day long. I’d barely slept, couldn’t seem to keep my fingers from brushing against where his had been. My mouth tingled.
