Temporary Bliss (9 page)

Wow, looks like fun, flirtatious, dirty Daniel is in the house today. I’m liking all the different sides of Daniel I’ve seen so far, maybe a bit too much. It doesn’t stop me from taking a step forward and placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

“Sounds good.”

Stepping to the side, I hold my hand out, directing him in like a cop standing on an intersection. You’re such a dork, Mac!

“Would you like a drink?” I ask, walking into the kitchen and opening the fridge to see what I can even offer. “We’ve got OJ, Water, Milk...oooh, there are two bottles of Millers left.”

“Would be a shame to let a Miller got to waste,” he says behind me as he places the food on the breakfast bar.

“Damn, a man after my own heart,” I say without engaging my stupidity filter.

I turn around, holding the two bottles in my hand, and when I see the look on his face, I’m speechless. His eyes have softened, and he’s giving me the sexiest grin I’ve ever seen. “You never know your luck in the big city, Mac,” he adds, copying my earlier comment. “But for now, enough with the flirting or else I’ll forget all about this food and devour you for lunch.”

Nope, I was wrong. Now I’m the one with the goofy look on my face. Inner Mac is screaming at him ‘Devour me, devour me now!’

I shake my head, trying to regain my composure. Daniel chuckles as he takes a seat on a bar stool and starts pulling out our lunch, which looks more like a gourmet spread than a deli lunch.

Yet another mark in his favor.

In the blink of an eye, it’s Thursday and almost time for my third date with Daniel. Yes, third date. This is a miracle, at least for me.

I’m not a dater. I may accept a drink or two from a handsome stranger at a bar, or meet up with a friend with benefits for a drink and a game of pool, but since I’ve been back living in Chicago I’ve only been on a handful of dates. Kate is the dater. I love her dearly, but she’s always had the delusional belief of love at first sight and happy ever afters. She’s a hopeless romantic, which, unfortunately, means that she’s had more than her fair share of heartbreak over the years.

I now have her heartbreak process worked out, and have perfected a technique to handle them, down to a fine art.

Day 1 involves pajamas, Ben & Jerry’s, and a DVD marathon of Supernatural or Gossip Girl. There is nothing like a bit of Sam and Dean, or Chuck Bass to make a girl feel better.

Day 2 is her angry stage, where she wants to wring the neck of every member of the male race with her bare hands. On those days, we consume large quantities of vodka and Red Bull. Tequila shots have also been known to make a welcome appearance. The hangovers we have by the next day suck, but generally by day three, Kate is ready to jump back on the horse, or the next available male so to speak.

I get home from work before Kate does, having skipped out an hour early to pop down to Michigan Avenue and find a hot new top to wear for my date. I know Daniel wants to take me to Navy Pier. Part of me is hoping we end up at Pier Park and get stuck at the top of the ferris wheel, so I need an outfit that will be warm, functional, and sexy.

The third date rule will no longer apply after tonight and thank God for that! I’m dying to find out how talented Daniel is with that mouth of his. We may be stranded on second base, but that doesn’t rule out an instant home run, especially where he’s concerned. That grin, the twinkle in his eye, that delightful mouth that can turn my insides to jelly within seconds...

Argh!

I’m shaved, showered and exfoliated head to toe by the time Kate walks in the door. Dumping her purse and keys on the kitchen counter, she stands there blatantly checking me out. With a little twirl of her finger, I do a spin showing her the complete look.

“Very nice, babe. New top?” she asks, leaning forward and checking the inside label. “Yes, and expensive too.” She leans against the bench and quirks a brow at me. “A lot of effort for a date, Mac,” she adds with a grin.

“Don’t,” I say sternly but with a huge smile. “Don’t say it. I just want to look nice for him. What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing,” she says in an annoying sing song voice. “I’m going to shut up before you start freaking out on me. It’s nice seeing you like this. Dating, and actually wanting to go out with the same man more than once.”

“Hush now. Can you do something with my hair?” I tilt my head and give her my best sad puppy dog look which wins her over every time.

She lets out an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, come into my bathroom. I’ll do something with this mess of yours.”

“Yay! Love you.” I pucker my lips at her for an air kiss just as she grabs my hand and drags me towards her miracle station aka her bathroom.

At seven-thirty, Kate and I are sitting on the couch watching our favorite entertainment news show and catching up on all the celebrity gossip when there’s a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it,” Kate says, jumping to her feet and rushing to the door before I have a chance to stop her.

“Hi, you must be the smoking hot volcano of fine I’ve heard so much about.” Her voice is full of glee as she greets him. Damn that girl! “I’m Kate, Mac’s best friend and roommate.”

She’s holding her hand out to him which he shakes firmly, being the gentleman he is and I don’t miss the low chuckle he makes at Kate’s introduction. I shake my head as I walk towards the kitchen to grab my purse.

“Nice to meet you,” he says before looking my way. He stops and stares at me.

“What? Do I have something on my face?” I ask, rubbing my hands over my face. Dammit, that’s all I need.

“No, gorgeous, you look beautiful. I just wanted a moment to take you in,” he says with a wide grin.

I look down at my outfit. A burgundy tank with lace cut outs, a pair of cute black skinny jeans with cargo pockets on the legs and three zips on the thighs, and black leather, zip front ankle boots that I saw in Nordstrom’s today and couldn’t leave behind.

“Oh!” I blush. Damn that man and his ability to make me lose my head at a moment’s notice.

He walks towards me, stopping so close I can feel the heat radiating off his body. He lifts his hand up to my face and pushes a wayward hair back behind my ear. “You look sexy when you blush,” he says so quietly that I’m sure I’m hearing things. He kisses my cheek softly before pulling back and smiling. Damn he has the straightest teeth I’ve ever seen, and perfectly white. Does he not have anything wrong with him? Like even just one thing...well, not that thing because that would be a disaster for all women kind.

“Do you want to have a drink here first, or should we get going?” I ask, doing a last minute check of my bag for the essentials: lip gloss, mascara, perfume, deodorant, condoms.

Check!

“Well, if you don’t mind I’ve made us a dinner reservation for eight so we should probably get going,” he suggests.

“Sure. Kate, love you. See you when I get back?”

“I won’t wait up,” she replies with a wink. “Anyway, I’ve got a date with the Salvatore brothers.”

Daniel walks towards the front door, grinning ear to ear. He turns and grabs my coat off my arm, holding it out for me. “Bye, Kate. Hope to see you again sometime.”

I walk up to him and guide my hands into the arms of the coat. Daniel runs his hands over the shoulders and down the front of the jacket, his hands skimming my breasts as he smoothes it out for me. “Perfect,” he says before leaning forward and kissing my forehead. “Just like you.”

I hear Kate sigh behind us, and I giggle as I wave bye to her and walk out the front door with my Delicious Daniel.

I’m barely fifty feet down the sidewalk before I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket with a text. Pulling it out, I see its Kate, I sigh, already knowing what I’ll see when I read the message.

“Kate? Already?” Daniel muses.

“Yes, no doubt it’ll be about you,” I say jokingly. I open the message and snort at what I read.

Kate:
Hot damn, Mac. If you don’t want him, I’m more than happy to take him off your commitment phobe hands. He has me drooling at both ends!

I hear a chuckle come from Daniel, and as I look up at him I see that he’s read the message over my shoulder. Holy crap!

“I’m so sorry! Kate lost her brain to mouth filter a long time ago.”

“I like her. She tells it like it is.” He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me into his side, kissing my hair before murmuring, “Although, I’d love to know if I make you drool too.”

“I bet you would, Superman. Remember, you said you’d show me how well you play cards,” I say with a slight hip bump.

“Oh, I will, Mac. Don’t doubt it for a second.” He flashes me that sexy grin of his again.

After another block of walking, and me silently scolding myself for choosing such ridiculous but pretty shoes, we stop outside a cute little Italian restaurant. To be honest, it doesn’t look all that inviting from the outside. Daniel sees the disbelief on my face and grins.

“Just trust me on this, Mac. You’re going to love it.” He grabs my hand and steps forward. I think he’s going to open the door for me, but instead he pulls me into his arms and dips me backwards, planting the mother of all hard kisses on my waiting lips. Having kissed the life out of me, he pulls me back up and holds me while I regain both my breath and my senses. He literally just swept me off my feet, in the middle of the freaking sidewalk.

Holy mother of God. This boy is a card shark!

He smiles at me, knowing damn well the effect he’s having on me. “You okay there, Mac?” he asks, knowing all too well that I’m a pawn in his sexy game.

“You know exactly what you’re doing to me, Superman,” I retort, “and two can play this game,” I step forward and open the restaurant door, making sure to add a little spring in my step and a wiggle in my walk as I make my way to the hostess.

He stands beside me, giving me a knowing grin before turning his attention to the young hostess who is blushing at the mere sight of him. Yes, chicky. He’s hot, and he’s mine, so back off!

Whoa, where did that green-eyed monster come from?

“Table for two under Winters,” he tells the hostess.

“Right this way, Mr. Winters.”

Daniel reaches down and grabs my hand, entwining our fingers and leading me to our table.

Superman 1. Mac 0.

The hostess leads us to a table near the back of the restaurant, and of course Daniel stops and pulls my chair out. The way he’s acting tonight is making me nervous. He’s not like most of the guys I’ve been out with over the years. He doesn’t have a game plan, and he’s not just being a gentleman to get in my pants. He seems genuine. Like he really wants to be here, having a civilized dinner with me.

Each date we’ve been on has been initiated by him, organized by him. At no stage have I felt like he’s doing it all just to get into my pants. I’m not used to being treated this way; being respected and treated like a lady. In all honesty, it’s doing my head in.

Once I’m seated, Daniel takes the seat opposite me and gives me that stellar grin of his. The one so hot it could melt icebergs. God, that smile alone has me hungry for more than just dinner. Yes, it may be our third date and I’ve managed to follow my new rule, but it definitely hasn’t been easy. Had he agreed to coming inside last weekend, I would have told him to go straight to my room, do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars. And there wouldn’t have been any Monopoly going on, that’s for sure.

“You look distracted, Mac,” he says, not even trying to hide his amusement.

“Sorry, my mind was running away with me,” I reply with a smile.

Quirking an eyebrow, he tilts his head slightly. “And where was it going exactly?”

“Ah… I was wondering how I’d ever decide what to order.” I grab the menu and open it up, trying to hide my flaming cheeks.

Leaning forward, he places his finger in the middle of the menu and pushes it down so he can see my face. “Mac, don’t hide that beautiful face from me. In fact, there is no need to hide anything. I like what I’ve seen of you so far, I especially like that face of yours. This is just another date. There are no expectations, and definitely no obligations. For either one of us.”

Shit, now I feel bad. How is it possible that Daniel is so nice?

“Okay. I’m sorry. I’m just not used to being treated like this,” I say honestly, flinging my hand around in the air.

“Like what? Being taken out to a nice restaurant by a deliciously handsome man, and having to stop yourself from throwing him on the table and having your wicked way with him?” His eyes are fixed on me, but they’re dancing with amusement now.

“Exactly! How am I supposed to hold myself back?” I exclaim dramatically. He cracks up laughing and reaches over the table, taking my hand in his.

“Mac, I like you, but we are still getting to know each other okay. If you feel pressured or uncomfortable at any time, just tell me and we’ll take a step back.” I can’t doubt the sincerity in his face. We sit there for a good minute just looking at one another, and taking the other person in. The chemistry between us is undeniable.

And it scares me to death.

“Can I take your order, sir?” a young, male waiter asks, standing beside our table. The spell between us is broken, and I see Daniel shake his head to snap out of it.