CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER FIVE
JAKE
I was shaking in my shoes as I clocked out. This morning I was hopeless about my future. By noon, I was soaring high. Now, I was totally freaking out. The roller coaster ride was making my head spin.
Gabriel. I liked the way his name flowed off my lips.
It was a good strong name. I was in disbelief that the man of my dreams had asked me out.
As I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror, I wished I’d brought a change of clothes.
But I could never have predicted I would be spending the evening with Mr. Dreamy.
My uniform consisted of black pants and a white dress shirt.
Scowling at my reflection, I untucked the shirt, and popped the buttons on the sleeves and collar.
I wet my hair and finger-combed it, giving it a purposely messy style.
I cracked the cap on a small bottle of mouthwash I’d bought and swished for a long minute.
When I was done I conceded I didn’t look too bad. It would have to do.
Taking several deep breaths, I pleaded with myself to not screw this up.
No babbling. Let him do most of the talking.
Just nod and smile. I gathered my belongings into my backpack and left the bathroom.
Every step toward the front of the store was terrifying.
By the time I reached the revolving doors, my heart was pounding against my ribcage.
I dallied for a moment before finding my balls and stepping outside.
A blast of cool air hit me, making me shiver.
My nerves were on edge as I looked around.
The sidewalk was thick with people on their way to wherever they were going, and the street was packed with cars.
Pulling the sleeves of my hoodie over my hands, I considered that Gabriel might not show.
Maybe he had to work late, or maybe he’d decided he wasn’t all that interested.
He hadn’t asked for my phone number which left me second guessing everything.
It hadn’t occurred to me to ask for one, either.
The minutes ticked by, and my throat grew tight. It was probably for the best that he didn’t show because it was unlikely we’d go on a second date. Think positive thoughts!
Just when I was about to start for the bus stop, a man in a wool topcoat rounded the corner. My breath caught as Gabriel approached with a brisk pace. Oh, fuck, he was so gorgeous. I waved awkwardly, my guts tumbling. I’d fully expected him to walk past me as if I’d misread the situation.
“Hey,” Gabriel said, his tone jubilant. “Sorry for being late. Family drama.”
“It’s okay. We can reschedule.”
“Not a chance.” He winked. “So, I was thinking Vietnamese. Do you like it?”
The closest thing I’d had to Vietnamese food was Ramen noodles. “Sure. Sounds good.”
“Great! I know an amazing place. It’s within walking distance.” He frowned, doing a once over on me. “Is that all that you have? Are you cold?”
“No, I’m fine,” I said, trying not to chatter my teeth. The weather had really turned south the past few days. “Once we start walking, I’ll warm up.”
“We can grab an Uber.”
“I’m okay,” I said again, knowing I didn’t sound convincing one bit. “I’m really hungry. I…I didn’t eat lunch.”
“That’s no good,” he said and started walking.
I followed and shrugged. I flipped my hood over my head and stuck my hands in my pockets. “I was saving room for dinner.”
The smile on his face was art right out of a gallery. “I am really looking forward to this.”
The heat rushing to my cheeks was soothing against the chill. I smiled shyly. “Me too.”
The walk ended up being short, as Gabriel had said. The restaurant was on the edge of Boystown along a stretch of ritzy condos and expensive hotels.
As we crossed the street, Gabriel asked, “How was work?”
I shrugged. “The same. Boring.” After a long moment, I inquired, “What do you do for work?”
“I’m an orthopedist. I take care of people’s backs.”
I chuckled to myself. A doctor, go figure. Mr. Dreamy couldn’t possibly get any more perfect. “I imagined you as a businessman or money manager.”
“Close enough. Instead of slinging dollar bills, I manage aches and pains,” he said and held the door open for me.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
A commotion cut off our conversation. He went up to the hostess and made a reservation. I hid in a corner away from the main flow of traffic, all the people making me nervous. I guessed the place was good judging by the crowd. Gabriel was back at my side in an instant.
“It won’t be too long.” He leaned closer and whispered, “They know me. I’m sure they’ll bump us up a few spots.”
This close, I got a whiff of spicy cologne.
It went right to my head and made me swoon.
With nowhere to go, I nodded, and removed my hood, the heat chasing away the chill.
Ten minutes later the hostess showed us to a booth.
I watched with hunger as he unwrapped himself, the topcoat revealing the man underneath.
He slid into the booth as the waitress set a pair of menus on our table. “Can I start you off with drinks?”
“Hot tea with honey, please,” he said with a welcoming smile. The light overhead illuminated every fine feature of his face.
“Just water,” I responded in turn, feeling out of place. I wasn’t used to dining in nice restaurants. My go-to places were corner fast-food joints. It was all I could manage when I could afford to eat out.
He opened his menu, and I followed suit. I was greeted with a list of dishes I’d never heard of before. I recognized basics like beef and seafood, but the rest was totally Greek to me. Or Vietnamese as it were.
Scratching my chin, I inquired, “What do you recommend?”
“I really like the bo luc lac. The branzino is good too. You can never go wrong with a little heat on a cold day,” he said, his eyes skimming over the menu.
I couldn’t stop looking at him. It was hard to believe this sexy guy had asked me on a date.
“Do you like octopus? I haven’t personally had it, but I hear it's good.”
“Um…” I glanced at the menu again. I was still stuck on bo luc lac. Blowing out a big breath, I slumped my shoulders. “Honestly, I’ve never had any of this stuff.”
He chuckled. “It’s okay. How about a stir fry?”
“Now that’s something I can work with,” I said and found the selection on the menu. “The shrimp and pork.”
“We can share. You can have some of my bo.”
The waitress arrived with Gabriel’s tea and my glass of water. We placed our orders and the girl left with a smile.
Gabriel brought the tea to his mouth and inhaled deeply, the steam curling around him.
He sipped at it carefully and I watched the way he smacked his slick lips together.
I was willing to bet they were soft and warm, and his kiss would be sweet.
I’d never done much kissing, and the few times that I’d had, it had been clumsy.
“Are you sure you don’t want anything else to drink?” He inquired, motioning to my glass of water.
“I’m good, thanks.”
He took another sip of his tea and set it down. “I love hot tea on a cold day.”
“Hot chocolate is my go-to. With little marshmallows,” I said, sticking my hands between my legs. I was still chilly, and my nerves were making me shiver. I wondered how I was going to eat. It was only a matter of time before my stomach started doing flips.
He rolled his eyes. “Chocolate is my bane. But it does sound good. Give me honey fresh from the comb and I’m in heaven.”
“I’ve never had that. I hear some people eat the comb too,” I said.
“I do. It’s like wax, really.” He pushed his cup aside and leaned in slightly as if he wanted to get a better look at me. His tone dropped. “Honey can be savored in so many ways.”
Heat rushed to my face. The idea that this sexy guy wanted to lick honey off me was mind-blowing.
I reached for my glass, needing to drench my suddenly parched throat.
I misjudged the distance and tipped the glass over, sending water and ice dashing across the table.
We scrambled in unison to soak the liquid up with napkins.
He chuckled darkly. “I won’t make any more innuendos. I don’t want to scare you.”
Gathering the sodden napkins in a pile, I looked down in embarrassment. We hadn’t even gotten to dinner yet and I was making a fool of myself. “You’re intimidating.”
“Really?” He frowned. “I never considered myself intimidating. I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not.”
I shrugged. “Maybe I’m just a wimp. I, uh… I suffer from anxiety.”
“Oh. It’s okay. I’ll try to behave myself.” He sat back, looking disappointed.
The sudden distant expression on his face was not what I wanted. “N-no! I mean, I like that you’re…you. But you’ll have to forgive me if I’m a clutz.”
“It’s a deal if you can forgive that I’m a horndog,” he said, the corners of his eyes creasing.
I couldn’t help grinning. It was nice to know that he found me attractive. “Okay, yes… Deal. You know, I expected you to be…”
After a long pause, he prompted, “Tell me. I want to know.”
Dragging my hand through my hair, I figured it was good to be open and honest. The last time I tried to conform myself to someone’s expectations, it hadn’t gone very well. “I expected you to be super serious and grown up, and like a general tight-ass.”
He was completely amused, his smile gorgeous. I was glad he wasn’t offended. “I got it from my father. He looks like a serious guy, dresses nicely, and is totally professional, but he’s a big jester. It’s why we work so well together.”
“You work with your father?” I inquired, curious about my perfect man.