29. STFUATTDLAGG
TWENTY-NINE
STFUATTDLAGG
Lach
My leg bounces as I sit on the couch, waiting for Eve. I never expected to be this nervous to go on a date. Granted, this is the first date I’ve ever been on. It was never my thing. Mostly because I never made it my thing. I hope she enjoys what I have planned. The clicking of heels on the wood floor draws my attention. When I glance over my shoulder, my heart stops. Holy shit. I wipe my hands on my jeans before rising to my feet and spinning around. Eve saunters into the living room and rounds the end of the couch. Her rust-colored dress sways to the rhythm of her hips.
“Is this okay for our date?” She twirls. The hem of her dress flares around her knees, the fabric light and airy against her skin.
My gaze drops from her blonde hair draped over her shoulder, over the curve of her hips, to her toned legs and high-heeled boots. After picking my jaw off the floor, I meet her gaze. “You look absolutely stunning.”
She smiles. “I’m assuming we’re not going for a hike through the woods or anything.”
I laugh. “No. Not this time. But maybe the next.”
“Oh. You think you’ll get another date?” She quirks an eyebrow.
“With the date I have planned, you’ll be begging me for another before it’s even over.”
She rolls her eyes but can’t keep the smile off her face. “Those are some big words. You better live up to them. Also, is this too much? I didn’t know what to wear.” She slides her hands down her torso, smoothing out her dress.
“It’s perfect. If anything, I’m underdressed.” I glance down at my white t-shirt, maroon hoodie, and jeans.
“It fits you.” She brushes her hand down my chest, twirling the hood string around her finger. “So, it’s perfect.” She lifts her chin, her bright hazel eyes meeting mine.
Warmth radiates through my entire body. With a single look, she can bring me to my knees. What is happening? And why do I never want it to end? I want to touch her. Feel her warm, silky skin against mine. My fingers twitch with the need to pull her to my chest. I lift my hand?—
“What are you two doing tonight?” Jake strolls into the living room.
I drop my hand and jump away from Eve. “Oh, um…” I push my hand through my hair.
“We have a date,” Eve interrupts. “Nora asked us if we could beta test her new app to ensure everything runs smoothly. She said it would be more authentic if we actually went out.”
Jake’s silent for a few beats. I slide my palms over my jeans. I hope he buys it even though it is kind of the truth. Though we are treating our fake date like a real one.
“What are you two going to do?” He looks from Eve to me.
“Yeah, Lach. What are we going to do?” Eve crosses her arms over her chest and tilts her head, a smirk teasing her lips.
“Um… Get a bite to eat. I was thinking fast food.” My gaze meets hers, and I give her the same teasing smirk. “The burger place has a really great value menu. Also, I was thinking we should go dutch.”
A laugh bubbles out of her. “Oh, you’re a real charmer.”
“That’s not all. While eating our two-dollar hamburgers because dollar menus don’t exist anymore, I’ll tell you about all my prior hookups and then ask you if you have a best friend you could introduce me to.”
“Well, this seems like the best. Date. Ever.” Eve claps along like a cheerleader at the last words.
“I thought so.” The corner of my mouth tips up into a half smile.
“Alright, well, yeah, you guys have fun with that.” Jake walks past us, takes a seat on the couch, and reaches for the remote.
I escort Eve to the back door. I grab her coat and hold it up for her as she slides her arms inside.
“Such the gentleman.” She untucks her hair from the collar.
“I figured I should do something nice before this date goes sideways.” I twist the doorknob.
“Wait.” She stares at me, then the door, and back at me. “Are you going to get a coat? It’s like twenty degrees outside.”
I tug at the collar of my hoodie. “That’s what this is for?”
“Oh, that’s right. I’m in Minnesota.” She points at my jeans. “I’m surprised you’re not wearing shorts right now, seeing that it’s above zero.”
“I can change if you want.” I lift my brows. It’s not uncommon to see mostly guys in shorts and occasionally sandals in the dead of winter. Sometimes, we’ll go weeks with subzero temperatures, so when there isn’t a negative sign in front of the number and your nostrils don’t freeze on the first inhale, it can feel like a heat wave.
She shakes her head, fighting the smile that pulls at her lips. “Let’s go, my little penguin. Our date awaits.”
I pull the door open, and as she walks past me, I whisper, “This will be the best date ever.”
Her head snaps to me, and she smiles. When we reach my truck, I open the door for her. Might as well continue with the chivalry. Once she’s seated, I round the hood before getting into the driver’s seat.
After I start the engine, she twists to face me. “So seriously, where are we going?”
“Don’t like surprises?”
“I didn’t know it was supposed to be a surprise.”
I reach across the center console and hook my pinky around hers, resting on her lap. “Well, if you must know, we’re going to?—”
“No! Keep it a surprise.” I glance at her. Even in the dark cab, her smile shines brightly. I can no longer hold back my own smile.
After driving for fifteen minutes, we arrive on the other side of town. I park my truck in an empty parking spot on the street. Eve peers out the side window and then back at me, her brows furrowed. At the same time, both our phones chime with an incoming message. I check the notifications, and it’s from the OneDate app.
“It’s asking me if I want to turn on my location.” Eve turns to face me.
“Mine too.”
Which one did you pick?” she asks.
“I said no. I don’t want them to know where I’m taking you. What did you pick?”
“Yes. We’re parked outside a hardware store.” She hikes her thumb at the window. “I’ve watched a lot of Criminal Minds .” She flashes me a smile.
“Alright. That’s fair. But I’ll have you know our date isn’t to the hardware store. I save that for my second dates.” I exit the truck and meet her on the sidewalk.
A gust of icy wind blows past us. Eve tightens her coat around her. “So now it’s time I ask, where are we going? Because I’m certainly not dressed for the outdoor temps.”
I don’t say anything, still wanting to keep the secret a few seconds longer. Instead, I wrap my arm around her shoulder and tuck her into my side. One: to keep her warm, and two: I love having her next to me. We pass the window display of fake snow and shovels at the hardware store and come to a festive display of Christmas lights, a tree, and stocking filled to the brim with books. We walk side by side for a few steps until I release her, grab the cold metal bar, and open the door.
She freezes, and then her eyes grow wide. “Okay, this is starting off to be the best date ever.”
“I told you.”
Illuminated by a soft glow, a large sign hanging on the wall in front of us reads The Book Bar. A crisp scent mixed with vanilla lingers in the air. Luckily, it’s a quiet evening, and we might get the place to ourselves. Less prying eyes means I can treat this like a real date.
Leaning down, I whisper, “Get whatever you’d like. My treat.”
“Wait!” Her head snaps to me. “Our date is to a bookstore? And you’re buying me whatever I want?”
“Yeah.” I panic. She hates it. It’s the worst date idea ever. Fucking Nora and her stupid ideas. “Is that a terrible date idea?”
“This truly is the best. Date. Ever!” she squeals before yanking on my hand, dragging me behind her as we hustle toward a shelf labeled New Releases. She peruses several shelves before reading the back of a few books. After the new release section, we wander down a few aisles until Eve stops at another bookshelf. Again, she picks one up and thumbs through it.
I lean against the shelf next to her. “Do you read a lot of books?”
She replaces the book and grabs another. “Depends. I probably get through like four or five a month. How about you?” Her gaze meets mine.
“I can’t say I do a lot of reading. I just never got into it.”
“I started reading in high school and then got into reading romance. I’m a sucker for a happily ever after. Although my actual love life suggests otherwise.” She chuckles softly.
“What are those books about?” I nod to the stack of books tucked against her body.
“This one,” she holds up the book with a blue cover, “is a workplace romance where two coworkers end up on a dating app, and they don’t know that they’re talking to each other. But eventually, he finds out before she does, and it blows up from there.” She holds up another with a yellow cover. “This one is about two coworkers who hate each other because they are competing for the same promotion but get stranded together while on a work trip. They work out their differences. In bed. And the best part—he ties her up using his bow ties.”
“That sounds hot.” I spin to face her and grab the stack of books from her hands. Placing them on the floor, I stand in front of her. Bending down, I run the tip of my nose over her cheek until my lips are at the shell of her ear. “Does it go something like this?” I say so only she can hear. I slide a hand down her waist and onto her hip. Her breath hitches as she waits for my next move. I grab her hand and slowly lift it above her head. Once it’s exactly where I want it, I secure it against the bookshelf with my fingers wrapped around her delicate wrist. I drag my bottom lip across her cheek, not kissing her but light enough so she knows I’m here. I extend my pinky until I reach hers, wrapping it underneath. Her breath hitches.
She peers up at me through her lashes. Her chest rises and falls with each passing second, her breath hitching with every inhale. “Almost.” Her warm breath fans across my cheek. “You’re missing the bow ties.”
“I don’t need bow ties.” Still pinning her hand to the bookcase, I inch closer. My chest grazes hers. I drag my lips across her cheek until I reach the shell of her ear. “All I need are my hands, and I’d have you moaning in pleasure.” Flashbacks of the night in the hotel room flit through my mind. I could hike her leg over my hip and slide my hand under the hem of her dress. My fingers would slide against her dripping wet, bare pussy until I reach her opening and thrust inside her. Her moans and whimpers would fill the entire store. Shit. Store. We’re in a store. I drop her hand. “I’m going to go find the bathroom.”
She blows out a slow breath. “To take care of that?” She nods at my crotch, where my hard dick is straining against the zipper of my jeans.
“Something like that.”
“Okay.” A smile plays on her lips. “Come find me when you’re finished.”
I press my lips to hers in a chaste kiss, even though I’d much rather never let go. Pulling away, I glance over my shoulder to confirm we’re still alone before reaching down and adjusting myself not only for comfort but in case I run into anyone. Having a hard-on is never a good way to introduce yourself. I wander around the outer perimeter of the store until I find the restroom sign. After washing my hands, I return to the same spot I left Eve, but the aisle’s empty. I meander through the store, scanning all the rows until I find her perusing a row of books on the shelf. Slowly and carefully, I tiptoe down the aisle until I’m right behind her. I whisper, “What are you looking for?”
She jumps and spins around, clutching her chest. “Oh! Nothing!” She exhales a deep breath. “I—I was just walking around, waiting for you.”
I glance up at the sign above the bookshelves. “In parenting?”
Her gaze follows mine before falling. A dusting of pink covers her cheeks. “Oh, is that where I am? I guess I got lost trying to find photography. I’m ready to check out.” She holds up the stack of books she found.
I grab the books from her and carry them to the counter. Eve gets distracted and stops at a table of more books and a variety of knickknacks. I can’t help the smile that takes over. She makes me so fucking happy. When I reach the counter, an older woman with light gray hair greets me with a friendly smile of her own. The name on her nametag reads Sandy.
She glances at Eve and then back at me. “At the risk of sounding presumptuous, have you ever thought about proposing in a bookstore?” She beams up at me, her eyes crinkling in the corners.
I freeze, unsure if I heard her right. “Um. This is our first date.”
“Oh gosh. I’m sorry. By the way you two have interacted with each other for the past hour, I would have thought you’d known each other for years.” She grabs the books and starts scanning them. The beeping from the scanner matches the steady thump of my heartbeat.
“Yeah. It’s complicated.”
She stops and meets my gaze. “The best love stories that last usually are.”
Is that what we are? A love story? Love has never been on my radar. Never something I tried to find. Something I always considered unattainable. At least for me. Fuck.
The beeping resumes, pulling me from my thoughts. “If you ever consider proposing, I have the perfect spot.” She points to a sign behind me.
I turn around, following the invisible line. Sure enough, on the wall hangs a sign with giant script letters that reads Love Blooms Here.
“I also give a twenty percent discount on an engaged couple’s purchase.”
“Thanks. I’ll consider that,” I say because what else am I supposed to say? I came here for a date, and now this woman is talking about love and engagements.
“Oh, can I get this too?” Eve stands next to me, holding up a bookmark with bold, black letters printed on it. STFUATTDLAGG.
“Yeah.” I take the bookmark and slide it across the counter.
“Thank you.” Eve beams up at me.
“What does that mean, anyway?”
“I’ll let you know later.” Eve runs her hand down my arm.
“It stands for shut the fuck up and take this dick like a good girl,” the woman behind the counter nonchalantly spouts out.
My eyes widen, along with Eve’s. Not only was I not expecting it to mean that, but hearing it come from a woman who’s someone’s grandma was completely unexpected. I laugh/cough into my fist while Eve bites her lips together. The woman finishes ringing up the purchase, and I pass her my credit card. She drops the receipt into the bag and wishes us a great night.
Once we’re outside, both of us burst out laughing.
“I can’t believe that just happened. That made my entire day. No, week.” Eve rests a hand on her stomach as she continues to laugh.
“Oddly enough, it wasn’t the only bizarre thing she said to me.”
She turns to face me, walking backward. “Do share.”
“First, she asked me if I was going to propose because they have a section dedicated for proposals. And that I’d get a twenty-percent discount if I did.”
Eve stops dead in her tracks, and I almost crash into her. “What’s wrong?”
“Why didn’t you get down on one knee?”
My heart stops beating.
“You could have saved yourself twenty percent?”
And my heart starts again. “Do you want to go back?” I hike my thumb behind us. “I don’t have a ring, but maybe I can fashion one together. There’s the hardware store next door.”
She spins back around and leans against me. “Maybe next time. The spontaneity is over now.”
When we reach my truck, I open her door. She climbs in, and I pass her the bag. Before closing it, I lean in. “I know you had your heart set on fast food, but I hope you enjoyed the date.”
Her cold fingertips caress my cheeks. “Best. Date. Ever.” She leans in and kisses me. She pulls away a fraction. Her lips move against mine as she says, “There’s always the drive-thru.”
I laugh. “I knew you wanted a hamburger.”
“Someone forgot to check if the date included food or not.”
I shrug. “You got me. Let’s go get you a hamburger.”
“Can we make it a cheeseburger?”
“Sure.” I close the door and a muffled “And fries!” sounds from inside my truck.
On the drive back to Jake’s we dig into our fast food. I purposely take the long way so I can have a few extra minutes with Eve. When we return to the house, I throw away our garbage and flop down on the couch, taking the middle cushion. Eve takes the spot next to me. With her back against the armrest, she throws her legs across my lap.
“So, what did you think of the app?”
I run my hands over her smooth bare legs. “I think this is a really great idea.”
“Me too. We have so many hookup apps. It’s nice that there’s something for when you need a legitimate date for a one-off event.”
“I think this will do really well.”
“I think so too.”
“Have you tried any of those hookup apps?”
She shakes her head. “No. I never had a reason to try them. For the most part, I always had a boyfriend. Even between my previous ex and Pax, I would go out on sporadic dates. Some lasted longer than others. What about you?”
“Late-night booty calls through an app… I didn’t need them.”
She sits up, laughing. “Of course you didn’t.”
“And I wasn’t sleeping with anyone who talked to me either if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“And Rachel?” She lifts a brow.
“I never slept with Rachel. On many occasions, she tried, but I was never interested.” I inch my hand under the hem of her dress and up her thigh. “Now, I have you.”
She throws her head back in laughter. “Nice save. Either way, your past is your past. No judgment. But I’m excited to be part of your present.” Her fingers play with a crease in her cotton dress. “Speaking of the future,” she scoots closer to me, her eyes fixed on her lap, “There’s something I need?—”
Rustling from the back door sounds through the house. Eve scampers off my lap, kicking me in the thigh in the process. I flinch and rub the spot. She cringes and mouths “sorry” before sitting on the opposite end of the couch, crossing her leg away from me. I jump up and scoot to the other side, leaning away from her.
Jake enters the living room. The recliner glides forward as he leans against the back. “How was your non-date date?”
“Good,” Eve replies.
“Great,” I say at the same time.
He waits for us to elaborate, but all we give him is silence. “Thanks for sparing me the details.” He pushes himself to his full height. “I’m going to jump in the shower and go to bed.”
“Okay. Good night,” Eve says.
Both of us track Jake as he exits the living room. Once he’s out of sight, my shoulders deflate. I turn my head to face Eve. “Another close call.” She nods. “What did you want to say earlier? Before Jake came home.”
“Oh. Um.” She sits up on the couch, lifting her legs onto the cushion and crawling toward me. She glances over the back of the couch to make sure Jake isn’t standing there. When she’s next to me, she stops and clasps her hands across my cheeks and presses her lips to mine in a soft kiss. She backs away a fraction of an inch. “I wanted to say thank you for the most amazing date.”
“You’re welcome. The next one will be for real.” As long as I can tell Jake, I might possibly be, a tiny bit, in love with his sister. Fuck me.