Chapter 6 The Second Date
CHAPTER SIX
the second date
CHEYENNE
Afirst date panic attack would send most men running for the hills, but not Iver Anderson. Rather than running away, the man ran after me. Shit, does that make him as crazy as I am?
Jury’s still out, but even if he’s certifiably insane, I doubt it’d make me any less smitten. My fated mate checks all the damn boxes, and now I’m just wondering what someone as perfect as him sees in someone as flawed as me.
I really thought I blew it with that date, but Iver started texting me before I even made it home.
We kept right on texting until the wee hours of the morning, talking about everything and nothing until I couldn’t physically keep my eyes open any longer.
Then when I woke up this morning, we picked right back up where we left off, every message notification giving me butterflies.
Considering my issues with physical intimacy, communicating with him through text message is a lot easier than talking in person.
It alleviates the pressure and embarrassment.
I feel like I’m really starting to get to know Iver, and I’ve yet to find anything that’s not to like.
He’s gorgeous, he’s kind, he’s easy to talk to. The man is a walking green flag.
I still don’t know why he’s attracted to me, but I’m trying really hard to open myself up to accepting good things when they come along.
The fact that I have a fated mate is a good thing.
I shouldn’t be sabotaging that with my own self-doubt, so here I am, trying to be an optimist and leaning into fate’s plan.
Within reason, of course. No matter how much Iver and I like each other, there’s still the physical aspect of sealing our bond to contend with.
We’ll have to mark before the next full moon if we want to make this permanent, and considering how I reacted to a simple hug, the prospect of that is daunting.
It wasn’t just the hug that launched me into a panic attack last night, though.
I’ve hugged people before without losing my shit.
It was the combination of my anxiety going into the date, the unexpected hug, and the subsequent stares that tipped the scales and sent me into a full-blown meltdown.
It’s amazing I was able to come out of it so quickly.
He’s the reason I came out of it so quickly.
Turns out, Javi was right. Iver is a catch, and I’d be stupid not to give this a chance. As scary as it is, I’m slowly letting him in. We’ll see where it goes.
“Alright, that’s enough for today!” Iver calls out, his deep voice carrying across the practice field.
I pop up to my feet, wiping sweat from my brow as I glance in his direction.
His baby blues are already fixed on me. They have been for most of the training session, and I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been eating up his attention like candy.
The distraction probably isn’t the best thing for honing the fighting skills required of a squad warrior, but it’s doing wonders for my ego.
The crowd on the practice field starts to disperse, and I find myself wandering in Iver’s direction, drawn to him like gravity. He strides over to meet me halfway, flashing a grin so sexy that my heart trips over its valves.
“You looked good out there today,” he comments, folding his muscular forearms across his chest. It makes the thin fabric of his t-shirt stick to his sweat-slicked skin, drawing even more attention to the hard lines of his physique, and shit, am I staring?
“Thanks,” I breathe, combing my fingers through my hair as I avert my gaze. “Turns out, sparring is a great outlet for all the pent-up rage. Who knew?”
“Definitely Madd,” Iver jokes, his grin widening. “Imagine how much angrier he’d be if he couldn’t let it out on the field.”
“You weren’t wrong about the phone thing,” I chuckle, recalling how Madd lost his shit on someone for being on their phone at the start of the training session. Glad it wasn’t me.
“So, why’d you have me bring my camera?” I ask, tilting my head in question as I peer up at him.
“For our second date,” he replies matter-of-factly.
I arch a brow. “And when’s that?”
His grin widens. “How about right now?”
“Are you serious?” I snort, assuming he’s kidding. Though with Iver, I suppose I should never assume.
“Yeah, why not?” he presses.
“I’m all sweaty.”
“So?” he scoffs, his gaze dropping down my form and slowly raking back up. “You look good sweaty,” he states with a wink.
My stomach flips, an unwitting blush rises to my cheeks. Shit, why is he so cute? I’ve had crushes on boys before, but not in a long time, and never like this. I’m so damn enamored with Iver Anderson that I can hardly even stand it.
“What kind of date?” I ask coyly, batting my lashes.
Not sure whether I’m nailing this whole flirting thing– I’m terribly out of practice.
“Thought we could take a trip up to Pike’s Point,” he suggests with a wag of his brow. “It’s a nice hike, and the views from the top are killer.”
I narrow my eyes on him suspiciously. “Aren’t you afraid of heights?”
“Not if I don’t get too close to the edge,” he remarks, winking again.
A hoard of butterflies takes flight in my belly.
He’s got the flirting thing down pat.
“Okay, sure,” I agree, my cheeks heating in another blush. “Let me just grab my camera from my bag.”
My long hair flutters in the breeze as I spin away, jogging over to where I left my duffel at the side of the building. I give myself a mental pep-talk as I retrieve my camera, pumping myself up for this second ‘date’ of ours.
Sure, it’s spontaneous, but spontaneity can be fun.
Lean into the possibilities of where this could go.
Be cool.
Securing the camera strap over my shoulder, I push up to my feet and pivot back around, sucking in a startled breath when I find Iver standing right in front of me.
So much for being cool.
“Sorry,” he says with a wince, backing up a step. “Didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”
“You say that like I’m jumpy or something,” I reply, chuckling softly.
“Nah, not at all,” he teases.
Damnit, am I blushing again?
“So, should we get going?” I ask, adjusting the camera strap against my shoulder.
He gestures toward the gate to exit the practice field. “After you, mate.”
My breath catches, pulse taking off at a gallop.
Yep, definitely blushing.
I turn away to hide it, grinning to myself like a lovesick idiot as I start toward the gate, Iver catching up in two long strides.
He matches my pace, walking alongside me to exit the complex into the forest surrounding it.
Then he points out which trail leads to Pike’s Point, the two of us starting up it in tandem.
He wasn’t wrong about the hike. It’s nice, even if it is mainly uphill, and it’s made even better by the scenery and conversation along the way.
Within twenty minutes or so, we reach the end of the trail at the peak of Pike’s Point, and it’s obvious why he brought me up here. The view from the top is breathtaking.
“This is incredible,” I breathe, sliding my camera strap off my shoulder and eagerly powering it up to shoot. “How’d you know I have a thing for nature photography?”
“Lucky guess,” he remarks.
I slide him a suspicious glance, still fiddling with the settings on my camera.
“Okay, Javi might’ve told me,” Iver admits with a sheepish grin. “But I did have the idea before I asked. Shifters have a deep connection to nature, so I figured it was probably a safe bet.”
“You’re cute,” I chuckle, lifting my camera up and looking through the viewfinder. I snap his picture as a test shot, lowering my camera to check the image I captured on the screen.
This is definitely one I’ll be keeping forever. The composition of the shot is way off, but that smile on his face, the look in his eyes…
Shit, I think I found my muse.
“I might’ve also had ulterior motives in bringing you up here,” Iver drawls as I adjust the light setting on my camera and lift it up once again. “I need some new pictures for the walls of my office at the packhouse, and since I now have a professional photographer at my disposal…”
“You thought you could exploit me for free labor under the guise of a second date?” I tease, pivoting to snap a test shot of the view over the cliff’s edge.
“Exactly,” he smirks.
“And they say chivalry’s dead,” I muse, lowering my camera to view the photo. Nailed it.
I raise my camera back up to my face and start snapping photos of the sweeping landscape, playing with different angles and perspectives to capture the beauty laid out before me.
I somehow wind up with my camera pointed at Iver instead of the scenery, drinking in the way the sunlight clings to his golden skin as he gazes out over the cliff from a safe distance.
I hit the shutter button once, twice, then again when he realizes he’s become my subject and turns to look at me. I unabashedly capture a few more, then lower my camera to scroll through the images.
“Pretty romantic up here with this view, huh?” Iver comments as he gravitates in my direction.
“So romantic,” I reply with a soft chuckle.
“It’d be a great spot for a first kiss,” he remarks.
Real subtle.
“It would, wouldn’t it?” I muse, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth as I lift my gaze to meet his.
He holds me captive in his stare, wetting his lips with his tongue. “We should for sure make a trip back up here sometime,” he murmurs.
He doesn’t move closer; doesn’t push the issue. Iver must have the patience of a freaking saint, which is exactly what I need. Control. Consent. For anything physical between us to be on my terms.
“Or you could kiss me now,” I suggest boldly, not knowing how I’ll react but certain that I want him to.
His eyes widen in surprise as if this isn’t the exact scenario he was hoping for when he made that comment. “Really?” he asks tentatively.
“Yeah,” I sigh, shutting off my camera and sliding the strap onto my shoulder. “I mean, I can’t guarantee that I won’t freak out and shut down, but I’m willing to chance it if you are.”
He cracks a smile, taking a step closer. “You won’t throw me off the cliff or anything, right?”
“No guarantees,” I wink, bridging the distance between us with a step of my own.
We gravitate together like two magnets, pulled to one another by the intangible force of our bond. My breathing quickens as we stand toe to toe, lashes fluttering as I gaze up at him nervously.
It’s a good nervous. A flustered, giddy kind of nervous. One that I haven’t felt in a long time, and one that I’m hoping won’t devolve into all-out panic when he touches me.
Iver lifts a hand, reaching out to gently brush the backs of his knuckles against my cheek.
“You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to do this since the first time I saw you,” he drawls in a low, gravelly tone, those gorgeous blue eyes trained intently on mine.
“But I don’t want you to feel pressured into this just because it’s what I want.
I’ll wait as long as you need me to, Chey.
Just say the word, cause you’re worth the wait. ”
Warmth blooms in my chest, my heart exploding into a million, tiny pieces. “I don’t wanna wait,” I breathe, pinching my lower lip between my teeth. “I’ve waited my whole life for you, Iver.”
I resist reaching for my camera to capture the smile he beams back at me. It lights up his whole face, making it even more unfairly gorgeous as he shifts in closer, cupping my jaw in a hand and guiding my chin up.
He’s so gentle about it, every movement measured so that I have ample opportunity to put a stop to this. No part of me wants that, though. When Iver leans down, I push up to bridge the remaining distance between us, my eyes slipping closed as our lips brush.
Sparks bloom between our skin, a zip of excitement ricocheting through me as Iver presses forward to seal his mouth over mine.
It’s confident but gentle, cautious yet demanding.
I give myself over to the potent blend of sensations; the heat of his mouth, the taste of his lips, the swipe of his tongue against the seam of my own.
I part them to let him in, pressing closer to deepen our kiss without even realizing it.
His hand remains on my jaw, anchored there and never straying, not pushing me to go any farther than I’m willing to.
I lose myself in the kiss. I find myself in the kiss. It’s everything I never knew I needed with the mate I never expected to find. I swear the ground quakes beneath my feet as my whole world shifts on its axis, finally righting itself after years with no discernable direction.
I’m breathless when we break apart, my whole body on fire and buzzing with chaotic energy. Iver smiles down at me, sweeping the pad of his thumb along the curve of my jaw.
“How are you doing?” he rasps, those baby blues staring right through my soul. “Was that alright?”
I smile shyly, licking the taste of his lips from mine. “I’m great,” I pant. “So was the kiss, but…” I trail off with a mischievous smirk. “You’d better do it again, just to be sure.”