Chapter Seven
Ocean
I was trying not to get my hopes up too much when it came to things with Duncan.
It was difficult not to, especially when so far, all of our text flirting had been fun and easy.
There was none of the awkwardness that often came with getting to know someone.
I didn’t stare at my phone and wonder whether or not I should be hitting send or not.
There was something so reassuring about him that I was able to be myself without hemming and hawing over my every move.
Best of all, as of yet, I hadn’t sensed any intimidation over my day job, which was a relief. After I had given him that card, I’d second-guessed it a thousand times. And now, I saw how silly that had been.
It was finally date night. All he told me was that we were going to grab something to eat, nothing fancy, meaning, I could wear whatever I wanted. I’d have preferred a dress code, but that was asking a bit much.
The few times I flirted too close to the “daddy” line, he backed us up.
I didn’t take it as him not being interested in that role with anyone, or even with me in particular.
It was more that I was pushing too soon.
First, we had to see if we liked each other and were compatible.
This told me a lot, and mostly that he wanted more than just someone to play with.
He was looking for a relationship, or at least exploring the possibilities of one. I was down for that.
I wore suits all week long, so sliding on a pair of jeans for our night out felt relaxing and easy.
We decided to meet down at the parking garage to make it easier.
I’d never dated anybody who lived in my building before, so I wasn’t exactly sure of the protocol.
I mean, I suppose he could come get me by going up the elevator, or I could go meet him by going down the elevator, but there didn’t seem a point to picking each other up, since we were both going to the same garage.
He was already there when I arrived. His eyes raked me up and down. He liked what he saw; there was no denying that. I liked what I saw too.
I wasn’t sure what to do. Did I hug him?
Did I not? As I crossed over to him, he opened his arms slightly in invitation, and I decided it was a hugging kind of day.
As I wrapped my arms around him for a quick hug, I instantly wanted it to be longer.
His strong arms held me tightly for those brief seconds, making me feel safe.
Not that I lived my life in fear, but it was a different kind of safe…
all protected like, all cozy. I tried not to think too hard on it.
Once again, I was racing toward a relationship we were nowhere near ready for.
“I think I picked out the perfect restaurant,” he said, grabbing my hand and leading me to his car.
Unlike me, he didn’t have an assigned spot.
He was in the general parking. Not for the first time, I worried that if he saw just how different we were, how unbalanced in a way that I didn’t think mattered, but most men did, he’d walk away.
Did he? Was he one of those guys? I didn’t think so, but I’d been fooled before.
He held the door open for me, and, when I climbed inside, he helped buckle me up. It was hard for me not to think of him as a “daddy” and stay big when he acted like this. I had to constantly remind myself he was just being a gentleman, and this was what gentlemen did.
“I found someplace I think you’ll love,” he said. “You said you liked meat, right?”
“Oh, I do.”
“I thought maybe we could go to the new Korean barbecue place.”
“I didn’t know there was one, but I’m game.” My stomach growled as if to show its agreement. How embarrassing.
It felt like one of those dinners that not only had good food but also involved an activity, so that if conversation lulled, you could at least be cooking.
I didn’t think we would need that, but it was nice that he picked a place that would allow for it.
You never knew how things would end up once you get on your date.
So far, it was great, but that didn’t mean it would stay that way.
Once again, I was overthinking.
The parking lot for the restaurant was packed, which was a good sign. When we walked in, the people ahead of us were told it was a two-hour wait. I wasn’t in the mood to wait two hours, not with the delicious smells slamming into me, but I would.
“Reservation for two, under Duncan,” he said.
Of course, we didn’t have to wait. He was a daddy, even if he wasn’t mine. He took care of things.
“Right this way.” They led us to a table and asked us if we’d ever been there before. When I told them that I hadn’t, they explained how everything worked. I spent the next ten minutes looking at the menu, trying to figure out which of the gazillion types of meat to pick.
“Is it too much for me to ask you to pick? Since you’ve been here before.”
“You don’t need a reason to ask me to pick,” he said, taking the menu from me. “I’ll just do it. Is there anything you’d dislike?”
I tapped on a type of fish I didn’t recognize. I was a big seafood lover, but I didn’t trust that I’d be able to cook it without it falling through the little grates. “Everything else is fair game.”
When the waiter came back to check on us for the third time, Duncan ordered a variety of meats for us to try.
It was fun sitting there cooking our food and chatting.
He was an interesting man, and I loved hearing him talk.
His job was far more interesting than anything I did at mine.
I was all about spreadsheets, projections, and contract negotiations. His was all about people.
Far too soon, our meal was over. Both of us were completely full but found just enough room for the dessert they brought out…ice cream in the tiniest cup you’d ever see. It was for the best because there was no way I could have eaten much more.
And then we drove home. I wasn’t quite ready for the night to be over, but it was getting late, and there really weren’t many places to go that weren’t alcohol-related.
I wasn’t anti-alcohol by any means, but he was driving, and it was just far less complicated if we avoided those kinds of situations unless we were taking a cab together. So, home it was.
“We met at the parking garage, but it doesn’t feel quite right leaving you at the parking garage, because we both need to take the same elevator anyway. May I take you to your door?”
Always the gentleman. Then my stomach dropped. We’d had such a perfect night. Taking him to my place would only show him how different it was from his, how over the top, and honestly, how little it reflected me.
And so instead, I said, “Maybe I could take you to yours?”
“Yeah, that’d be nice. But it’s not actually my place. It’s my brother’s. I’m just staying here while he’s overseas for work for a year.”
“Oh, is he in business too?”
“No, he’s a musician. But come on in, I’ll introduce you to someone.”
“You have a roommate?” That surprised me, only because he’d never brought it up.
“I wouldn’t call Quirby a roommate exactly, as much as a slimy little friend.”
“Slimy?”
“We’ll go with adorable,” he said as he opened the door. “But yeah, a bit slimy.”
Turned out, Quirby was his brother’s snail, and he was fabulous.
Not as fabulous as the man bringing me inside, the one giving every indication he was understanding that I wasn’t wanting to say goodbye and pop on home, the one I had a feeling was going to have me coming harder than I ever had before.