7. Chapter Seven
Chapter seven
A ria met Mark downtown at the new American bistro that had opened a few months back. Melody and Fox had eaten there once and raved about the food. She parked her car, then walked a block to the restaurant and spotted Mark waiting for her outside.
He smiled the moment he saw her. He looked good in slacks and a white button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up. He didn’t have thick corded muscles in his arms like Nick. In fact he was a couple inches shorter than him, too.
Stop it, Aria.
His brown eyes swept up her, from her strappy black heels, up her bare legs, over her fit-and-flare dress, to her face. “You look fantastic.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
Nick would have taken her in his arms and kissed her until she was panting and her panties were wet.
Not. Nick. Mark!
He took her hand and gently tugged her toward the door. “Shall we?”
She walked with him inside to the hostess stand, where Mark gave his name. The young woman led them to their table by a window and left them with their menus.
Mark’s eyes sparkled. “I’ve been excited about this since you said yes.”
“Me, too.” She picked up her menu. “My sister loves this place. I’ve been too busy to try it.”
Mark put his hand over hers on the table. “Well, I’m glad you took the time tonight. I had thought I’d never get the chance to take you out.”
Aria had hoped Nick would be the last guy she dated.
“Hi, I’m Heather. I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Ladies first,” Mark insisted, looking at her.
“I’ll have a glass of the Moscato.” She nodded for Mark to go ahead.
“The Moscow mule, please.”
“Excellent. Are you ready to order, or do you need more time?”
Mark deferred to her.
“I’ll have the chicken and dumplings.” Comfort food sounded amazing right now.
Mark gave her an approving look. “I considered that myself, but finally decided on the meatloaf.”
“Both good choices,” Heather declared. “I’ll be back with your drinks shortly.”
Aria handed her menu to the waitress, then focused on Mark and getting to know him. “What do you like to do besides work?”
“I play online adventure games.”
“Really. That sounds fun.” She’d never played any kind of video game, but she always wondered what the hype was all about.
He looked a bit sheepish. “I love it. It’s fun and challenging. Makes you think and strategize. We should play sometime.” His goofy grin made her want to try.
“I’d like to, but I work most nights.”
“I’m sure we can find a day to play.”
Was she really throwing up obstacles already?
“What else?” she asked.
He grinned, like he really liked the next thing he was going to say. “I’ve recently started crockpot cooking. I love that you can dump a bunch of stuff in the pot in the morning and come home to a home-cooked meal. I make a really great pot roast.”
“My mother loves her crockpot, too. In fact, she makes chicken and dumplings in hers a few times every winter.”
“You’ll have to get me her recipe. I could make it for you.” That was two more dates he was hoping to have with her. Or maybe one if they did dinner and an online game.
Heather arrived with their drinks, then left to check on their order.
Mark held up his glass. “To finally saying yes and taking the time.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Because that’s what this was: her first step toward getting what she wanted. Not that Mark was the guy . But he could be. “I wish I could say I have a hobby, but I mostly like to spend my downtime watching TV and relaxing. I’m on my feet all the time, so sitting down and binge-watching a series or documentary gives me a chance to recharge. When I’m not at the bar, I spend a couple of days at my family ranch helping out. I love it out there, riding the horses and being outside, doing chores and feeling like I got something done. It’s a good workout too.”
Mark leaned back in his chair, completely relaxed and focused on her. “I run with a couple of buddies three days a week. And once a month I attend our family dinner, where my sister’s six- and nine-year-old boys run me ragged, playing tag outside.”
“Sounds fun.” She smiled, enjoying herself and his company. She broached the next question cautiously. “So you like kids.”
“I like handing those two rug rats back to my sister all wound up.” His mischievous smile said he taunted his sibling the way all of hers did to each other, too.
Still, not exactly the answer she was hoping for.
Mark seemed to sense her unease. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my nephews. They’re great kids. I’m getting to the point where settling down makes sense. With the right woman. But I’d want to spend some time together, to be sure the foundation of the relationship is rock solid before adding kids to the mix.”
Aria sighed in relief. “That makes sense.”
He eyed her. “You just got out of something, I take it from the way you turned me down for months and have now changed your mind.”
“I was involved with someone, yes. He lives in Montana and has a very demanding job.”
Mark sipped his drink. “Long distance never works. They’re living their life, you yours, and how can either of you know what’s going on with the other when you’re so far apart?”
“It was very difficult.”
“Do you miss him?” Mark dropped that bomb just as Heather arrived with dinner.
Aria waited for her to leave them again and hoped Mark let it go, because the answer was simple. Yes. She missed Nick like she’d miss a limb. She wished he was sitting across from her.
Actually, if he were here, he’d have sat next to her, not wanting to be any farther away than right beside her.
“So. You miss him.” Mark seemed to read whatever she’d let show on her face. “That’s okay. Feelings don’t just shut off right away, even when you know you want to move on. It’s my job to make you forget about him.”
She didn’t think anyone could make her forget her sexy FBI agent. “We had different priorities.”
“You are definitely one of mine.”
She blushed. “Well, that’s…nice.”
But it wasn’t like Nick didn’t focus on her at all. When they were together, he spent every second making sure she knew he wanted and needed her. He made sure she felt every moment he was away by making sure she felt every minute they were together, too. That’s why it felt so special. He cared. He really wanted to be with her, whether they were in bed or watching TV or eating together. It was so easy to be with him.
“How’s the chicken and dumplings?”
She picked up her fork and took a bite, loving the thick gravy and tender chicken. “So good. How is yours?”
“Excellent.”
They spent the next twenty minutes eating and talking about their families and his collection of shot glasses from all the places he’d visited, either for work or vacation. Which led them to talking about the places they’d been outside of Wyoming. She’d mostly stuck close to home. He thought it would be fun to take two weeks every summer for the rest of his life to go and explore someplace new.
“That sounds amazing. And what a great way to make memories as well as explore new things. Where do you want to go next?” Aria would love two weeks on a beach. Tropical drinks. Sun. Fun. Sex with the sound of the ocean right outside, the stars overhead. Her and Nick, tangled up in the sheets.
Wait. Shit. She was doing it again. Thinking about him.
“I was thinking ice fishing in Alaska for my next trip.” He chuckled. “Not in summer, of course, but over winter.”
That sounded cold and boring with the potential for polar bears. No thanks.
“I’ve got a bunch of brochures I’d love to show you. We could cuddle in a little shack and drink hot chocolate.”
“You’d be more likely to find me back in the lodge by a roaring fire with a really good whiskey in my hand.”
He smirked. “Seriously? Alaska doesn’t sound amazing to you.”
“Maybe in the summer when you can explore the beautiful landscape. But winter…” She shook her head. “Not really my thing. I get enough of the cold here.”
“My buddies and I put down a deposit for this winter.” He left it at that.
“I’m going to Boston soon. My sister is moving there. I can’t wait to explore the city.” Maybe she’d get on her app and find a date while she was there. Different town. Different sort of men. Maybe she’d find someone interesting.
And who still doesn’t live near you!
Damn. Well, maybe it would be good practice. And a way to learn about someplace she’d never been.
Or you could ask Nick to take time off and go with you. His brother will be there with Lyric. It could be fun.
“Aria?”
She recognized the voice a split second before her gaze landed on him. Damn it.
Dan had lost a bit of weight, and his hair was a little longer. His gaze filled with awe as he stared down at her. “You look amazing. How are you?”
“Fine. You?” She wished he’d walked by without saying a thing.
“Uh, who’s this?” Mark asked, his gaze bouncing between her and Dan.
“My ex.” She left it at that, hoping Dan left her alone.
Dan didn’t take his eyes off her. “I miss you. I didn’t know how good I had it until you were gone.”
Nope. She couldn’t let him get away with saying that to her after what he’d done. “You lied and cheated and thought you could steal from me so you and that bitch who tried to ruin my cousin’s life could run off together.” But Dan didn’t get a chance to screw her over, because she’d publicly humiliated him and his little home-wrecker in the bar, exposing both of their deceit, and kicked them both out.
His smile reversed into a deep frown. “When I saw you, I’d hoped you’d forgiven the past.”
She eyed him. “It’s not like I ever got an apology.”
He leaned in close. “I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “I don’t care. In fact, I’ve thought very little of you since I last saw you. I was too busy moving on with someone with integrity, who treated me like I was the best damn thing that ever happened to him.”
Dan looked at Mark. “Lucky guy.”
Crap! She’d done it again. Would she ever stop thinking about Nick?
“Goodbye, Dan.”
Dan accepted her dismissal, left their table, and sat across the restaurant with a pretty brunette, who looked a few years younger than herself.
For a split second she thought about going over there and warning the woman that Dan was a treacherous asshole, but refrained because she had a captive audience of one in front of her.
Mark raised a brow. “Tell me how you really feel about your ex again.”
“Sorry. He’s the ex before the ex. Dan just pushes all my buttons.”
“I can see that. And I get it. Cheating is the worst kind of betrayal.”
“I agree.” And it made Mark a little more attractive that he felt that way and put it out there so blatantly.
“But you didn’t answer me.”
“Mark…” She didn’t know what to say. “You’re here and he’s not.”
“Enough said. I hope I get to keep it that way.”
Heather arrived at their table again. “Dessert?”
Mark raised a brow.
“Dinner was delicious. I’m kind of full.”
“Want to split something?” Mark asked. “How about that double delight chocolate cake?”
“You’re tempting me with chocolate. Not fair.”
Mark grinned up at Heather. “One for the table, one for the lady to take home, too.” He held her gaze. “So you’ll have something sweet that will remind you of me tomorrow.”
Well, damn, Mark had some game after all.
Nick was still awake looking at property listings in Blackrock Falls when he gave in to his curiosity and protective streak. He looked at the clock. 10:23 p.m.
She should be home. He hoped she was home alone and texted Aria.
NICK: I need to know you made it home okay and you’re safe.
ARIA: Home and safe watching Schitt’s Creek.
She loved that show and watched it whenever she wanted to relax.
ARIA: Would you rather ice fishing in Alaska or a tropical island beach?
Easy.
NICK: I’ll take you in a bikini any day of the week, even in winter, with some part of me inside you.
NICK: I’d be just as happy to be in the same room with you just so I can look at you and feel the peace that comes over me when you’re close.
ARIA: Why do you have to be so charming…UGH!
NICK: I take it you’re home early because you were thinking about me the whole time you were on your date. ?
ARIA: You think you’re so smart.
He knew he was right and he loved it.
NICK: You’re all I think about too.
Until he’d read her texts, he’d been in a constant state of rage that some other guy was out with her, possibly touching her. He wanted to be the only one allowed to do that. He wanted to make her smile. He wanted to buy her dinner. He wanted to kiss her goodnight—right after he fucked her so good she screamed his name. More than once.
He adjusted his hard length in his boxer briefs and stared at the house listing on his screen that he thought would be perfect for them.
Did he bite the bullet and buy it?
Fuck, he wanted to right now. Especially since she’d texted him back after coming home alone after her date.
NICK: Nothing else to say? Then I’ll just say goodnight, sweetheart. Dream of me.
ARIA: You’re infuriating.
A long ten seconds later, she texted again.
ARIA: I hate that I miss you so much.
NICK: I hate that you have to miss me, but I love it that you do, because I miss you. And I wish you were here. Or I was there.
He didn’t get an answer and he finally understood why. Because if he wanted to be with her, he knew where she was and he should get in his fucking car and go be with her.
Saying it wasn’t enough.
She wanted more. He wanted more.
He needed to show her he wanted a life with her.