Chapter 5
The firm knock at the door caused Chelsea to jump up from her seat in the living room.
Grady.
She straightened her spine and pushed her hair behind her ears, catching a whiff of the new light floral perfume on her wrists. All day, she had been excited about this date, more than she’d thought possible, and had been ready twenty minutes early.
Once she’d made the decision to go, she had also decided to be open to considering a second date. If she felt as much of a connection tonight as she thought she would, and he felt the same, she would see him again.
She had spoken with her sisters earlier on a three-way call, and they convinced her not to let her fears hold her back anymore. When she had skated competitively, she had never let anything discourage her or get her down. If tonight was a bomb, at least she’d given him a chance.
Her flowing royal blue dress swirled around her ankles as she walked across the room.
When she reached the door, she put her hand on the bolt lock, took a deep breath, and peered out the peephole.
Her blood thrummed in her ears. Even with the distorted view the peephole gave her, she could see how freaking hot Grady was.
Her heart thudded a little faster as she unlocked then opened the door.
For one moment she stood in place, letting his presence surround her as their gazes met and held.
She couldn’t breathe as she took him in, drawing in every part of his sheer masculinity.
His dark hair looked a little rumpled, and he wore a light blue collared dress shirt and black slacks.
His clothing was loose, yet he filled it all out in a way that still showed his great body.
Most of all she saw the kindness in his eyes. She didn’t know him well, but she liked the caring and consideration radiating from him every time he was near. He really was in the perfect profession for him—100% All-American Male with heart and soul, who rescued people.
“You’re gorgeous.” His husky voice sent a slice of warmth through her, drawing her out of her mesmerized state. “Every time I see you, you take my breath away.”
His words sent tingles to her belly. No man, not even George, had ever said anything so sweet and so clearly sincere to her. He’d said it in an almost reverent way.
“Thank you.” She smiled, feeling warmth in her cheeks as she accepted his compliment.
“I’ll grab my purse and coat.” She left the door open as she returned to the living room, scooped her purse off the coffee table, and coat off the back of the sofa.
He stepped into the foyer just long enough to help her with her coat.
When she walked out the door, she locked it behind them.
She dropped the set of keys into her purse and smiled at him.
God, when he smiled back, heat radiated throughout her body.
The kind of heat that made her want to take his hand, drag him back inside the house, and make love to him until they were both exhausted.
Make love? A little too soon to be thinking those two words. Much too soon.
Her body heated as he touched her lower back at the base of her spine, even though the fabric of her coat was between her skin and his fingertips. They made small talk as he guided her down the steps to a blue Nissan SUV parked near the sidewalk.
When they reached the vehicle, he opened the passenger door and grasped her hand to help her onto the running board and up into the cab.
Every time he touched her, it was like a burst of electric sparks within her.
He shut the door and strode around the front to the driver’s side before climbing in.
She had her seatbelt on before he had his keys in the ignition. She shivered in the chill air. He paused to look at her and smiled. “I’m glad you said yes to going out with me tonight.”
A laugh rose inside her. “You didn’t give me much of a choice. You’re very persistent.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet.” He winked, and a tingling sensation radiated from her belly. He started the SUV, then pulled out onto the street before heading downtown to Giovanni’s.
During the ten-minute drive from Chelsea’s home, they talked about the fall weather and how warm it had been until this month. The conversation was relaxed and easy, and the weather was a safe topic to start with.
Christmas lights glittered along Main Street, and decorations on the lampposts sparkled. Every business window along the street was decked for the holiday, including hers.
“That’s my dress shop.” She pointed to it as they drove past.
“Chelsea’s Closet.” He smiled at her. “I guessed as much. I would probably have stopped by if you hadn't called me.”
She laughed. “I bet you would have.”
Grady found parking in the lot behind Giovanni’s. After he helped Chelsea out of the SUV, he escorted her into the restaurant. He had made reservations, and within a few moments, the hostess escorted them to their table. Grady helped her out of her coat and pushed in her chair.
Even though she had been to this restaurant before, Chelsea paused to look at the elegant but comfortable surroundings.
She noticed something different about the place every time she was there.
It was almost as if figures in the many murals had moved, making them somehow different every time she looked at them.
Red and gold garlands had been strung around the dim interior of the intimate restaurant, and wreaths with sprigs of holly hung in doorways. A twelve-foot decorated fir stood sentinel in the entryway.
The temperature was warm and comfortable in the dining room. A low murmur of conversation filled the air, and forks clinked on plates as patrons enjoyed their meals. The aroma of red sauce, pasta, and freshly baked Italian bread surrounded them.
When Grady had taken his own chair after seating her, the hostess set a menu on top of the bread plates in front of each of them and placed a small plate at the center of the table before retreating.
Chelsea picked up her menu, and her thoughts turned to the fact that she was out with the handsome firefighter—who appeared to be a wonderful man—she had first seen at the ice rink not long ago.
She looked up from the menu and found him watching her.
For a moment, she couldn’t look away. She couldn’t even breathe.
He reached across the table and put his hand over hers.
The warmth of his touch, the way it caused her whole body to come alive, made her feel as if she could be in his arms forever.
Forever.
She hadn’t even been in his arms once, and she was thinking about an eternity with this man?
A soft gasp escaped her as he slowly rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “I can’t help it.” His smile was wickedly sexy. “All I want to do is touch you.”
“No one is stopping you.” The words came out before her brain caught up with her mouth. He grinned as a wash of nerves nearly caused her to pull her hand away.
He slid his thumb over the knuckles of her left hand, and she shivered. “I’m glad about that.”
“How am I supposed to eat?” Her playful comeback earned another smile from him. “I’m left-handed.”
He released her and took her opposite hand. “Then I’ll take your right in exchange.”
If she had tried, she couldn’t have stopped the smile that curved her lips. “What if I’d like it back?”
He shrugged. “Unless you want to end up in my lap, you’ll let me hold your hand.”
Chelsea laughed just as the server stopped by with a basket of warm slices of Italian bread. He placed a set of bottles on the table—virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar—and he poured each onto the small plate in the middle of the table.
Grady ordered an iced tea and asked her what she wanted. She rarely drank, so she told the server she would stick with water. Grady checked with Chelsea and then ordered caprese for an appetizer.
When the server left, Grady took a slice of bread and turned back to Chelsea. “How often have you been to Giovanni’s?”
Chelsea found herself mesmerized again by the blue of his eyes. She selected a slice of warm bread and placed it on her plate. “I’ve been here many times since my siblings and I moved to King Creek from Appleton, Wisconsin.”
He tore off a piece of bread and dragged it through the balsamic vinegar and oil. “What do you recommend?”
“I’ve never had a bad meal here.” She heard the smoky warmth in her voice when she responded.
She slid a piece of bread through the mixture on the plate.
“I would have to say that my favorite meal is the tortellini conpazze. I also love the gnocchi pistachio. Tonight, I think I’ll go for the gnocchi. ”
“I’ll try the other one. The tortellini.” He set his menu aside without looking at it, and she put hers on top of his.
The server returned with the iced tea and water, then took their dinner order and retreated.
Once they were alone again, Grady ate a bite of bread. “Tell me about your years as a figure skater. I want to know everything.”
She swallowed her own bite. His sexy smile did funny things to her insides. “I want to say there’s not much to tell, but there’s actually a lot to it. Still, I don’t want to bore you.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “I don’t care what we are talking about, you could never bore me. Hell, tell me about when you took the garbage out this week, and I’ll be hanging onto every word.”
She burst into laughter. “It was quite the adventure. There was this rabbit with a timepiece, and he seemed to be in a huge hurry.”
“You had me at first giggle.” Grady laughed, too. “Now, why don’t you tell me your ice-skating story? How did you get started?”
“My parents took me out onto the ice as soon as I could walk.” She tilted her head to the side. “Mom had always dreamed of being a figure skater, but it didn’t work out for her. So as long as I had the same desire, she wanted me to be the best.”
Grady shifted her hand so that he was now stroking her fingers. “I take it you loved it from the beginning.”