Chapter 9 #4
“You were right, she’s not happy and really wants you to work with her.
This is harassment, Brin. Block her number immediately, and if she calls you from another number, block that one too and hang up as soon as you realize it’s her.
You don’t have to stand for being treated this way.
From her or anyone. You have the right to decide who you take on as a client and who you turn down.
And considering how ugly she’s acting, you’re completely right to say no to her. ”
“Thanks. You’re right. And I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For ruining the night.”
“You didn’t ruin anything, hon. We aren’t going to let that bitch taint our first date.”
“Maybe our second date won’t have any drama like the first two have had.”
He smiled. “I don’t care how much drama we have, as long as I get to keep taking you out.”
“That’s sweet.”
“It’s not sweet, it’s honest.”
“That too.”
This woman. She was killing him. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah. Thank you for tonight. The coffee, the walk, dinner, and listening to those voicemails so I don’t have to.”
“Anytime. And I mean that. All you have to do is pick up the phone if you need anything. I’ll be there.”
She stared at him for a long moment.
“What?”
“I just… It’s hard to believe this is real.”
“It’s real,” Shadow told her. “I can’t believe you were here in the same town as me and I didn’t know. That we hadn’t met.”
“I don’t exactly get out much.”
“Well, however it happened, I’m happy that luck was on my side and I found you before anyone else did.”
“It’s not as if I’m that great of a prize, Dash.”
“Wrong. You’re the ultimate prize, sweetheart. And I’m gonna do whatever it takes to win you.” He winced as soon as the words were out. They sounded so…wrong. Sexist. But thankfully, she didn’t seem to take offense.
Brinley giggled. “You’re weird.”
Shadow didn’t respond, simply put his hand on the small of her back as he led them out of the restaurant.
He’d paid before he’d checked the voicemails on her phone, so he nodded at their server on their way out.
It was late, but when they walked outside, the lighting made it seem as if it was only late afternoon.
He drove them back to her apartment, not really wanting to end their date but knowing it was inevitable. She wasn’t the kind of woman a man asked to take home after a first date. She was special. Meant to be treasured. Shown that she was beautiful inside and out and treated like a queen.
He wanted her—how could he not? She was everything he’d dreamed about finding in a partner.
But he wouldn’t push her to go too fast, too soon.
She’d already told him she wasn’t experienced, and given what she’d shared about dating since then, and what her roommate told him earlier…
he had a hunch she might even be a virgin.
He wasn’t the kind of man who needed the woman he married to be untouched, but he couldn’t deny that the thought of being her first, of teaching her how special and intimate sex could be, was a massive turn-on.
There was a reason she’d waited for thirty years to be with a man, and he wanted to live up to her expectations. Wanted to make sure he was a man worthy of that wait. And that meant kissing her goodbye at her door and going back to his place alone.
He parked his SUV and got out, walking around his vehicle to take her hand once more.
“You don’t have to walk me up,” she told him.
“Yes, I do.”
“No, you really don’t. I’ve been going in and out of my apartment for years now without a man by my side.”
“Brinley, I’m not the kind of guy who lets his woman walk through a parking lot in the middle of the night, even if it is light outside.
I’m also not the kind of man who will just drop you off somewhere, instead of showing you the respect and care you deserve by walking you to your destination.
Can you walk by yourself? Of course. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to spend as much time with you as possible…
even if that time is only an extra two minutes. ”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh. Are you okay with that?”
“Yes.”
“Good. And will you be okay with me kissing you goodbye at your door?”
“Absolutely.”
Shadow smiled. “Awesome.”
They took the stairs once more. The night had been mostly great—except for listening to that bitch threaten Brinley on the voicemails—and Shadow hated to see it end.
He stopped in front of her apartment door and without hesitation, lowered his head.
They kissed for several minutes and were both breathing hard when they finally pulled apart. He ran his fingers over her flushed cheek. “I’ll text tomorrow. See what your schedule is to find out when we can get together again.”
“Okay. Will you let me know when you get home?”
He liked that she was worried about him. “Of course. Talk to you later, Brin.”
“Looking forward to it.” She smiled shyly at him and reached for the door to her apartment. She unlocked it and stepped inside. “Bye.”
“Bye.”
After she shut and locked the door, he headed back down the hall.
Shadow realized he was smiling like a crazy person as he walked, and he didn’t even care.
He was happy. It had taken forty years for him to find the woman he wanted to be with, and it happened completely out of the blue—on a mission, no less.
He was excited to see where the future took them, but ultimately it didn’t matter… as long as they were together.