Chapter Seventeen
NATALIE
When I looked up, Larissa blinked her eyes open.
"I dozed off," she said. Her voice was much stronger.
"Yes. How are you feeling? Do you need anything?"
"A bit of water. My mouth is dry."
"Here it is."
The nurses left a glass full of water on the nightstand next to the bed. I helped Larissa up a bit, and she drank thirstily, finishing the glass.
"I'll go get a nurse, okay? Tell them you're up."
"Yeah, let's get out of here. I feel so much better."
"Let's see what they say."
I found her nurse a few beds away and nodded toward my friend.
"I'll be right with you," the nurse said with a smile.
"Thank you."
I returned to Larissa's bed. She was playing on her smartphone.
“There are plenty of Ubers around," she said.
"Let's wait to see if they really discharge you. By the way, Jake said he'd pick us up.”
Larissa nearly dropped her phone. "What? Jake Whitley?"
I nodded. And just like that, my smile returned. "Yeah, we’ve moved past flirting. I planned to tell you at dinner. Anyway, we were texting, and then this happened, and I only texted him back a while ago, telling him what happened."
"Wait, you were having a flirting session while we were at the restaurant?"
I grinned sheepishly. "Guilty as charged."
"Hmm. That's not usually your MO."
"I know, but since Jake caught me in his web, I can't seem to free myself."
"That's a very creepy comparison," she said.
"You're right." I pursed my lips, thinking it was more like he caught me when he walked into the airport.
The nurse came the next second, interrupting my thoughts.
"You're up and are looking good. Let me check your vitals and call a doctor to sign off."
Ten minutes later, a doctor declared that Larissa was ready to go home. We only needed to get her discharged. It was when I had my friend out of her bed that I realized she was a bit tipsy from the medicine.
I glanced at the nurse while Larissa was still signing the discharge papers.
"Is it normal for her to be like that?"
"Oh, yes. The Benadryl is still in her system. But she'll be good as new tomorrow."
"Does she need overnight supervision?"
"No, not at all. Don't you worry."
"Okay. Thank you."
I texted Jake while Larissa finished up.
Natalie: Hey, we’re done. Does your offer still stand? Word of caution, Larissa is still having some side effects from the drugs. She might be a very chatty passenger.
Jake: I'm on my way. I'll be there in ten minutes.
Natalie: Thank you.
After all the paperwork was completed, I guided my friend outside.
She was standing fine but was way more talkative than unusual.
We waited a few feet away from the hospital’s main entrance.
The sound of the ambulances approaching the building was insane.
I texted Jake our exact location, and he arrived as promised a few minutes later.
He pulled the car in front of us and then immediately jumped out. It was the same one Cal usually drove.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the famous Jake Whitley," Larissa said. "I’d hoped I'd get to meet you one day after hearing so much about you."
He quirked up a smile, glancing from her to me as he rounded the car. He looked magnificent. His broad shoulders filled his custom-made suit perfectly. His hair was ravished, sticking out in all directions. It was a fantastic look on him
He fixed me with his gaze as he said, "Heard a lot, have you? I'm curious about what exactly Natalie said about me. I’ll find out later."
"Oh, I'm happy to tell you," Larissa offered.
I elbowed her gently. "No, you won't. Everything I told you was in confidence."
"But you are going to tell him, so what difference does it make?" she asked in earnest, confused.
"No, I won't. What gave you that idea?"
Larissa threw her head back, laughing. "Look at this guy.
Smoldering hot eyes, determined body language.
He is definitely going to get the scoop out of you.
Just saying, you might as well fess up. On second thought, don't. I'm sure he's going to employ very creative tactics to get you to talk. And that could be fun!"
"All right, let's get you home." Thank God it was dark. I was blushing like hell, and Jake was suspiciously silent as he opened the door and helped me get Larissa in.
As I was about to join her in the back seat, I noticed his smug smile.
"What?" I asked under my breath.
"I'll tell you later." His voice was mysterious and seductive at the same time. Oh Lord, I was in for a more interesting evening than I bargained for. After he got in the car too, Larissa told him the address, and we drove away.
"Jake, can I just say you've got a huge plus in my book for showing up here," she said.
"Good to know," he replied easily.
"I mean, obviously you’re hoping this will earn you points and pave your way into my best friend's pants."
"Larissa!" I exclaimed, burying my face in my hands. "Oh God, she's not usually like this."
"I usually have a better filter," she said, grinning.
He glanced at me in the rearview mirror, and I caught fire.
It was as if every single inch of my body was yearning to be closer to him.
Licking my lips, I moved farther back on the leather seat, wondering how many more ways Larissa could embarrass me before we dropped her off at her home.
Thankfully, she fell asleep again not long after.
When we arrived, I helped her inside. Jake came with us as well, but he waited inside the front door while I assisted Larissa to the bedroom.
She was too tired for showering or even changing clothes, so I just took off her shoes and covered her with a blanket. She was out like a light. I put a huge glass of water on her nightstand before leaving her to sleep.
"We can go," I whispered to Jake.
As I reached the entrance area, the hallway was dark because I hadn't wanted to turn on too many lights. We left immediately. Once outside, I took a huge breath of relief.
"What happened?" Jake asked as we descended the steps of her townhouse.
"She had an allergic reaction to something. It was very scary. She doesn’t have any known allergies."
"Good thinking to take her to the ER," Jake said.
My hands were shaking slightly. "I think the adrenaline finally caught up with me," I said, breathing in and out. “What time is it?"
"It's late."
"I'm going to take an Uber home. You should go, Jake."
He stepped closer, putting a hand on my right shoulder. With the other hand, he tilted my chin up knowingly. "And leave you alone, Natalie? Not this evening."
I melted at the determination in his eyes.
"My God, Larissa is right. You are trying to earn points to get in my pants."
Jake chuckled and grabbed my hand. "Come on. Let's go."
"That's your pickup line?"
"No, Natalie. I'm taking you out to dinner."
"Oh."
"I’m assuming yours was cut short since Larissa got sick."
"True. How did you know?"
"Your stomach was rumbling in the car."
I instantly felt embarrassed. I put a hand to my abs.
"Come on. I'll take care of you tonight. You’ve been in a state of tension for hours. You need to relax."
Before I could protest—not that I was going to—he put both hands on my shoulders and positioned me in front of him as we walked to the passenger side of the car. I decided to simply let this wonderful man take me wherever he wanted to tonight.
Until now, I'd always wanted to know the plan.
But tonight, I simply wanted to let go. I didn't even ask where we were going as we sped toward the city.
I did, however, become acutely aware that I wasn't looking my best. I hadn't even checked my appearance in the mirror, but my hair was probably a mess. I’d applied mascara sometime earlier today, and after wearing it for so many hours, it typically started to smudge.
I'd been wearing this dress since early morning and hoped it wasn’t too wrinkled.
As cautiously as possible, I lifted my right arm, propping my elbow on the windowsill and moving my nose to the general area of my armpit as I discreetly sniffed.
At least I wasn't stinking of perspiration, but I didn't smell fresh either.
He parked the car twenty minutes later in front of one of my favorite gardens.
"Hey, this is awesome. How did you know I planned to come here sometime this summer?" I asked.
"You told me so when we were walking the other night."
"Oh, that's right. They have the best oysters here."
"Then it’s oysters for the lady tonight."
I let him do his gentlemanly thing as he came around to open my door. Tonight I wanted to let him spoil me. As I got out of the car, I became acutely aware of the hungry look in his eyes. It sent shivers through me. After closing the door, he took a step back, looking me up and down.
I bit my lip. "Don't do that. Don't inspect me. I'm self-conscious already."
"What? Why?"
"I haven't had a chance to freshen up after the trip to the hospital."
"You look insanely sexy."
And just like that, all my fears went out the window.
He led the way inside the garden. It was packed with people, but fortunately, there were multiple high bar tables set around the garden.
It had a fairy-tale look with twinkle lights in the trees.
No, they weren't exactly twinkle lights. They’d changed them up this year, hanging industrial-style bulbs everywhere instead, but it was still romantic.
Jake ordered oysters for the both of us along with bread drizzled with cheese sauce.
"This is a feast," I said.
"Wouldn't want you to get hungry," he said, "You should eat. You've had a long evening."
The protective streak in his voice made me swoon. Truth was, I was hungry, I just hadn't realized it while I was in the hospital.
"The oysters are delicious, as usual." Straightening in my seat, I decided to be serious and ask Jake point-blank, "What are we doing here?" There goes my resolution to simply take things as they come tonight.
He put a hand at the small of my back. "Are you ready to call it a date?"
His body was so damn hot next to me. Pheromones were rolling off him. I was too stunned to answer.
"Then we won't," he said, misinterpreting my silence.
Instead of correcting him, I pressed my lips together. Truthfully, I didn't want to call it anything yet.
"Thank you for everything," I murmured.
"You're welcome. Just know that if anything like this ever happens again, you can always count on me to pick you up or be there for you, okay?"
"Jake," I muttered. No man I’d ever dated had offered that, and here was this guy to whom I couldn't even confirm we were dating saying such things. "You can count on me too."
“That’s something I usually only hear from my brothers.”
“Well, now you can add me into the mix.”
“My pleasure. We can count on each other. Now come on. Let’s order the main course too.”
“Oh yeah. Bring it on. Somehow, I’m even hungrier than before.”
The food was great, the evening turned out better than expected, and the company was beyond perfect. And yet I knew this couldn’t go any further. I wanted Jake, in every way, but I knew better than to start something neither of us could finish.