"I'm hoping you'll flatter me instead and save me the trouble." He offered me his arm. "My lady?"
"I'm thinking there is far more to you than you let most people see." I slid my arm into his as I worked to ignore how good it felt to be close to him.
"Most people hide those parts of themselves that scream insecurity, right?" He opened the door and watched me as I walked by.
"I guess that's very true." I moved up to the hostess stand and asked for a table for two.
"On the patio," Brody chimed in. He pressed his fingers to my lower back as we walked through the restaurant and made our way out onto the back patio.
The sun was starting to set over the edge of the lake, and the burnt orange and crimson in the sky pulled at my desire to belong to someone, to be romantic with someone.
"It's beautiful out here." I sat down and took the menu the hostess offered.
"Hell yeah, it is." His eyes were on me, moving around my face slowly as it he'd found something of great interest.
"Stop it, or I might actually start thinking more highly of you." I smirked and glanced down at the menu.
"Please don't. I'd rather rise to the occasion of surprising you than disappointing you greatly." He leaned back and pursed his lips.
"You know, we don't have to see Ghost tonight. We can see the new thriller that just came out, or there was a scary movie.”
"Are you kidding me?" He reached for a chip from the basket that sat between us. "I fucking love that movie. It's in my top five."
"Ghost? No way. I don't believe that. It's the ultimate-”
"Chick-flick. I know." He shrugged and gave me a sexy smile. "I love those things, just don't tell anyone about it, alright?"
"Really? No way."
"Yes way. Guess what my very favorite movie is. It's not really a chick-flick, but it comes pretty close." His expression softened a little, and the cocky guy across the table from me turned into a handsome man I wanted to know.
"Dirty Dancing?" I couldn't help but chuckle after saying it.
"That's number four. Number one is Grease. God, I love that movie so much. I have three copies from wearing it out." He laughed before giving me a stern look. "You promise you'll not tell the guys? You know I'd never hear the end of that shit."
"Yeah. I promise." I reached for a chip and let out a soft sigh. He was going to win me over whether I wanted him to or not.
Chapter 17
Brody
I wasn't sure she could have been any more beautiful than she
was sitting across from me with the sun setting behind her. My heart was racing in my chest, so much so that a light sheen of sweat covered my hands and forehead. It was almost embarrassing.
"Alright. Tell me what your plans are now that you're out of college. What's next for you?" I sat the menu down and turned my full attention onto her. While getting her into bed would have been a great ending to the night, I was pretty sure she wasn't going to let that happen just yet. Besides, I had to discern if I was friend-zoned or if my deflating ego was making shit up. I hadn't slept with anyone in a couple of days, and it was almost shocking how much I attuned my worth to how women saw me and treated me.
"I'm actually staying here in Arizona. I'm going to work for my parents for a while and then start law school either in the fall or the spring." Her voice softened in a way that made me want to push the conversation. She was being humble or maybe was unhappy about the next steps in her life. I wanted to know which it was.
"And, you're thrilled about that? I can totally tell. Riveted, right?" I smiled as she sat back in her chair and gave me a weak smile.
"Can't we start with something easier like 'what's your favorite color?'" Her smirk was precious and drew me in. I couldn't remember sitting across from a girl and not thinking about how well her tits filled up her shirt or pondering on the color of her panties. Where I could have easily done that with Cora, I wanted a real conversation...a friendship, of sorts.
"You wouldn't want that conversation. We're not on a real date from what you said, so no pretenses. Just two new friends hanging out, right?" I offered her another out, hoping she wouldn't take it, but knowing it was the right thing to do nevertheless.
"I guess you're right about the conversation." She ignored my comment about the friend date, leaving me still standing in the dark on her feelings. The kiss a few days before had been delicious and left me thinking she was ready for a little more where we were concerned, but now, I wasn't so sure.
"So, tell me why you're not looking so happy at the idea of becoming a lawyer. That's a big deal. Loads of money, prestige."