“Hey yourself,” Thomas said. He winked at me. “You look stunning. I’ve never seen that before. New?”
My blush deepened and I was glad it was twilight.
“I borrowed it from my roommate,” I confessed with a small laugh. “I don’t really need stuff like this for school.”
Thomas laughed – it was a nice, deep sound – and grinned. “No, I guess not,” he said. “But damn. Your kids would really pay attention if you did.”
My cheeks hurt from smiling as I walked carefully to the car, making sure not to wobble too much in my borrowed heels. Thomas opened the passenger door and held it open for me, carefully tucking the silk of my skirt inside before closing it. When his skin brushed against mine, I shivered.
“So, I thought we’d go to Daniel,” Thomas said.
I giggled nervously. “I have to admit, I’ve never heard of that place.”
“You’ll love it,” Thomas said confidently. “It’s French, and very new.”
Oh, no, I thought nervously. I don’t know how to read French!
“Don’t worry, everything is fantastic,” Thomas said. He steered the Porsche smoothly down the street. Being there, in the car with him, I could barely remember to breathe. In Angela’s silk dress, I slid sensually against the black leather seat. It was all too much to take in. The sound of Thomas’s voice made me shiver every time he spoke.
“I’m really glad you asked me out,” I said softly, taking a nervous gulp. “I…I don’t really date much.”
Thomas chuckled. He reached across and briefly rested his hand on my bare knee before shifting the car into a different gear.
“I’m glad you said yes,” he said, his voice booming through my chest. “I’ve been wanting to ask you out ever since we first met.”
I licked my lips. By the time Thomas took his hand away from my knee, I was trembling with excitement.
“Are you okay?” Thomas eyed me. “Are you always this quiet?”
“No! I mean, yes,” I babbled, blushing deeply. “I mean, sorry. No. I’m just nervous.” I glanced down at my hands twisted tightly in my lap. “Like I said, I don’t really date much.”
“I don’t mind,” Thomas said. Now his voice was lighter, teasing.
“Good.” I gulped again.
“June, are you nervous being with me?” Thomas glanced at me, raising an eyebrow.
Yes, I thought quickly.
“Um,” was all I could say.
“Don’t be nervous,” Thomas said. He smiled. “I promise, I’m not some big bad wolf.”
No, I thought. You’re just gorgeous and rich and sexy and I can’t believe you’d want anything to do with a little nerd like me.
“I am, a little,” I said quietly. I glanced out the window and watched the shops and restaurants whizzing by. The warm, leathery Porsche felt like a different world, somehow like I was seeing everything in Manhattan for the first time.
“Would it help if I said that I’m nervous, too?”
“What?” I narrowed my eyes and whirled around in the seat. “Why?”
Thomas laughed. “Because I haven’t dated in a long time,” he said. “Probably fifteen years or so.”
I blinked. “You…you haven’t dated since the divorce?”
“No,” Thomas said. He swallowed. “I didn’t want to jump back in right away, you know,” he said. “The divorce was such a headache, it took all of my energy. I didn’t think that would be very fair.”
“I see.”