He clears his throat and steps closer. “This is the part of the date where I would kiss you.”
“Okay.” I made it through kissing him yesterday without melting into a puddle or having another spontaneous orgasm, so this will be fine, I tell myself.
He moves closer still. He didn’t touch me last time, but today his finger lightly angles my chin as he descends. His lips press to mine, slowly, tenderly. Yesterday’s kiss seemed rushed; today’s is thoughtful, more intentional.
Despite my lingering self-consciousness after Knox’s comment, I don’t hesitate to kiss Cade back. He tastes good. It’s an undefinable flavor that makes me ache, and I have to pull the reins on the desire racing inside me.
My body wants me to jump Cade, right here and now in the parking lot, but instead I mirror his movements and his pressure, and the kiss begins to be a bit like a dance.
When he pulls back, he has a look of surprise on his face. I take it as a sign that I did a good job. Maybe I’m a fast learner at this kissing stuff. He and his brothers are definitely good teachers.
“Thanks for coming out with me tonight, Bianca.” His voice is huskier than it was a few moments ago.
“Thank you for dinner, Cade.”
He grins at me in that way that makes my knees weak. “Anytime.”
The night was an extremely pleasant combination of being with someone who I’m completely comfortable with, but who I also find attractive and exciting. It would be a dream come true if these practice dates with Cade could turn into the real thing.
Finding out yesterday that he’s single has made all my initial feelings for him come rushing back. I was attracted to him at first sight, but now I also know what a wonderful person he is, and that makes him even more appealing.
Maybe after enough practice with him and his brothers I’ll have the courage to tell him how I feel about him.
11
We need to slow down
Ryder texts me that same night. I didn’t realize the guys were going to put this date project on such a fast track.
We make plans to go to dinner a few nights later, but when I offer to meet him at the restaurant he’s chosen – a place I’ve never heard of in a coastal town 35 miles away – he insists on driving us there. As a compromise, I agree to meet him at his house and let him drive from there.
He’s waiting for me in the driveway when I arrive, standing next to a sleek, black sports car. I was prepared for him to look cleaned-up like Cade did, but I wasn’t expecting him to look as good as he does. His white dress shirt emphasizes the broadness of his chest, and for the first time, I don’t see Ryder as Cade’s younger brother. He’s all man, and any woman would be lucky to be going out with him.
“Hi,” I say, shyness hitting me just like it did when I first saw Cade on our date. There’s something downright intimidating about how attractive these men are when they’re dressed to go out.
His eyes roam down my body to the short black dress I’m wearing, before returning to my face. “You look beautiful, Bianca.”
“Thank you. You look pretty good yourself.” I stand there for a moment in front of him, feeling awkward, waiting for him to say something. “Is this your car?” I ask.
He looks toward the vehicle as if he’d forgotten it was there. “It’s Logan’s. I have a truck, but I thought this would be better for tonight.”
When I start for the passenger side, he meets me there and opens the door before I can reach for it. Once we’re both inside, I make a conscious effort to fight the nerves that are rising. It’s hard for me to reconcile that this handsome man next to me, his big hand on the gearshift, his delicious scent filling the car, is Cade’s younger brother, the same guy I’ve sat next to on their couch, goofed around with, and felt totally myself with.
I was worried that dating the brothers would be weird, and it is. This is just my friend Ryder. There’s no need for me to be all tingly inside.
“How was your day?” he asks.
“Good. I had to work in the shop in the morning, but in the afternoon, I looked into building an online store for our clothing boutique.”
“Cade told me about your plans. How’s it going?”
“Good! I’ve decided on a shopping platform. Next I’ll need to decide what items to list, take photos and write up descriptions. It’s going to be a lot of work, but I think it will be fun.”
Ryder smiles over at me and my belly does a little flip-flop. “Knox is into photography. He has a few different cameras and other special gear. Maybe he could help.”