disappears.
"You should let me pay for my food," I say.
"No," Jack says. "It's my treat. You can pay next time."
Next time. Just like that my heart hammers between my throat and my feet.
"It'll be beer and pizza," I warn.
"As long as the beer's cold and the pizza's hot," Jack says with a grin. Brent hands Jack the black notebook again and Jack takes his card, scribbling on the white slip.
We stand at the same time and Jack towers over me. He pulls his jacket tight and for the first time tonight, I get a good dose of his scent. Jack pulls a pack of gum from his pocket and unwraps it. He holds the pack out to me and I shake my head.
I dig through my clutch and find the familiar plastic box. I shake a couple of Tic-tac's loose and pop them in my mouth. We walk out of the restaurant and into the crisp night air.
"So, where to now?" Jack asks.
"Um, is there more? I don't remember agreeing to more," I say, acting confused.
"Okay then," Jack says with a sigh. He leans in and quickly kisses my mouth; the taste of his lips is surprisingly sweet. "See ya 'round."
I stare at him a second as he starts to walk away. "Get your ass back here," I say.
Jack turns around, his face so damned devilish in the streetlight.
"I thought you don't like people?" I ask, walking toward him. "You want to go somewhere, but no matter where we go there are going to be more people."
"I want to go wherever you are," Jack says.
I reach where he's standing and, not intent on doing it; gently press my lips to his. He hesitates for a second before sliding his hands up and on my face. His fingers move to my temples and he twists them into my hair as he kisses me back. The cold air does nothing to us as every single small sound disappears. It’s as though our kiss has hit an invisible mute button on the world. I pray this is the silence before the storm.
I taste a glimpse of his tongue and he moves his mouth slowly, giving me ample opportunity. I finally pull away due to shortness of breath.
"Let's go to your club," Jack says. "It'd be a shame for you to not get a night out of that dress."
"Should I leave my car here?" I ask as he slides his big hand into mine.
"Yeah, I know the owner of the place, so it'll be fine." Jack takes his keys out of his pocket and clicks the button. Halogen lights flood the parking lot as the shiny black Cadillac Escalade roars to life. It's the douche-mobile I scowled at earlier.
"Where's your truck?" I ask.
"It's at the mill. This is mine, too."
"I prefer the truck," I say with a grin. "It seems more you."
He gives me that same appraising look before opening the door for me and I hate to let go of his hand long enough to climb inside.
He closes his door, puts the SUV in gear and immediately reaches across the cab to take my hand again.
We pull up at Rider's and I look for Allie's red Nissan in the parking lot. I dig out my lip gloss and Jack looks across the vehicle at me.
"You have the prettiest mouth, just so you know."
I look at him, and then at his lips. "Yours isn't so bad, either. Just so you know."
He leans across and plants a soft kiss against my freshly shined lips.
"Mm, strawberries," he says. I smile at him and he opens his door. He comes around the SUV and opens my door before I get the chance to. I take his hand and hop down from the tall vehicle.
I follow him inside and wave at Billy as we pass the bar. I feel like a spotlight has been cast on us as we meander through the crowds of people. I keep my eyes peeled for Allie, but haven't spotted her yet. She knows I had a date with Robert. I can't wait to reveal my happy surprise.
"Do you want a drink?" Jack asks.
"Um, sure. Maybe something light?"
"Liquor or beer?" he asks, pulling me toward a table.
"Beer," I answer. "Corona." I'd better play it safe. I don't want to be drunk for a minute of this date.
"Corona, coming right up." He leans in and kisses me again, claiming a familiarity with me that he shouldn't have yet and I shouldn't allow.
"You should let me pay for my food," I say.
"No," Jack says. "It's my treat. You can pay next time."
Next time. Just like that my heart hammers between my throat and my feet.
"It'll be beer and pizza," I warn.
"As long as the beer's cold and the pizza's hot," Jack says with a grin. Brent hands Jack the black notebook again and Jack takes his card, scribbling on the white slip.
We stand at the same time and Jack towers over me. He pulls his jacket tight and for the first time tonight, I get a good dose of his scent. Jack pulls a pack of gum from his pocket and unwraps it. He holds the pack out to me and I shake my head.
I dig through my clutch and find the familiar plastic box. I shake a couple of Tic-tac's loose and pop them in my mouth. We walk out of the restaurant and into the crisp night air.
"So, where to now?" Jack asks.
"Um, is there more? I don't remember agreeing to more," I say, acting confused.
"Okay then," Jack says with a sigh. He leans in and quickly kisses my mouth; the taste of his lips is surprisingly sweet. "See ya 'round."
I stare at him a second as he starts to walk away. "Get your ass back here," I say.
Jack turns around, his face so damned devilish in the streetlight.
"I thought you don't like people?" I ask, walking toward him. "You want to go somewhere, but no matter where we go there are going to be more people."
"I want to go wherever you are," Jack says.
I reach where he's standing and, not intent on doing it; gently press my lips to his. He hesitates for a second before sliding his hands up and on my face. His fingers move to my temples and he twists them into my hair as he kisses me back. The cold air does nothing to us as every single small sound disappears. It’s as though our kiss has hit an invisible mute button on the world. I pray this is the silence before the storm.
I taste a glimpse of his tongue and he moves his mouth slowly, giving me ample opportunity. I finally pull away due to shortness of breath.
"Let's go to your club," Jack says. "It'd be a shame for you to not get a night out of that dress."
"Should I leave my car here?" I ask as he slides his big hand into mine.
"Yeah, I know the owner of the place, so it'll be fine." Jack takes his keys out of his pocket and clicks the button. Halogen lights flood the parking lot as the shiny black Cadillac Escalade roars to life. It's the douche-mobile I scowled at earlier.
"Where's your truck?" I ask.
"It's at the mill. This is mine, too."
"I prefer the truck," I say with a grin. "It seems more you."
He gives me that same appraising look before opening the door for me and I hate to let go of his hand long enough to climb inside.
He closes his door, puts the SUV in gear and immediately reaches across the cab to take my hand again.
We pull up at Rider's and I look for Allie's red Nissan in the parking lot. I dig out my lip gloss and Jack looks across the vehicle at me.
"You have the prettiest mouth, just so you know."
I look at him, and then at his lips. "Yours isn't so bad, either. Just so you know."
He leans across and plants a soft kiss against my freshly shined lips.
"Mm, strawberries," he says. I smile at him and he opens his door. He comes around the SUV and opens my door before I get the chance to. I take his hand and hop down from the tall vehicle.
I follow him inside and wave at Billy as we pass the bar. I feel like a spotlight has been cast on us as we meander through the crowds of people. I keep my eyes peeled for Allie, but haven't spotted her yet. She knows I had a date with Robert. I can't wait to reveal my happy surprise.
"Do you want a drink?" Jack asks.
"Um, sure. Maybe something light?"
"Liquor or beer?" he asks, pulling me toward a table.
"Beer," I answer. "Corona." I'd better play it safe. I don't want to be drunk for a minute of this date.
"Corona, coming right up." He leans in and kisses me again, claiming a familiarity with me that he shouldn't have yet and I shouldn't allow.
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