He rolled his eyes. “Chocolate is my bane. But it does sound good. Give me honey fresh from the comb and I’m in heaven.”
“I’ve never had that. I hear some people eat the comb too,” I said.
“I do. It’s like wax, really.” He pushed his cup aside and leaned in slightly as if he wanted to get a better look at me. His tone dropped. “Honey can be savored in so many ways.”
Heat rushed to my face. The idea that this sexy guy wanted to lick honey off me was mind-blowing. I reached for my glass, needing to drench my suddenly parched throat. I misjudged the distance and tipped the glass over, sending water and ice dashing across the table. We scrambled in unison to soak the liquid up with napkins.
He chuckled darkly. “I won’t make any more innuendos. I don’t want to scare you.”
Gathering the sodden napkins in a pile, I looked down in embarrassment. We hadn’t even gotten to dinner yet and I was making a fool of myself. “You’re intimidating.”
“Really?” He frowned. “I never considered myself intimidating. I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not.”
I shrugged. “Maybe I’m just a wimp. I, uh… I suffer from anxiety.”
“Oh. It’s okay. I’ll try to behave myself.” He sat back, looking disappointed.
The sudden distant expression on his face was not what I wanted. “N-no! I mean, I like that you’re…you. But you’ll have to forgive me if I’m a clutz.”
“It’s a deal if you can forgive that I’m a horndog,” he said, the corners of his eyes creasing.
I couldn’t help grinning. It was nice to know that he found me attractive. “Okay, yes… Deal. You know, I expected you to be…”
After a long pause, he prompted, “Tell me. I want to know.”
Dragging my hand through my hair, I figured it was good to be open and honest. The last time I tried to conform myself to someone’s expectations, it hadn’t gone very well. “I expected you to be super serious and grown up, and like a general tight-ass.”
He was completely amused, his smile gorgeous. I was glad he wasn’t offended. “I got it from my father. He looks like a serious guy, dresses nicely, and is totally professional, but he’s a big jester. It’s why we work so well together.”
“You work with your father?” I inquired, curious about my perfect man.
He nodded and took a sip of tea. He licked his lips discreetly. “I went into orthopedic medicine because of him. When I received my doctorate, he offered me the position at his clinic. His previous partner was retiring, and it was perfect for me. We both knew it was always where I would end up. I didn’t expect him to make me a partner, though. That was one of the best moments of my life. I guess most boys aspire to follow in their Dad’s footsteps.”
Nodding, I ran my fingers along the smooth surface of the table. I had no idea. My father was a blank spot in my life. I didn’t even know his name.
“What about you?”
There it was. The dreaded question. What about me, my past, my family? There wasn’t much to tell, nothing good anyhow, and it wasn’t worthy of a first date. I shrugged. “I’m not close with my family.”
“Oh. I’m sorry, that’s a shame. I couldn’t imagine not having Dad and Mom in my life,” he said. He stroked his chin for a long moment, apparently deep in thought. He glanced at his phone. “The other day, when I made a scene in the store, my sister–She has her problems and her problems have bled into the family, creating chaos.”
I nodded, not sure what to say. I didn’t console family drama very well.
“But who cares about that? I want to enjoy my time with you. I was wondering why you didn’t approach after watching me for months?”
“I, uh… Didn’t know what to say,” I admitted. I instinctively reached for my depleted water glass, only to pull my hand back.
He made a sound of acknowledgement. “I have to admit that I like being ogled by you. It’s good for the ego to have a cute guy staring at me, untold naughty thoughts flying through his head. Old men like me get off on that.” He must have realized he was talking more to himself because he cleared his throat and went for his tea.
A flush crept up his neck and I hid my smile. Was Mr. Dreamy really blushing? It settled me that I wasn’t the only one nervous. “You? An old man? I knew you were up there, but how old are you?”
“Up there? Ugh,” he said, looking dejected. “As if you can’t tell, I’m very touchy about my age.” He took several deep breaths. “Forty as of April.”
“Oh. That’s not old,” I said and swallowed a dry breath. A tease popped into my mind, but should I go there? Could I?Go for it!YOLO, and all that.“I always wanted a sugar Daddy.”
He laughed, his eyes catching the light. “I’m not far off from that. And I got plenty of sugar.”
Our gazes met and I was surprised when I didn’t instinctually look away. I was so glad he was not a tight-ass. If he’d been rude and boring and bitchy about every little thing, it would have aggravated my anxiety. But he was the opposite of what I had imagined, and it was comforting. Not only was he physically perfect, but what was inside was shiny and bright, as well.
