“Which one’s mine?” I ask eagerly. It’s a major bonus he lives close to Spilled Tea. If he hadn’t taken me out on a mind-consuming date last night, this drink would’ve been the thing I was most excited for this morning.
“Either.” Adam shrugs then pulls on his seat belt. “I waited for you to try it. Figured you might want to see my reaction live.”
“Smart man. If you told me you tried it and liked it right off the bat, there’s no way I would have believed you considering your favorite drink is water…”
“You don’t have to say it with so much disdain.” Adam laughs. “You also drink water.”
“I do, but it’s not my favorite. That’s like a serial killer trait.”
Adam raises an eyebrow. “A what?”
“A serial killer trait. You know, for example, if you happened to be a serial killer and I was being interviewed on your impending demise, I would say, ‘I should’ve known, his favorite drink was water for crying out loud.’”
Adam shakes his head, but that all-encompassing smile is on his face. “What’s your trait?”
“I don’t know, no one’s ever told me one.” I pick up one cup and take a sweet, refreshing sip. “You can have multiple, but you can’t say what they are. You have to get them from other people.”
I eye his drink, then look up at him with a smirk. “Enough stalling, let’s see if you like it.”
Adam picks his up, then tips it to mine. “Cheers, Mia.”
“Cheers.”
I take my sip, but my eyes are locked on him. I don’t want to miss the tiniest hint of how he actually feels about the drink. I could tell my Andes chocolates weren’t his favorite, and I waited for him to say they were great so I could call him out on it, but he never did. He’s allowed to not like things that I love, but he better not lie about it.
He takes one sip, and I get next to nothing, but then he takes another. His eyebrows raise and he weighs his head back and forth as he sets it down. “Alright, it’s not water, but?—”
“No! Don’t you dare compare the two.”
Adam’s laugh fills the car. “Honest opinion, I like it, it’s good. Don’t know if I’d order it every time, but I can finish your drinks for you.”
Rolling my lips, I try to maintain my grin from taking over my face. It’s tempting enough to lean over and kiss him for that adorable comment, but I don’t want to come off too strong. We’re literally one date in, but that also feels a bit irrelevant at the same time.
Adam, however, must be psychic, or the signs were simply written all over my face. Pulling me in slowly by my chin, he places his lips softly against mine. When I don’t pull back, his hand slides through my hair as he deepens the kiss.
The angle in the car might be shit, but the kiss sure isn’t. Gripping onto his shirt, I pull him toward me, and it takes all my willpower not to crawl over into his lap.
His tongue dips in and out of my mouth. I can’t stop the small moan that comes out, and I let another one out when his grip tightens on my hair.
“Mia.” He groans my name as if he’s in agony. “I’m supposed to take you to work.”
Catching my breath, I huff. “You started it.”
“That, I did.” Adam chuckles softly. His grip loosens on my hair and comes back around to my cheek. His thumb glides gently over my lips. “I meant what I said last night. I like you and I want to give this an honest shot. My schedule is also shit and I’m about to leave for Spring Training for six weeks.”
Leaning in slightly to his touch, I narrow a teasing glare his way. “Sounds like you’re setting up a pretty solid alibi there, All-star.”
“No, Mia, I’m admitting that you were right. I’m a serious guy. We can have fun together, but I’m serious about you. I respect your boundaries, your job—I respect you. I just wanted you to know that things are about to get crazy for me right nowwith work, but I’m in this. If it seems like I’m coming on too strong, I’m sorry, but I play games for my career. I’m not going to play them with you.”
If any other man had said this to me, I’d write him off on the spot. But coming from Adam, it doesn’t give this air of control or manipulation—he’s simply being honest about how he’s feeling and his intentions.
“I think I like you coming off strong. You might just be my type after all.”
The next night.
Adam
I don’t even have to ask, I know you’re still at work. Have you eaten dinner?
