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Anthony
When I droveby Phoebe’s house, I knew it was time to man up. Last night, there was a robbery at Carver’s Tavern. It made me realize that telling Phoebe how I feel is worth the risk of rejection, even if the words don’t come out right. You never know until you commit. It’s the only way I’ve ever gotten anything in my life. I committed to getting fit and look at me now. As I walk the path back up to Phoebe’s front door, I know what has to be done. I have to prove to her that she’s the only woman for me. That she’s meant to be mine forever.
I rap my knuckles against the door and take a step back. When Phoebe opens the door, I’m blown away. In her tight jeans and flowing top that provides just enough cleavage to whet my appetite, she looks like a natural born goddess. Her glossy pink lips spread into the most adorable smile when she sees me.
“Wow,” I say, stiffening against my zipper. “You look amazing.”
Phoebe rolls her eyes. “This old thing?” She teases and steps out to greet me. When she turns to lock the door behind her, I notice something out of place. I give the back of her shirt a little tug and she turns to face me.
“Thisold thingstill has the tag attached.” I can’t help but smile when her cheeks flush an adorable shade of crimson.
Phoebe carefully pulls the tag off. “Busted.”
My hand finds her lower back as we walk out to my truck. Everything about Phoebe is beautiful, but there’s nothing sexier to me than a woman with a sense of humor. The fact that she doesn’t take herself too seriously is the icing on the cake.
Once we hop in the car, she turns to me. “So, Officer Hunter, where pray tell are you taking me?” In my head this all sounded like a great idea, but suddenly I’m nervous to tell her, hoping she’s not expecting something insanely fancy. Phoebe senses my hesitation. “Anthony?”
“I thought I’d take you to one of my favorite spots.” I shrug. “It’s one of my little secrets.”
Phoebe scoffs and shuffles her feet against the floorboard. “There are no secret spots in Burly Creek. Trust me.” The tone in her voice only heightens my anxiety.
“Of course there are.”
“Nope.” Her mood shifts, and she crosses her arms over her chest. “I’ve lived here all my life, except for college. I know every single boring little nook and cranny.”
“Phoebe, every town has secret nooks.” I huff out a little laugh. “Especially Burly Creek. I bust people doing shady things in these little unknown hideaways all the time.”
“Oooh!” She wages her pink lacquered fingernails in the air. “Are we doing something shady tonight?”
I grip the wheel. The image that fills my head is less than gentlemanly: Phoebe’s naked body, nothing but the night air causing her rosy pink nipples to stiffen into diamond hard peaks. “Only if you want to.”
Her contagious laugh fills the truck. “So, it’s on me?”
“You’re the one hating on this date before it even starts.”
“So, it is a date?”
“Of course it’s a date, Phoebe. What did you think this was?”
The streetlights dance across her face as we pass, heading toward the outskirts of town. “I was just checking.” Her voice takes on a serious tone. “And I wasn’t hating on our date. Just on this town.”
“What?” My head snaps in her direction. “Why? Burly Creek is a little slice of paradise. The mountains, the people, the crime rate is surprisingly low…most of the time.” I slip in.
“Maybe for you it’s paradise, but for me it can sometimes feel like a prison.”
My mouth drops. I don’t understand. “Your entire family is here, not to mention everyone adores you.” I catch myself sounding a little too eager. “I asked. Seriously, I took a poll.” I tease.
“The town is fine, but I’m just not sure there’s anything here for me.”
“So, what? You’re not thinking of leaving are you?”
She brushes her long blonde hair with her fingers. “Always.” Silence stunts the conversation. My stomach drops. Here I am finally getting the nerve to ask the woman of my dreams out and she’s talking about leaving. “Don’t say anything to anyone. It’s not like I have solid plans or anything.”
“I won’t say anything, Phoebe.” I can’t keep the disappointment from my voice. “Isn’t there anything that could keep you here?”
She lets out a long exhale and twists her lips before speaking. “I haven’t found it yet.”
Her words sock me in the gut, making me realize that tonight is even more important than I thought. It’s no longer a whim, a date to show her that I’m interested in her. Now, with this new information, time is of the essence. If my woman is thinking of leaving town, I have to do everything in my power to get her to stay, even if that means putting all of my feelings out there for her to know. God give me strength.
