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Raffi adds, “Say hello to him.”
“I will. Feel free to give Thomas a hard time tonight.” I kiss my son’s forehead as my bestie glares at me.
I rush to my car, followed by Thomas.
“If there’s anything, call me immediately. Got it?” I remind him. “Immediately.”
“Go on! You’re gonna be late.”
“We’ll find a way to get rid of Don. This is just the beginning.”
“Babe, tonight is your night. There’s no Don, and there’s no me.” He plants a light kiss on my cheek, careful not to smear my makeup. “Have fun.”
I can’t remember the last time I associate ‘fun’ with anything that involves a man. But with California’s most eligible bachelor as my date, I’m prepared for any eventuality.
***
Clayton has asked me to meet at a spot near Franklin Canyon. The closer I get to my destination, the more I question my choice of apparel. If he’s thinking about taking me deep into nature, I’m certainly not dressed for it.
But when I see my date waiting for me in his navy suit and tie, beaming, I know I’ll be just fine.
Balmy California spring air presses against my face.
“You look lovely,” Clayton welcomes me in his smooth voice. There’s confidence in his grip, with a touch of possessiveness which, I’m sensing, he’s still testing on me.
He brings our chests together, his jacket soft against my cheek. It may be the wool, or it may be his huggable nature. Whatever it is, my arms spontaneously wrap around him. Maybe a little too tight for a first hug because I feel a chuckle of amusement gliding over my crown.
“Shall we?” I stand tall, recovering from my involuntary eagerness. I could do with indulging more from that hug, but I don’t want to get carried away. At the same time, I can’t wait for him to show me what it feels like to be his—just for tonight. I’ve given him a chance because I have feelings for him, but after Nando and Don, I have no intention of becoming another man’s possession.
“We have all night, but sure,” he responds with a degree of curiosity.
He slides a glance at my sky-high shoes. The path ahead of us is stony and uneven, but I won’t embarrass myself. I’ll have to negotiate it.
Clayton offers his arm. He even lets me lean on him to use him as a safety net. “Hold on to me, baby.”
Baby? Coming out of his mouth, with his muscly arm securing me, it sounds affectionate yet deep. Different from how I use it to call Raffi or Thomas. Clayton’s ‘baby’ feels like I’ve been stripped and then slowly wrapped in a roll of luxurious blue velvet.
We follow the path lined with lavender bushes and sagebrush on either side.
“Raffi says hello, by the way.” I relay my son’s message.
A grin stretches across his handsome features. “That’s nice. Say hello back.”
At the end of the path, the land opens up as if nature has just revealed its treasure. A blue lake spreads in front of me, and just to my left is a magnificent wooden cottage perching on a little hill. The air is so still. I can hear a calling, as if from an old spirit that has inhabited this secret place since its inception.
“Clayton…this is beyond amazing!”
He gently rubs my spine as we gaze up. “My father built that place when he was a very young man. He did it for Mom.”
“Now I know how you became a romantic.”
That remark earns a smile from him. He’s clean-shaven today, looking fresh like a dew-covered meadow. I take time to peruse his cleft chin. It’s subtle but adorable for a man of his stature.
“You okay to walk up?” Once again, he glances at my shoes.
“What? Are you gonna carry me?”
“I’ll save that for when you’re too drunk to walk.”
