AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Trust me when I say all you need to do, to convince people you’re with me, is to relax. Act like a woman whose every physical, emotional, and sexual need is taken care of.”
Her cheeks flush and her lips part. “About those sexual needs...”
My pulse picks up.
Our waiter arrives. “May I start some drinks for you?”
Violet blinks and refocuses on the menu. “Um...”
“We’ll have the Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1945 to start,” I say.
The waiter grins because he just realized how big a tip he’ll probably get from this meal. “Excellent choice, sir.”
When he leaves, I ask, “You like red wine, right?”
She nods.
There’s an electric moment when I wonder if we’re going to pick up where we left off when the waiter interrupted us.
But instead, she asks, “What do you love most about baseball?”
I blink, startled. That’s not the type of question women normally ask me. “Why would you want to know that?”
She takes a deep breath. “Because you told me I’m supposed to be myself. And normally, I’d try and get to know the man I’m on a date with.”
Her sincerity catches me off guard. I can’t remember the last time someone tried to get to know me like that. Probably in college, when I met Tom.
The reminder that this is my best friend’s little sister sends a flash of guilt through me. At least if we’re talking about baseball, I won’t be tempted to fantasize about those sexual needs of hers.
“Partly I like baseball because it reminds me of my dad,” I say. “But I also like it because it’s simple. Unrushed. Just two teams, a ball, and a clear blue sky.”
She tilts her head. “Does a lot of your life feel complicated and rushed?”
Yes. I think the answer instantly. But saying it out loud feels a little too vulnerable.
I clear my throat. “Enough about me. Let’s talk about you. What do you like about painting?”
Her face lights up, and I know I’ve asked the right question.
From there, the conversation justflows.
I can’t remember the last time I’ve had this much fun on a date—and this isn’t even a real date. Violet is smart, curious, and passionate. She loves making fun of me, but if I’m ever talking about something genuinely important to me, she instinctively turns gentle and supportive. She barely knows anything about my company or the business world I live in, but she’s perceptive enough to immediately cut through the bullshit and understand whatever I’m trying to say.
Plus, it’s fun to watch her talk.
Her big, beautiful hazel eyes show every emotion she’s feeling, and her mouth looks soft and inviting enough to be thoroughly distracting.
I’m genuinely surprised when the waiter clears away our empty dessert plates, and I realize the night has come to an end.
As we get up to leave, Violet stops me with a hand on my arm. “Can we go over there, to the rooftop edge? That building looks really interesting from this angle. I might want to try painting it sometime.”
I’m so distracted by her touch, it takes me a second to answer. “Sure.”
I follow her as she weaves her way through the tables. Everyone else in this area is busy taking selfies. But that’s not what Violet’s interested in. She pulls out her phone and leans out over the railing, trying to get the perfect angle.
I settle my hands on her waist. “Careful.”
She fumbles her phone for a second, almost dropping it. “Let go. You’re distracting me.”
