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Shaking his head, Jeremy turned, walking out. "No, but there's always a first for everything. Why not give it a try? Goodnight."
The door closed behind him, leaving me staring after him wondering what the hell that meant. Deciding Jeremy was still half asleep, I locked the back door and went back to bed. Unable to sleep, I grabbed my laptop and started researching Lycans.
Chapter 12
The knock at the front door surprised me. With a frown, I went to the front door and cracked it open a little. When Dale stood there dressed in his suit, I opened it wider.
"You're earlier than I expected. I haven't even put dinner in the oven yet, but I guess we can talk while I cook."
"Cook?" Dale stayed by the door, his face conveying his confusion. "Didn't you get my letter about dinner tonight?"
"Of course, I was just saying I hadn't put it in the oven yet." Turning, I walked back to the kitchen to keep preparing dinner.
"Um, Vera. I wasn't expecting you to cook for me."
"Then how is it dinner if we don't eat?"
Catching up at the end of the hall, Dale rubbed his lips together before taking my hand and looking me in the eye. "I've booked a table at a nice restaurant for us."
Staring at Dale, I blinked in confusion.
After a moment Dale took a breath and cursed. "Vera, have you never gone out for dinner on a date?"
The question felt like a slap. "No, I haven't."
Sighing, Dale searched my eyes. "I love your cooking, but would the food keep until tomorrow night?"
Blinking repeatedly as I realized Dale was going to take me out and that I wouldn't have to cook, or clean, or... "Yes, I can put it in the fridge." As I wrapped everything up and placed it in the fridge, a butterfly fluttered around my insides.
Once I'd cleaned up, I took off my apron and looked down at myself. "Should I change?"
Considering his answer, Dale looked me over. "You look beautiful, but you may feel more comfortable in the dress you wore last Saturday night."
Accepting the assessment, I went to change. Dale ran a modeling agency. He knew what made women look good, so I trusted his judgment. Once I'd changed, I walked out to find him staring out the back window. "Would you prefer my hair up or down?"
Dale turned with a frown. "Vera, wear your hair however it makes you feel comfortable." Moving closer, Dale touched my mouth. I trembled a little with the caress of his thumb across my bottom lip. Easing both his hands to either side of my face, Dale lifted my hair away from it.
"When your hair is up, it highlights your high cheekbones. Which, in turn, draws the eye to your plump lips." Releasing my hair, Dale stood back. "When it's down, you're all eyes." He frowned. "Could I ask you to remove the contacts?"
"No, I'm sorry. Here at home, I'll leave them out for you, but not outside of the house."
Dale nodded in acceptance. "Very well. Are you ready?"
Flipping my head forward, I pulled my hair into a high messy ponytail. "How's this?"
"I could hire you, you look that good. So effortlessly beautiful."
Eyes fluttering, I felt my cheeks heat a little. Taking my hand, Dale led me out to his car; a dark blue Jaguar. Always the gentleman, Dale opened the door for me. When we arrived at the hideaway restaurant thirty minutes later, he opened the door for me again. Dale was right, I would have felt underdressed in my mid-season dress.
We ordered and ate with barely a word edgewise. When we did talk, it was about the places Dale traveled around the world, which seemed to be everywhere. We also discussed my favorite meals to cook, both for taste or ease of making the dish.
We drove home again in the same silence. Dale seemed perturbed by something and kept frowning during the drive. At my place, he walked me back to the front door. "Did you want to come in for a coffee?"
Dale's lips twitched. "Ah, um, coffee will keep me awake all night."
"I make a mean hot chocolate with brandy."
"How can I say no to that?"
