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And then I recall that he spent at least half of last night spooning me in my bed, and the reminder causes heat to creep up my neck to my cheeks. Suddenly, I feel flushed.
On our way out, I stop in the dining room to say goodbye to my parents, who are eating dinner. I hug and kiss them both.
“Have fun, sweetheart,” Mom says. She’s smiling, but I detect her eyes are suspiciously glittery, as if she’s on the brink of tears.
My dad locks his gaze on Jason. “Make sure she’s home by nine.”
“Dad!” I roll my eyes.
“Stay out as long as you like,” Mom says. “Just be home by eleven. That’s reasonable, right?”
I laugh at them both. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
Jason follows me out, and we leave through the rear kitchen door to the parking area. He unlocks my door and gazes down at me, his dark expression hard to read. His jaws are clenched tightly, and a muscle tics in his cheek. He looks… unhappy. Bordering on angry.
As he slides into the driver’s seat and starts the engine, he grips the steering wheel and asks, “Ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” I clasp my hands to keep them from shaking.
“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. You’re allowed to change your mind at any time. Just say the word.”
“No, it’s okay. I want this.” I want to get this over with. At least I’ll be able to say I’ve been on a date.
He puts the car in reverse and backs out of the parking spot. “You look stunning, by the way. Reese is a lucky man. Just remember that. Never settle for just anyone.”
I’m still smiling as we pull out onto my street and head for downtown.
When we arrive at the restaurant, Jason finds off-street parking nearby, and we walk the two blocks to the restaurant. We’re ten minutes early, but Reese is already there, waiting on the front stoop.
When he spots me, Reese smiles widely and walks down the steps to meet me on the sidewalk. “Wow, you look amazing.” He pulls me into his arms and gives me a hug. When he releases me, he looks over the top of my head at Jason, who’s standing a couple of feet behind me. “You can go now. We’ll call if we need you.”
I’m shocked by how Reese speaks to Jason, dismissing him as if he’s a servant. When I turn to look at Jason, he takes a step back and nods. “Have a good dinner,” he says to Reese. Then he meets my gaze. “I’ll be close by if you need anything.” When he winks at me, I bite back a grin.
Reese takes my hand and leads me up the steps to the restaurant’s entrance. Inside, he greets the hostess. “Hendricks. We have a reservation.”
I know this place is super popular and it’s hard to get a table on short notice. Somebody must have pulled some strings to get a reservation.
While we’re waiting for the hostess to take us to our table, I sneak a peek at my date. He’s wearing black dress slacks and a white shirt, no jacket. But he does have a tie on. I must admit, he looks very handsome. His blond hair is neatly styled, and he’s freshly shaved. Standing this close to him, I detect a whiff of expensive cologne. Compared to most of the other men standing in the waiting area, Reese dwarfs them with his broad shoulders and muscular body.
The hostess grabs our menus and escorts us to a table for two near the edge of the dining room. The round table is covered in a white brocade tablecloth. There are two crystal wineglasses and coffee mugs already in place, as well as an ornate gold candelabra holding five tall white tapers.
As we sit, our escort lights the candles. “While you’re looking over your menus, your server will come to take your drink orders.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“I already know what I’m having,” Reese says as he lays his menu on the table and leans back in his chair. “The biggest steak they have and a baked potato.” He pats his firm, flat belly. “I’m starving.”
I try to be inconspicuous as I glance around the dining room looking for Jason. To my surprise, he’s standing not far from us, leaning against a wall and trying to blend in. I don’t think Reese has spotted him.
I divert my gaze to my menu and study the offerings, trying not to give Jason’s location away. Somehow, I don’t think Reese would be as amused as I am that Jason’s close enough to hear our every word.
“So,” Reese says. “I’m glad you changed your mind about going out with me. I’ve had my eye on you for a while now.”
I smile at him, but don’t know what to say to that.
“I read the stories in the news, about your previous bodyguard and the sex trafficking ring. That must have really sucked.”
My heart slams into my ribs at the mention of Sean and that awful day. My pulse starts racing and all I can do is nod. “It was awful.”Please, let’s not talk about this.
