But everything in me froze when he lifted his gaze to mine, and I was confronted with an unusual set of gray eyes. Gray eyes I’d never been able to forget. Gray eyes that had helped me through the night I’d realized my relationship with Jake was over.
His brow furrowed at the same time his lips tipped up, like he was pleased to see me, but couldn’t place why. Maybe he didn’t remember me.
I sure remembered him.
“Listen, beautiful. I can be the man that takes you home and finds ways to make you forget who hurt you. I can make you like it. But I’m not sure that’s what you want. And I’m not the man to cause regrets.” He pressed another soft kiss and I returned it. “But if I’m wrong, then just tell me. I’ll pay for those shots and fuck you before we even make it upstairs. Probably finger you in the cab on the way home.”
“Hi,” I greeted, my voice a little breathy.
He stood but didn’t rush to introduce himself, still studying me. God, he was tall. I wasn’t short by any means, but he had to stand at least six inches above my five-eight.
I reached my hand out when he still stood there. “I’m Carina.”
His brows rose, and recognition finally sparked. Sliding his hand in mine, I finally heard the voice that’d been on replay in my dreams. “I remember you.”
The combination of his rough fingers encasing mine completely, and the rough tone sliding past smooth, smiling lips sucked the air from my lungs. My body blazed hot from those hands, and I held fast to my veneer of control, so I didn’t melt into a puddle at his feet.
“I’m Ian.”
My tongue slicked across my dry lips. His eyes tracked the movement, and my confidence grew. He was just as affected as I was.
“Nice to meet you, Ian. Again.”
“So, you’re my date for today?”
“Looks like I am.”
He scanned my body, still holding my hand. “Good.”
Unable to handle the intense stare any longer, I dropped my eyes and bit my lip, lightly extracting my hand from his. I was excited to see him, but he didn’t need to know how much. The man could work a little for my attention.
“Small world meeting you here.”
“I can’t say I’m sad about it. But I must admit, I’m shocked to see such a beautiful woman on a blind date. I can only imagine men line up to have a moment with you.”
I laughed softly. “Would you believe me if I said this was a surprise Christmas gift?”
He laughed in return, and the deep rumble washed over me, settling heavily in my core. “I actually can since mine was also a Christmas gift.”
“Go figure.”
A heavy silence filled the small waiting room as we both stood there. The tension expanded like a bubble around us, taking up more and more space, growing so big it could explode at any moment. What would happen when it did? Would we incinerate with the chemistry sizzling between us? I sure hoped so. Excitement thrummed through my blood, scaring me, and thrilling me in equal measures. My skin was like a live wire, the hair on end as I waited at the top of a roller coaster, holding my breath, waiting for it to tip forward and ride the exhilarating rush down.
He took one step closer…and another set of heels came clicking down the hall.
“Good, you met,” a petite woman greeted us from the entryway.
Ian and I snapped to attention, blinking out of the daze we’d been in. The woman wore all black, contrasting heavily against her pale skin, blonde hair, and ice-blue eyes appearing wide behind thick lenses.
“I’m Sarah, and I’ll be your photographer today. Why don’t we take a seat and go over what to expect?”
Ian let me sit first before lowering next to me, letting his strong thighs fall wide, his knee brushing against mine. Just that minor contact had my breath hitching in my chest.
“So, as you know, this is a boudoir shoot. You don’t have to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with but be sure to communicate with each other about what feels good and what doesn’t. I suggest taking advantage of the unique date and stepping outside of your comfort zone, pushing the boundaries.”
Reckless ideas flooded me, and I fought to keep my breathing under control. I didn’t want to scare him away by panting next to him before we even started.
“This isn’t porn, so we don’t allow penetration of any kind, but any form of nudity is allowed. We keep it sensual and erotic, but not graphic and gratuitous. Sexuality is such a huge part of a relationship, leaving us bared to the other person. We cultivate this experience for you to get to know each other on another level beyond the typical first date questions.”