Jasmine laughed and let him
drag her out of the store. “Please stop, Drakie.”
Drake groaned and led her down the sidewalk to where his truck was parked but he didn’t release her hand and she left it there. It felt nice and warm. “Okay, Jasmine. Is that better?”
She nodded and couldn’t help but smile. If only she could remember this was just an outing with a friend. She could not read more into it than it being a friendly gesture. If she let her hopes rise, it would hurt to fall down.
* * * *
“Come on, slow poke.” Jasmine laughed, while pedaling faster. She was ahead of him and he purposely stayed behind. It gave him the opportunity to observe her. He could admire her better from back here, not only her joy, but how good she looked in her short denim shorts that hugged her round ass. Her tank top clung to her generous breasts and showed off her slim arms. Her hair was up in a high ponytail and she kept looking at him over her shoulder with that wide smile that was contagious. Being around her just seemed to brighten something inside of him. She was so cheerful and sunny. He knew she had a lot on her plate trying to revive Kate’s business and getting over a broken relationship, yet she was kind and friendly towards people. He heard people in town talking about how smart and nice Kate’s niece was. Mrs. Drummond from the grocery store had mentioned she remembered Jasmine’s childhood visits and how sad she would look. She smiled fondly and told Drake, “Dale and Kate always had a hard time letting go of that girl. Her mom didn’t pay attention to the girl as she should.”
“Give me a break, doll. I am five years older than you. My bones are cracking.” He tried to sound pitiful but he ruined it by laughing and speeding up so he rode next to her.
“Oh please, deputy. You work out a lot. I know those muscles of yours are in fine shape,” she answered sassily. “I have checked them out plenty of times.”
“Checking me out without my knowledge? How devious of you.” If only she knew he had been doing the same thing.
She shrugged innocently. “It’s your fault for being so sexy. I just couldn’t help myself. Now quit distracting me and kick it up a notch.”
He couldn’t remember ever having so much fun with a woman before. Maybe with his sister when they were younger, but no one else. None of the women he dated would ever hop on a bike and get sweaty. He laughed at the image of Nancy and her high heels on a bike.
They stopped at the end of the trail. A small stand selling drinks had been set up. Drake stopped and bought two bottles of water for them. They leaned the bikes against a tree and sat on a bench.
“Thanks for bringing me here,” she said after taking a sip of water. “I love this park. It is so beautiful. I love the pond and the ducks too. Next time I need to bring them some bread.”
“I’m having a good time too, Jasmine,” he assured her seriously. She was looking at the water with a small grin. She was beautiful and so real. He really liked her as a person and he wanted to know more. Maybe that had always been the problem. He never cared to know his dates better. They were sexy and knew the rules of the game. They were all the same. Sophisticated, but boring and fake. “Sometimes I work so much I forget to relax and have fun. I love my job but as my sister says I also need to stop and smell the roses.”
“I met Eva. She is really nice. She bought an old French-style dresser for her daughter’s room.” Jasmine turned to look at him. Her face was free of makeup, but her skin was shiny and healthy. Her blue eyes were bright with happiness. She looked so much better than she had that night when he found her on the bench looking so lonely.
Drake smiled, thinking of his small niece. He loved spending time with her. “Julia. She is five going on fifteen. She is quite the fashionista. She has her own idea of what she likes and no one can tell her differently. It drives my brother-in-law nuts.”
“Well, good for her. We women have to make our own style to be really happy,” Jasmine replied. “She also has a little boy, right?”
Drake nodded. “Dylan Jr. is two. He’s a charmer. How about you? You’re an only child, right?”
“Unfortunately.” She sighed, losing her smile. “I wanted a sibling when I was a kid. My mom worked all day and dated at least four days a week. It made a lonely childhood for me. I spent summers out here as a kid and I loved the attention Kate and Dale gave me. Then it was back to reality.”
“Why did you stop coming?” He wanted to get to know her better. Sometimes she looked so lost, then she would shake it off and smile brightly as if she didn’t want anyone to know.
“Once I became a teen I worked part time to make my own money, then as an adult I got involved in my career. Like you said, we forget to stop and smell the roses. Eva seems really nice to have as a sister.”
Drake snorted. “Don’t let that polite façade fool you. When I was eight she tried to trade me to the circus for a horse. My parents stopped her.”
Jasmine laughed.
Drake was glad she was here. He wanted to ask about her ex. Did she still have feelings for him? Was he abusive? He squeezed her hand and placed a small kiss on her knuckles. “I’m glad you are here now. I have to be honest with you. I have never been much into serious relationships.”
“So I heard.” She rolled her eyes and pulled her hand out of his. “Don’t worry. I know you see me as a friend only. I know you’re dating someone. Alana mentioned it the other night.”
She looked jealous and it made him feel like he still had a chance with her. “Aren’t you dating Matt Smith?”
She shook her head, looking out at the water. “He’s a good friend. He helps Kate out a lot. I met Tony twice and I think he is warming up to me. He almost cracked a smile the other day. Almost. The three of us were going to see that new sci-fi movie but Alana called so we had to reschedule. They know I don’t know anyone in town and they’re really nice guys. There’s not too many of them left in the world.”
He let out a small breath of relief. Matt was a scary son of a bitch and he would rather not tangle with him. He would for Jasmine because he really liked her. He desired her but he also wanted to know what made her tick, what made her happy and sad.
“I had one date last week but it was just a casual date with an old friend. I left her at her front door,” he said seriously. He was only interested in Jasmine.
She looked at him like she was trying to figure out if he was for real. He knew her ex had done a number on her. He didn’t want to push her for details yet. “I like you, Jasmine. I was hoping we could go on a real date.”