With a short sigh, Jake turned from the mirror and hurried out the front door to get in his limo. He directed the driver to the address Gerri had given him. Jake didn’t recognize the street and was curious to see where the woman lived.
Jake's heart twisted a little when the driver began cruising to the poorer section of town. What was he getting himself into? It was difficult to believe that anyone in this area code could be his match. Anxiety began to rise in his gut as he thought of what he might be faced with when he met his date.
They pulled up on the street near the address, and Jake hesitantly got out of the car. As he looked around, wondering if he should go into her building, his eyes caught on a flicker of pale light from the store window beside him.
As he looked closer, he saw the sun wasn’t just reflecting off the glass itself. There was a vision in white walking on the sidewalk, and now that his eyes had been captured by it, he couldn’t look away.
Her white dress was patterned with little pink flowers. Light, flowing waves of fabric draped her hips and fell against her shapely calves. As she walked toward the curb, her generous breasts bounced just a little in the scoop neck of the fitted, but not tight, bodice.
Is that her?
The woman turned her head, looking at him. The perfect dusky rose lips curved in amusement, and her light brown eyes sparkled. She tilted her head back and laughed softly, the angle of the sun picking up a glint of thin silver chains at her neck.
Does she really shine from the inside out, or am I having some kind of fit?
He was downwind, and when a cool breeze wafted down the street, lifting her chestnut hair from her graceful neck, Jake’s lion growled, setting his blood on fire. The scent of sweet vanilla and honey wrapped around him, confusing his senses and intoxicating him so much that he had to close his eyes and look away.
This is my mate!
When he opened his eyes, he almost jumped away in surprise. She was now standing right in front of him, with a teasing look in her eye as she smiled at him mischievously.
“You must be Jake,” she said. Her voice was smooth and even, a resonance that thrilled him to the bone. She extended a slim hand and wiggled her eyebrows a little.
“Yes, I’m Jake,” he said, standing so still, he could have been made of stone. She laughed again.
“I’m Casey,” she said.
Jake cursed himself for a fool and shook her hand.Get a grip!“It’s nice to meet you,” Jake said, willing his cognitive faculties to come back online. His lion was starting to rage, an intense inner fire that only confused him even more.
Claim her!
“Would you like to get in?” Jake said as calmly as possible. He gestured to the limo. Casey nodded and hurried to slide along the long, deep seat.
Jake took a deep breath of fresh air, knowing that being stuck in a confined space with her scent was going to be an exquisite torture. His mind warred with his heart as he thought about how he’d never expected his perfect woman to be such a hippy.
Or live in a crummy section of town … or the place we first met to be outside a dry cleaners.
As he slid into the limo after her, Jake couldn’t stop himself from eating her alive with his eyes. No matter what his mind thought, other parts of him appreciated her look very much.
“You look really pretty,” he said, meaning it. Jake tried one of his winning smiles. It usually made women swoon all around him, whether it was meant for them or not.
“Oh, thanks,” Casey said, her cheeks blushing a soft pink. She looked down in her lap and played with her fingers, looking a little shy. Without even thinking about it, Jake reached out and took her hand from her lap, squeezing it gently.
She looked up, the blush on her cheeks brightening. She didn’t let go of him, though. The way her eyes warmed when she looked into his made his heart leap.
Her palm was sweaty, but so was his. No woman had ever had this kind of effect on him before.
The light touch of her hand against his sent arousal flooding through him. It was so strong that he wanted to take his hand back, but at the same time, the last thing he wanted to do was let go.
On the way to the country club, they didn’t talk much. For the first time in his life, Jake was struggling to think of things to say. Talking about himself seemed boastful, and asking about her felt like prying. He ended up sitting there paralyzed by nerves and hoping she didn’t notice.
When they arrived at the country club, Jake noticed a few patrons staring at them as they walked through the restaurant. He frowned, not liking their attitude, even though he might have shared it a short time ago.
The dress is fine if a little informal. It’s the shaved sides to her hair and the boots that make her stand out as a true bohemian girl.
Jake felt proud to be with someone who knew how wealthy these people were and didn’t compromise her style for them. He even admired it and hoped she might be able to give him the confidence to do the same. As they sat, he glanced around at the nearby tables, daring anyone to make a comment about his date.
The waiter poured them water, and they quickly went over the menus. As soon as they were alone, Jake steepled his hands, sat up straight, and slipped into business mode. He was serious about getting things done, and this was the only way he knew how to behave when he needed to seal the deal.