Every time his skin touched hers, she felt her heart race. No man should make her body react this way. It wasn't healthy for any woman to react like this to a man.
"Can I walk with you then, strictly for your own safety," he said with a smile.
She knew this was a terrible idea, but she didn't really want him to go. In fact, she really didn't want to get on the train either. His car looked like a lot more fun than her train ride and walk home.
Giving in, she said, "I suppose that wouldn't be inappropriate, but what about your car? You can't just leave it there. It's an impressive vehicle."
"Well, I had planned to drive this spunky little blond home, but she keeps turning me down," he said as his eyes scrunched with another smile.
"Fine, you can drive, but if I wind up dead, I'm coming back to haunt you," she said with a straight face.
Andie kept thinking this was most definitely one of the worst ideas ever. But she was tired, and he was nice enough. General Montgomery seemed to like him, and if he works at a security company, then he had to have passed a background check. He was gorgeous... and safer than some losers she picked up at the bar. Yep, she would take the ride to be safe, she thought as he opened the passenger's side door for her.
She sat down and immediately ran her hand along the soft leather of the seat. Mike got in on the driver's side and noticed the smile that stretched across her face.
"Do you like her?"
"Her?"
"Well, I like to think of most cars as women. Maybe it's a weird guy thing, but this beauty is no doubt a woman in charge," he said as he ran his hand over the steering wheel, "It's too bad we are in the city. Maybe someday I'll take you out to my friend Mac's ranch. I can show you what she really does on those country roads."
Andie gave him a strange look. "Mr. Mike, are you making future plans with me? Seems a bit strange, don't you think? I'm not even certain you're not going to kill me yet."
He started the car and pointed to the GPS. "Alright, little miss murder victim. Why don't you plug your address in and if I get you home safe, then we can make plans to see each other again?"
"As long as it includes your friend's ranch. I've never seen a horse up close," she smiled.
"Sounds like a plan," he winked, and took off towards her apartment.
Chapter Four
Wakingupthenextmorning naked in her bed, Andie was at a loss. The green-eyed giant she had lovingly come to know as Mike was nowhere to be found. Andie was not a one-night stand girl, but there she was lying in the aftermath of one of the most amazing nights of her life. It wasn't like she was a virgin, but her crap sex life with her ex didn't even remotely compare to what she experienced last night. Never had she been with a man who cared more about her pleasure than his own. She'd had sex with one other guy and they were both so young. He was one of those guys who rolled on top of a girl, got off, and then rolled off without a care. If Andie was honest with herself, until last night she couldn't understand people's obsession with sex. She didn't even like it that much.
Now she got it, though. In fact, if her green-eyed giant was still here, she would probably try to persuade him for more. But he wasn't. And it was likely she would never see him again. They hadn't exchanged numbers; they hadn't even exchanged last names. For the first time in her life she'd taken a risk, and the only thing she regretted was that it was over so soon. Disappointed that she didn't find a note on her nightstand like in the movies, she dragged herself out of bed and headed into her bathroom to get cleaned up for the day. Then she needed to call Avery. Her sister always had wise words of wisdom when Andie needed it most.
An hour later, Andie jumped at the sound of the buzzer on her door. Even though she knew it was her sister, her dumb heart raced at the idea Mike might have come back. She looked out her window to confirm it was Avery and buzzed her in.
Avery came bursting in the front door as Andie went to pull it open.
"SERIOUSLY Andie! You can't just leave me a text telling me you had your first one-night stand and then not answer your phone," she started the second she saw Andie.
"I'm sorry, I was in the shower. I just needed to you to get here. Avery, I've made such a mess of things," Andie said while she turned to the kitchen to start some coffee for the both of them.
"What are you talking about? It's impossible to mess up a one-night stand."
Then, as Avery settled in at the counter, she looked closer and could tell something was wrong. If their twin bond wasn't enough of a sign, the look of sadness in Andie's eyes was a clear indicator something was off.
"You like him, don't you?" Avery asked.
Andie nodded, "I do, and I wish I didn't. I don't even know him, Avery! What was I thinking?"
"Well, call him! Find out more about him, ask him on a date. Geez Andie, this is 2021, a girl can ask a guy out."
"I don't have his number."
"Oh... well, we can find him," she said and grabbed her cell phone to pull up social media, "What's his last name?"
"Avery, you're not listening to me. I can't just track him down."