Baby, Don't Lose My Number (3 page)

Not that the magazine existed but she hadn’t been able to stop staring, he was that good looking. Short, golden brown hair cropped close, tall, broad-shouldered and positively bulging with muscles. Clad in a faded T-shirt and baggy shorts, the clothes hadn’t been able to conceal the sheer size of him. He was huge.

She was no delicate flower, and he made her feel downright dainty.

He’s interested, she told herself as she clutched the phone. He wants you to call. You don’t call and he’ll forget about you and you’ll regret it forever.

Determination filling her, she hit the send button and brought the phone to her ear with trembling fingers. It rang once, twice, three times and she pressed her lips together, her finger hovering over the end button. Would she look stupid with a hang-up call? Or even more stupid leaving a voice mail?

The fourth ring and he answered, his delicious voice sending a shiver down her spine. “Hello.”

A combination of relief and nervousness flooded her system and she cleared her throat like an absolute twit. “Hi, Jake, this is uh, Mia.”

“Mia.” His voice deepened, warm like honey, as if he were pleased she called. “I didn’t think you’d call.”

“I didn’t think I’d call either,” she admitted.

He chuckled, the sound of it doing weird things to her already twisted up stomach. “I like your honesty.”

“I’m not the type who calls guys first.”

“So, I’m pushing you out of your comfort zone?”

“Definitely.” And he sounded awfully pleased over it too.

“So, why am I the exception?”

He would have to ask her an embarrassing question like that right at the beginning of their conversation. “Maybe because you told me to call you?”

Now he full on laughed. It was a nice one, the sound of it warming her deep inside. “Have you had a good day?”

Not really. She’d slept in, lain around in bed and watched a cheesy Lifetime movie, then worked on a letter Larry had requested be ready first thing on Monday. Dealt with his text messages and emails, dealt with Morgan’s text messages and avoided a call from her mother.

Just another normal Saturday with one exception—the very phone call she happened to be on.

“It was all right,” she answered vaguely. “How about you?”

“Nothing too exciting going on—” he paused, “—until you called.”

Her skin heated at his words. “You, uh, said you wanted to get together? Maybe?”
Nice self-confidence, dork.

“I want to take you to dinner.” His voice lowered even more; she wasn’t sure how that was possible and God, it rippled over her nerve endings, sending delicious little tingles across her skin. “How does seven sound?”

“Tonight?” she squealed, immediately clearing her throat. She sounded absolutely ridiculous. Like no one had ever asked her out on a date.

“Yeah, tonight. Unless you have other plans?”

“Umm, nothing I can’t postpone,” she said, purposely vague.

“So dinner tonight at seven. With me. Sounds good?”

“Sure. Okay.” She would’ve said perfect but she didn’t want to sound too excited. “Where do you want to meet?”

“How about I come pick you up? What’s your address?”

Mia hesitated. What if she went out with him and realized he wasn’t her type? What if the conversation was stilted and she became uncomfortable? What if he turned out to be a total pervert?

It might not be so bad, him being a pervert. It had been a while since she’d had sex. Terrific, mind-blowing, toe-numbing sex. And from what she remembered last night she thought he might be able to deliver.

Not my type, yeah, right. Only because he could do so much better than little ol’ me.

“Let’s meet somewhere instead,” she repeated. Just in case, she told herself.

She could tell he was disappointed at her suggestion, but she didn’t care. Well, she did a little, but she couldn’t let herself care. This was so unlike her, going out on a date with a guy she hardly knew. All of her past boyfriends had been guys she’d known and known well. Boys she went to school with or co-workers, and her last steady boyfriend had originally been her neighbor at the same apartment complex. He’d moved in and everything with talks of marriage and children, the works.

But he’d been so much older, almost thirty-five. And she’d been barely twenty-four. They’d broken up over a year ago, after she told him she wasn’t ready to get married.

She hadn’t really gone on a date since.

After a few minutes of discussing favorite food they decided on a sushi restaurant not too far from her apartment. She hung up and immediately ran to her closet where she started tearing through her clothes.

Mia wanted to look good on her date with Mister Hot Stuff. She’d already planned on going to the mall to buy a smaller purse. Now she had the perfect excuse to search out a new outfit for tonight.

Grabbing her gargantuan purse and her phone, she headed out the door.

Gorgeous.

That was the first thought rattling around in Jake’s brain when he saw Mia enter the restaurant. She glanced about the crowded room, pouty mouth curved in a slight frown. A mouth his gaze immediately zeroed in on for it opened up an entire night’s worth of fantasies at first sight of it. All of them involving those plump lips fused with his, sliding down his body, sucking on his…

He scrubbed a hand along his jaw. Willed his body to get a grip. Last thing he needed to do was fantasize about all the different ways she could service him. He hardly knew the woman. Didn’t need to scare her and make her think he was some sort of freak only looking to get laid.

I
am
looking to get laid.

Arriving fifteen minutes early to sit in wait of her arrival was completely unlike him. He’d taken perch in the bar. Found a spot where he could watch the door without looking as if he did. From the moment he settled himself and ordered a beer he’d felt…

Nervous.

Him, nervous about a date. Ridiculous.

Her gaze lit upon him and she smiled, fueling another thought to run through his mind.

I’m in fucking trouble.

She made her way toward him, pushing through the maze of people with a graceful ease. “Hi,” she greeted him simply, and he could only stare at her in silence. She wore some sort of slinky black dress that did amazing things to her already banging body. Her hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail again, showcasing the elegant length of her neck. Her skin glowed, face was artfully made up so well he wondered if she actually wore any cosmetics, and discreet pearl studs dotted each delicate ear.

Again, utter perfection in her appearance. And again, he wanted nothing more than to yank her into his arms and mess her up. Run his hands up and down her body, push a sleeve off her shoulder, wrinkle the fabric a little bit. Leave her rattled and mussed and breathless.

“Hey, Mia.” He liked saying her name. It was exotic yet simple and pretty, much like the woman herself.

He slid off the barstool and waved his hand toward it. “Want to sit?”

“Is the wait long?’ She looked around the room again, as if mentally counting every single person that filled it.

“Maybe ten more minutes if that.” They’d agreed to meet at a popular sushi restaurant, and it was a Saturday night so the place was packed. Not that he minded. It was his go-to place for sushi, and he hadn’t indulged in his favorite cuisine in a long time.

“Oh, that’s not bad. This place is always busy.” Her gaze met his once more. Her expression shy, a little hesitant. “It’s my favorite restaurant.”

Jake smiled, feeling as if he scored a point. “Then we have something in common.”

She returned the smile. “I’ve only been eating sushi for the last year or so. I was always too scared to try it.”

“My parents forced us to a long time ago. I protested the entire time until I actually took a bite.” He shook his head, remembering what a jerk he’d been that night. Thirteen and full of shit, he didn’t know why his parents hadn’t smacked him upside the head for his sullen behavior. “It was even worse when I had to admit I liked it.”

Mia laughed, the sweet tinkling sound sending an electric current jolting through his body. His skin felt hot and tight and the urge to reach out and touch her was so strong he curled his hands into fists to stop himself.

Had he ever reacted this way toward a woman this quickly before?

“Don’t you hate it when parents are right?” she asked, her blue eyes sparkling.

It would be so easy to drown in those eyes.

“I do,” he agreed with a slight nod. He literally felt dazed. Where did the sappy thoughts come from? “Want to sit?”

She shook her head slowly, her gaze sliding toward the empty barstool and then back to him. “No, thank you.”

He frowned. “Are you sure?”

“I’m afraid if I hop onto that stool—” she flicked her fingers toward it, “—my skirt might ride up, and I’ll flash you and the entire bar.”

Hell. The thought of a glimpse of what lay beneath that dress sent his temperature spiking about two hundred degrees. He jerked at the collar of his navy blue polo shirt. “I guess that would be awkward.”

“Terribly so.” She bit her lip as if to contain a laugh that might want to escape. “I don’t normally flash my goods on the first date.”

Pity that. He couldn’t help his gaze from wandering down the length of her body or how it lingered upon the slight curve of her breasts, the womanly flare of her hips. That dress did things to her body that could be considered downright illegal.

“You’re staring,” she whispered, knocking him from his thoughts.

He tore his gaze from her legs and met her slightly amused gaze. “Sorry.”

“I don’t know whether to be insulted or flattered,” she murmured. Her voice had lowered an octave, gone husky and sexy, and he wondered if that’s how she sounded in bed. Right as she whispered in his ear before he made her come.

“Definitely flattered.” He found himself inexplicably drawn to her. If he went with his true urge he’d leave the restaurant with her. Take her somewhere quiet and secluded and kiss her senseless. Peel her out of that dress and discover exactly what she hid beneath it.

His name was called, and he caught sight of the short, dark-haired hostess clutching two menus in her hand and waving at him.

“Our table’s ready,” he said, taking Mia’s arm and leading her toward the doorway that connected the bar to the dining area.

“Good. I’m starved.” She smiled and the sight of it went straight to his dick.

He was starved all right. But not for food.

God, he didn’t know if he’d be able to make it through the night.

His worry had proven correct. He’d barely held onto his control. They talked, they ate and he stared at her like some sort of lovesick fool. She was restrained in her mannerisms. Her voice a sweet melody, she gestured a lot with her elegantly manicured hands but in a very controlled way. Which of course turned his thoughts to sex, and he wondered if she was that controlled in bed.

What he would give to make her fall apart. To make her writhe beneath him and cry out his name, to see her naked body covered in sweat and hear her demand he give her more. Hell yeah, that sounded fucking fantastic…

She was smart, she could hold her own when he challenged her in conversation and he realized she was nothing like any of the women he’d ever dated.

That was the thing he liked about her the best.

Mia was a lady. Polite and raised right and pretty and clean. He’d gone out with more than a few bimbos. He’d gone out with girls who were easy to get drunk, easy to get into bed and easy to leave.

Jake had a strong feeling if he got to know her better, Mia wouldn’t be easy to leave. At all.

That realization should’ve scared the hell out of him.

It didn’t.

“Thank you for dinner.” She turned to face him after they exited the restaurant, stopping just in front of the wide window that allowed them a glimpse inside the almost abandoned establishment. “It was delicious.”

She’d let him pay, hadn’t even tried to offer to split the bill and he found that refreshing as well. “It was.”

She smiled, her teeth glowing in the soft, neon blue light from the flickering restaurant sign. “You even convinced me to try something new. I never do that.”

He had a feeling she didn’t try a lot of new things. “Glad I could turn you on to something different.”

“You definitely did.” There seemed to be hidden meaning in her words, and he wanted to smile. But he restrained himself.

“Walk you to your car?” He waved toward the parking lot.

“That would be great.”

They headed toward a small silver Jetta, one of the few cars in the lot including his truck. He allowed himself to fall behind a few steps, admiring the view. She walked with an effortless grace, almost as if she floated on air, even across a crappy old asphalt parking lot. The swish of her hips, the bounce of her ass and her legs. He could see those long legs wrapped tight around him as he plunged deep.

And just like that he had a hard on. Nothing he could do about it either because he knew there was no way he was getting in this woman’s panties tonight. She was almost untouchable.

But he was a patient man. He’d gone this long without a woman. He could go a little longer. Mia would be worth it.

“I want to see you again,” he blurted the moment she stopped by her car. No finesse, no charm, just words spilling out of him like he had no control.

“I would like that.” She shuffled her feet, drawing his attention to the high-heeled sandals she wore and her sexy red toenails. “I, um, well maybe you would be interested in going with me tomorrow? To a barbecue my boss is hosting at his house?”

Jake stood straighter. That sounded serious. And she wouldn’t look him in the eye. What was up with that? “You want to introduce me to Larry?” From everything he’d figured about Larry, he wasn’t much of a fan.

“Well, uh, this is so awkward.” She lifted her chin, her gaze meeting his. “I have a proposition to make you.”

He cocked a brow. “A proposition? Now this sounds interesting.”

“Nothing dirty.” She slapped lightly at his shoulder, the glancing contact sending a bolt of heat straight through him. “I need you to pretend to be my steady boyfriend, like we’ve been going out for months. Just for the afternoon at Larry’s. What do you think?”