Bliss York

I HAD A moment. You know those crazy moments where you run off and do something insane. Well I had that moment. I forced Nate Finlay to take me out on a date. What kind of desperate female even does that? It wasn’t like I could back out now. I was stuck. I had acted like an idiot now I had to follow through and be done with it.

The next time I went out on a date it would be with someone who asked me because they wanted to. I was at least sticking to that. This thing tonight was a mistake. I knew it before it even started. Eli, not talking to me as he sat in front of the evening news eating a piece of grilled chicken and some steamed broccoli, agreed with that. He was not happy about this but he didn’t get to make decisions for me. I got to make those and screw things up all by myself.

Deciding what to wear had been an all afternoon dilemma. I had tried on five dresses, two pants outfits and three with shorts and slides. Nothing was a winner but then did it really matter? It wasn’t like tonight was going to be fun. It was going to be weird and awkward thanks to me.

I tried talking to Eli about this and he just stared at me blankly then turned his attention back to the television. He was disappointed in me. I could see it in his expression even if he tried to look as if he didn’t care. I guess I should be disappointed with me too. I’d considered calling this off more than once today but then would that be me making the decision or Eli making it. I wasn’t sure so I stuck with it. What could it hurt really? My pride was obviously already gone.

The blue sleeveless sundress I was currently wearing hit just at my knees. I liked it. This was comfortable and could go either dressy or casual. I wouldn’t be changing my clothes again. That was something a girl excited about a date did. I wasn’t excited.

One last time I walked into the living room and stood between Eli and the television. Nate would be here any minute.

“You can ignore me all you want but that’s silly. I know this is a bad idea. It’s stupid. But I need to do it. So, stop trying to protect me and let me do things. Make mistakes. The whole shebang. Okay?”

For a moment, I thought he was going to continue to ignore me but he let out a frustrated sound that was something like a sigh. “Fine.”

That was all I needed. “Thank you.”

He didn’t look amused. He just shook his head. “The guy is a dick.”

It was right there on the tip of my tongue. I wanted to defend him. To tell Eli that Nate wasn’t a bad guy. But I didn’t. It wasn’t my place to defend him. Eli could think what he wanted. Nate would be gone soon anyway.

The knock at the door stopped us from having anymore conversation and Eli took a drink of his water. He was done talking about it anyway. “See you later. I doubt I’m gone long.”

He just nodded.

I didn’t have time for this. I grabbed my purse and went to open the door.

As it swung wide I almost wished I hadn’t opened it at all. I wished I had called and canceled. It would have saved me a lot of issues. Like the major issue being Nate Finlay was beautiful. Model perfect. He was rugged yet refined. Beautiful but handsome. He was mouthwatering. And I had to remember he was only taking me out because I forced him to.

“Hey,” he said with a grin that made my heart go all silly and fluttery. Dang it. My entire body was going to betray me.

“Hi. You’re on time,” I replied. That was stupid. I was nervous. Why was I nervous? This was Nate. This date meant nothing. I shouldn’t be doing this. He was here because I all but drug him here. I hated that feeling. He was so perfect and I was . . . well me.

I didn’t want this memory of him. I had too many memories that I cherished. This could ruin it all. What had I been thinking?

“I changed my mind. I think this is a bad idea. Thanks for doing it though but I don’t want to go out with a guy I forced to take me.”

Eli’s eyes were on me. They were burning a hole in my back. I could feel him. I bet he spun around the moment the first couple of words tumbled out of my mouth.

“I don’t do things I don’t want to do. And after seeing you in that dress, with your pretty hair in curls, there is no way I am walking away. You wanted this and now, so do I.”

I hadn’t expected that response. My mind had been prepared to see him walk away with a “so long”. This surprised me. He wanted to go out.

“Really?” was the brilliant word that came out of my mouth then. Not “thank you” or something more . . . I don’t know intelligent maybe. I just said “really?”

He chuckled. “Yeah, most definitely.”

Okay. Well then that changed everything. He was here looking like sex on a stick and he wanted me to go out with him. Our one last memory to satisfy me for the rest of my life. I was still pathetic but I was going. I was over feeling sorry for myself. Besides, he thought my curls were pretty.

“Well, okay, um, well, yeah, I guess I’m ready then,” I was rambling like a lunatic. God help me this was just getting worse.

He tilted his head toward the parking lot with a sexy jerk. Very Nate Finlay. He always made the simplest things appear cool. “Come on.”

I stepped outside and I didn’t look back at Eli. I wasn’t ready for that look of his. The one where he wasn’t falling for Nate’s charm. He wasn’t a female. He didn’t understand.

“I’m glad you wanted this,” Nate said as the door closed.

“You are?”

“Yeah. I am.”

That was enough talk. It eased my tension and once again I was with Nate. The guy I knew. The guy I had loved. The guy whose memory got me through the darkest days of my life. This was right. It always felt right with him.

“Are you and Octavia actually broken up?” I asked needing to know I wasn’t doing something wrong.

“Oh, yeah. That’s done.”

I was grinning. The guy had just broken up with his fiancé the night before and I wasn’t able to hide my pleasure. God help me, I needed classes on how to date. I sucked at it.

Nate Finlay

IF THIS NIGHT could be frozen in time. Nothing before, nothing after. Just this one night be all there was, I could die happy. Because it was as close to perfect as I would ever get. Problem was the reality would come. And with it a truth neither of us was ready for.

I’d wanted Bliss alone. None of her friends showing up and taking my limited time with her away. Yes, it sounded controlling and jealous but all I had was tonight and I wasn’t willing to share. I knew before it even started that this was it. All I would get.

During our private dinner on the rooftop of hotel owned by my Uncle Grant, I did everything I could to make her laugh. Bliss’s laughter was infectious. Hearing her made me smile. The need to laugh and feel free of any darkness threatening to step in and end this was strong but not strong enough. Because I knew the truth I knew the reality. I was just glad she didn’t. At least for now. Tomorrow or the day after she’d know. And with that I’d never see her again.

She was drying the tears brought on by laughter from her eyes and I just watched in awe. I’d never known a girl like Bliss. Everything you saw was exactly what she was. There was nothing there she was hiding or insecure about. She was just herself and she was comfortable in her own skin. What would my life be like if I could spend every day with her? Would it be different? Would I be different?

“Tell me about your first date then. You’ve had enough fun laughing at mine,” she said leaning forward with her smile illuminated in the moonlight. The kind of moment that could last you a lifetime.