He’s also the same Adam who made me laugh over coffee yesterday.
This is just another step.
I open the door, andthere he is.
His eyes light up when he sees me, and any remaining jitters I have melt away.
“Hi, Adam,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel.
“Hey, Carlie. You look ...wow.Amazing,” he says, his gaze taking me in.
I feel a blush creeping up my cheeks but manage a smile. “Thanks. You look—” My eyes sweep over his form. He’s dressed in a pair of faded black denim jeans with a few rips here and there. They’re form-fitting enough that I can’t wait to see him from behind.
His button-up shirt is a dark purple—or is it blue? Whatever it is, it shimmers slightly in the light. And the way his sleeves are rolled up to his elbows reminds me of all of the sexy heroes I’ve written about in my books.
*swoon*
It’s then that I realize, I’m practically drooling.
The grin on his face widens and he tilts his head to the side. After a beat, I realize he’s waiting for me to finish whatever Godforsaken comment I was in the middle of before …
What was it? What was I saying?
Oh!
“Good. You look really,reallygood,” I cough out.
Adam’s chuckle is a soft rumble, warm and inviting. He offers his arm, and I take it. As I tentatively place my hand on his bicep, I’m hyper-aware of the muscles beneath his shirt. There’s a reassuring strength in his hold, a sense of security that sends a pleasant shiver down my spine.
He leans in, his voice low and teasing. “You know, I think we have an audience.”
I turn slightly and sure enough, there’s Grandma Elsie, peeking through the curtains with an unmistakable grin on her face. I can’t help but laugh.
“Yeah, that’s,” I sigh, “my grandma.”
Adam laughs too, his eyes crinkling in a way that makes my heart flutter. “Well, I guess by the way she’s grinning, we have her approval then.”
I nod, feeling a rush of excitement. “It would appear so.”
We turn to head out, but not before I give Grandma a little wave. She responds with an enthusiastic thumbs-up—her antics bringing another round of laughter bubbling to my lips.
CHAPTER17
Adam
The road to New Scenic Café is a winding ribbon along the North Shore—with Lake Superior sprawling endlessly to my right. The view is breathtaking, but not nearly as gorgeous as the woman in the seat beside me.
A knot of excitement mixed with nerves twists in my stomach as I sneak glances her way. It’s been a while since I’ve been on a first date, and never with someone like Carlie.
The women I’ve always gravitated toward have been beautiful, sure. But they often came with a whole lot of maintenance. They were all into fitness or modeling and while that’s great, I’ve definitely had trouble connecting over more than just the physical.
I can’t help but wonder if that’s where my problems really stem from—choosing women simply because I won’t have to explain my eating and workout habits.
In the car, the silence is comfortable, but I feel a conversation bubbling just beneath the surface. Glancing over at Carlie, I can’t help but notice she looks as nervous as I feel.
Time to break some ice.
“So, your grandma seemed pretty ... invested in tonight’s proceedings,” I start, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth.