The Surprise (Single in Seattle 0.50)

“You just lie back,” I instruct when he moves to reach for the cloth. “I’ve got this.”

He shakes his head. “If you rub me down again, I’ll tackle you to the bed.” He winks and takes care of cleaning himself up. When we’re settled in the bed once more, Brax spoons me from behind and brushes my hair off my neck so he can kiss it and whisper into my ear the way he used to so long ago. “God, I missed you.”

“Same.” I snuggle against him, trying to get even closer. “Is this okay? Are you hurting?”

“Stop.” He kisses my shoulder. “I’m fine, and if anything hurts, I’ll move. You don’t have to worry so much anymore.”

“I care about you,” I remind him simply. “And you were really hurt.”

“I’m fine,” he repeats. “Get some sleep.”

“I have to work again tonight.” I yawn and give in to my heavy eyelids. God, this feels good. Warm and safe.

With Brax pressed up behind me, already breathing steadily, I fall asleep in his arms.

“Hey, Maddie,” Brax says to my sister after I let him into the townhouse. It’s my first day off again after four days and nights of work and sex with Brax.

It was not a bad week.

But tonight, we’re going on a real date. Sort of.

“It’s about time you came over,” Maddie says with a smile and then hugs Brax. “How are you feeling?”

“Much better, thanks,” he says. “You should come to next week’s show with Josie. Come hang with us.”

“Already planned on it,” Maddie says with a wink. “Josie invited me.”

“I wanted someone to sit with,” I say with a shrug.

“Awesome. It’s an intimate show at a club, with only about five hundred seats, so it won’t be too chaotic.”

“Are you insinuating that we’re old and past the days of chaotic concerts?” Maddie asks him.

“You’re an accountant,” Brax reminds her.

“You’ll see,” she says. “Josie and I are still cool. Where are you guys going tonight?”

“The Pink Door,” Brax says and takes my hand, kissing my knuckles. “And we’d better go if we want to make our reservation.”

“I’m ready,” I reply and grab my bag. “See you later, Mad.”

“Have fun, kids,” she says with a wave as we leave.

“Is your sister dating anyone?”

“Not right now,” I reply as I buckle my belt in Brax’s new car, and we set off toward downtown. “She was dating a guy she met at the grocery store, but that fizzled out.”

“She met him at the store?”

“Yep. In the bakery. When you hit thirty, there are fewer places to meet men.”

“I remember the night I met you,” he says with a half-smile.

“Yeah, you were with another girl.”

“Don’t make me remind you that you were also on a date with a dude who was not your type.”

“What’s my type?”

He looks over at me and smiles. “Me.”

“Right. Of course. Anyway, I forgot about him. I wonder what ever happened to Jerry?”

“Who cares?”

“Who was the chick you were with?”

“Rhonda…something,” he says. “One of the guys in the band set me up with her. She was nice enough, but then I saw you, and it was like an explosion in my chest.”

“You’re already having sex with me,” I remind him. “You don’t have to butter me up.”

“It’s true.” He shrugs and takes an exit off the freeway. “I was sitting there in that bar, and I looked over and saw you. It was like something out of a movie. The music stopped, I couldn’t hear anyone or anything else, and you looked as if you were moving in slow motion.”

“And then you spilled your beer on me. Classy.”

“So, maybe it’s a rom-com movie,” he says and searches for a parking spot. “I didn’t see the barstool because I was too busy looking at you.”

“Right.” I laugh, but I totally got it. I’d felt the same way when I saw him. One look, and I didn’t give two shits about Jerry anymore. We were inseparable for more than three years after that night. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to the Pink Door.”

“The food is spectacular, but they also have entertainment.”

He locks his car and takes my hand, escorting me near Pike Place Market and down an alley where we find the restaurant tucked away. Once inside and seated in the lounge, we can see the water and the big Ferris wheel on the waterfront.

“Wow, great views,” I say as I pick up the menu.

“Look.” Brax points above us, and I gasp.

“An aerialist?” I blink in awe as a woman wraps herself in some deep red silks and flies above us gracefully. “Holy crap, that’s amazing.”

“Dinner and a show,” he says.

Once the server takes our order and leaves us with our wine to enjoy the show happening above us, Brax takes my hand and kisses it. He’s always done that.

“I’m grateful that I spilled that beer all over you that night,” he confesses.