Enjoying the Chase (Guarded Hearts 2)

I’d come to the conclusion that she’d made up her boyfriend in the hopes that I’d leave her alone. But that left the question over DJ. Ashton had asked where he was, so I knew he was a real person that she hadn’t made up. So maybe he was her boyfriend, and I’d just fooled myself into thinking that she was single because that’s what I wanted to believe. I couldn’t see any reason for her to lie about it; she’d said she had a man, so she probably did. I was so jealous of him and what he had that I could practically taste it.

I groaned, needing to stop thinking about it, and rolled over in the bed, pulling the pillow on top of my head. It was no use though; I drifted to sleep with her on my mind as usual.

The following day passed so slowly it was ridiculous, every minute seemed like it was an hour because I was so eager for eight o’clock to come. Not wanting to make a bad impression, I made sure to get to her apartment five minutes early.

Luckily, someone came out of her building just as I arrived, so I caught the door and made my way up to her apartment on the second floor. As I stopped outside, I realised that my hands were starting to sweat again. I hated the fact that she made me nervous; I wasn’t a nervous person usually. As I raised one hand to knock, I hesitated. I hadn’t seen her for four days, what if I’d built her up in my head and she wasn’t going to be as attractive as I remembered? In my head, I saw someone beautiful, mouth-watering, with big brown eyes and a flawless face. I wondered now if maybe she’d open the door and I’d be disappointed. Maybe I’d made fantasy Rosie just that little bit too good…

Actually, I hope I have. I hope she looks terrible tonight so I can stop this moronic obsession with her! Maybe if that happened then I would be able to go back to normal and stop imagining how good it could possibly be with her. I knocked and held my breath.

When she opened the door, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She looked stunning, just like I’d been picturing her in my dreams and thoughts all week long. She’d dressed down a little tonight instead of the hot little black number I’d seen her in last week, but, if I was honest, she looked just as good, if not better.

She was wearing light blue skinny jeans, with knee high black leather boots and a loose grey knit sweater that hung off the shoulders teasingly and showed a red strap underneath. She looked incredible and when she smiled her sexy little smile at me I felt all of my nerves disappear, to be replaced with excitement and, of course, a lot of lust.

“Hi. You’re early,” she chirped, leaning against the doorframe. I noticed with some annoyance that her eyes never left mine; she didn’t check me out even once.

“Yeah, we get cheaper tickets for the movie if we go to an earlier showing,” I joked, shrugging as I stepped into her apartment without waiting to be invited.

“Well then I’d better hurry and grab a jacket so we don’t have to overpay for our seats for the chick flick.” She accentuated the last two words and I couldn’t help but laugh. I’d admitted to her last night on the phone that I hated these type of movies. She’d called me ‘sweet’ again because I wanted to go with her even though I would be bored.

As she started to walk away, I grabbed her hand and stepped closer to her. Her breathing faltered as I came a little too close for comfort. Her sweet perfume wafted around me, and I wanted nothing more than to lean in and press my face against her neck. Her eyes widened in bewilderment, showing her vulnerable, nervous side as I stepped even closer, so close that our chests were almost touching.

“You look incredible,” I murmured, tracing my hand up her arm. A subtle shade of pink crept over her cheeks, and I smiled, proud of myself for making her blush. She looked even more beautiful when she blushed, and all I wanted to do was throw her on the sofa and have my wicked way with her. She didn’t step back, so I took that as a good sign and decided to push it a little further. “So, I was thinking. I don’t want us all nervous and scared about how the night’s going to end. I’m thinking we should just get the kiss out of the way now before we go, then we can both relax a little.”

She paused. I groaned internally, thinking she was going to push me away, but she didn’t. Instead, she raised one eyebrow playfully and my dick instantly woke up and started to take notice.

“Really? You’re scared about kissing me?”

I nodded, playing along. “Terrified.”

Her gaze flitted to my lips for a split second. The anticipation of it was killing me. “Well I don’t want you all scared of me, I’m not going to hurt you or anything. So if you need to get it out of the way now, then feel free.”

A stupid grin stretched across my face as I lost all of my cool composure that I usually had around girls. I slipped my arm around her waist so that she couldn’t pull away. Her hand traced up my chest and looped around my neck, but her eyes never left mine. She looked like she wasn’t breathing; she was definitely nervous too, and that thought gave me comfort.

As my lips touched hers for the third time, a little shiver of excitement ran through my body. Her lips fitted mine perfectly, and all I could think about was getting closer to her. Just as I was desperate to deepen the kiss, I pulled back. My lips were still so close to hers that I could feel her breath blow across them. She didn’t open her eyes as her finger drew a pattern on the back of my neck. I swallowed the ludicrous amount of lust that had built inside me from just one kiss and smiled. She looked lost. Her eyes were still closed, and her lips were pulled into a wistful smile.

Oh yeah, I’m definitely thawing her out!

“We should get going before you try to take advantage of me,” I joked, letting my arm loosen around her waist.

Her eyes snapped open, her pupils shrinking instantly because of the light. She seemed a little bewildered. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” she chuckled, stepping back and dropping her eyes to the floor. “I’ll go get that jacket.”

I nodded and reached into my inside pocket, pulling out the gift I’d bought for her in my lunch hour today. It was the book that we were talking about on the phone last night.

“I didn’t want to get you flowers again because I thought that was a little cheesy, so I got you this instead. You said last night that you wanted to read it,” I held it out to her and shrugged casually.

Her eyes dropped to the copy of Eat, Pray, Love that I was holding out to her. I hadn’t read it personally, but we’d started talking about the movie of it, and then she’d admitted that it was something that she was desperate to read. Her silence was stretching on and on as she looked at the book. I didn’t know what to think – maybe she didn’t like it?

“If you don’t want to read it you don’t have to, I just thought… you know… er…” I stuttered nervously. Damn it, Nate, stop stuttering. Grow some balls!

She tore her gaze from the book and finally looked up at me. “This is really, really thoughtful. I love it, thank you.” Her eyes were so soft and appreciative that it made my heart speed up.

“Yeah, no worries,” I mumbled. And now I’m mumbling too. I’m doing so well with this date so far!

Rosie took the book, brushing her fingers across the front cover, looking at me in awe as if I’d just bought her something remarkable instead of just a book. I smiled weakly, shifting on my feet, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t make me sound like a raving lunatic. When she looked at me like that I started longing for things, things I’d never really thought about before – things like the word girlfriend, and exclusive, and mine.

I was in real trouble with this girl. The player side of me that was just standing here wondering what colour underwear she had on, was terrified of this girl and the tender way she was looking at me. My player side was trying to force me to run from the apartment and head straight to the nearest bar so I could pick up a hot little treat for the way home. My player side didn’t like Rosie at all, but the rest of me did.

“Are we ready to go?” I asked, wanting to break the deafening silence.

She seemed to snap out of some sort of daydream as she blinked a couple of times and then nodded. “Yeah.” She picked up her jacket and purse before setting the book down on the table, still looking at me as if I were ten feet tall.

When we arrived at the movie theatre we were told that the film we were going to see wasn’t starting for another hour, so Rosie suggested we eat first because she was hungry already.

“So where do you want to go?” I questioned, wondering where we could manage to get a table at short notice, eat and still be back within the hour for the start of the crap-fest she was subjecting me to.

She shrugged. “How about McDonalds?”

I scoffed and raised one eyebrow. “McDonalds, seriously?”

She nodded, seeming a little hopeful. “Yeah, I don’t eat junk food very often but I love it. Or do you not like it there?” Her teeth sank into her bottom lip as she regarded me nervously.

“Muffin, there are two things you need to learn about me pretty quickly. One, I’m a guy, and guys eat anything. And the second thing you need to know about me is, when you bite your lip like that it turns me on.” I smirked at her as she giggled and slapped my arm playfully.

“Of course it does. Damn, you’re like a freaking sex addict!”

“I’m not, it’s just you. You’re making me like this with your feminine charm,” I teased, winking at her.

She smiled back at me. “If you think me chewing my lip is using my feminine charm then you’re going to be really impressed when I actually do turn it on.”

Wow if she isn’t already ‘turning it on’ then I’m done for.

“Oh really? And might this be something I’ll get to see tonight?” I inquired hopefully.

She narrowed her eyes at me and pursed her lips. “That depends. Are you going to let me steal some of your fries and finish your milkshake?”

I grinned and shook my head. “No way.”

She sighed dramatically. “Then no. I won’t be turning it on tonight.” She stuck out her tongue at me as I slipped my arm round her waist, laughing and leading her towards the exit of the movie theatre.

“Baby, you turn me on without trying anyway. I’m not sure how I’d cope if you actually put some effort into it. I’d probably go into cardiac arrest from the shock of it. You wouldn’t want to be responsible for something like that, now would you?”

She laughed and shook her head. “You’re too funny.”

I smiled. So far, this was the best date ever. Clearly, Rosie was perfect for me. She was beautiful, smart, funny, and flirtatious. I’d never met a girl that could hold her own against me.

We continued talking while we ate. The more time I spent with her, the more I liked her. I definitely wanted to see more of her, this one date wasn’t nearly enough. I wanted to see how this progressed, to see if this would continue to blossom into what I pictured in my head. I felt like I’d be missing out on something great if I couldn’t get her to give me a chance. I could definitely see myself falling for her, and soon too if the way she seemed to take over everything and invade my brain was anything to go by.

Just as she was finishing the last of my milkshake, her cell phone beeped with a text. She looked up at me apologetically. “Sorry, you mind if I get it?”

I shook my head and waved my hand dismissively. I watched her face as she pulled her cell out of her purse and read the message. A small frown lined her forehead as her jaw tightened. She typed a quick reply before shoving her phone back into her purse and looking up at me.

“I’m going to have to use the get-out clause for tomorrow night. Sorry, Nate.” She actually looked sad about it as she said it.

What? No! I was so disappointed that I wanted to strop like a three-year-old child.

“How come?” I questioned, trying not to let my disappointment show too much.

She frowned and shifted in her seat uncomfortably. “Something’s come up. I thought I was free, but it turns out I’m not now. I’m sorry.” Her disappointed look made me feel a little better though. She didn’t look happy about having to cancel, which was encouraging and a sign that the date was going well for her too.

“Is it just tomorrow night? Maybe we could meet earlier?” I suggested hopefully. “Maybe go for lunch instead?”

Deep down I wondered if she realised that she’d woven a spell over me. She had to know I was desperate for her attention; she’d have to be blind if she didn’t!

Her face brightened. “Yeah? Sure, I could do lunch.”

The happiness I felt just because I got to see her again was ridiculous. “Great.”

By the time we were done eating, we had to run to the movie theatre. I gripped her hand, laughing as we ran through the foyer. By the time we got to our seats, the movie was just starting.

“Want some popcorn or something?” I offered, hoping she’d say yes just so I could miss a few minutes of the god-awful chick flick.

“I don’t mind,” she whispered, pulling off her jacket and throwing it over the empty seat in front of hers.

“I’ll go get some. You want anything else?” I asked, twisting in my seat ready to get up.

Rosie picked up her purse, rummaging through it. “Get whatever you want. I’ll pay. You haven’t let me pay for anything yet.” She pulled out a twenty dollar bill, holding it out to me.

I smiled at how adorable she was. “I got it. Put your money away, I’m trying to impress you,” I whispered, not even a little bit joking. The lights were already down so no one could see us, so I seized my opportunity and leant forward, capturing her lips in a soft kiss for a couple of seconds. When I pulled back, I smiled at her shocked face. “Be right back. Make sure you pay attention to the movie, you can tell me everything I missed when I get back,” I teased, pushing myself up and stalking out of the movie theatre, buying popcorn, a drink and a bag of hard candy that I liked.