"We're twining? You planned this, didn't you?" He smirked as I walked toward him and let my eyes move along him.
"No, but it's almost eerie that we are." I laughed and glanced over at my friends. "Alright, you guys know the code. If I text you the word ‘blueberries’, one of you call and get me out of the date with a false emergency."
"Oh Lord." Dedra rolled her eyes and patted Brody's chest as she walked toward the kitchen. "Good luck with this one, Brody. I'll be praying for you."
"Me, too, and I don't pray." Emily laughed and opened the door. "Get out of here and have a good time. If you're not back by midnight, we'll put in a missing person’s ad for you."
Brody walked out behind me, chuckling. "You guys really do use that safe word thing?"
"Yeah, of course." I glanced over at him as we walked down the stairs. "You've never had that happen to you?"
"Never." He stopped beside two bikes, both of them blue. "Then again, I usually don't have too much of a problem providing a stimulating evening."
"Cocky as ever, I see." I gripped the handles of one of the bikes and threw my leg over it. "Lead the way. It's the only time tonight I'll let you have control."
"We'll see about that." He smirked and got on his bike. "The restaurant is just up the hill. Try to keep up, but if you need me to slow down, just let me know."
"Oh no, you didn't," I mumbled as I pressed the pedal on the bike and stayed just behind him. "What's the name of the place?"
"It's Tanginitas. Mexican. That okay?" He glanced back at me as he pumped his legs.
"Sounds perfect." I started to go around him to prove the point that I could ride as hard as he could, but the view in front of me gave me pause. His shorts looked delicious on him, his strong tanned legs covered in golden hair and layered with muscle. Decisions, decisions.
My ego won out, and I moved around him with ease, pumping my legs as I climbed the hill in front of us. I made it across the street and parked in front of the restaurant as he called out to me.
"Show off." He stopped beside me a little winded. "You work out?"
"You know I do." I smiled and got off the bike, looking for a place to tie it up. "I just needed to remind you that girls are just as capable as boys."
"Good to know, but the hope in even playing like they weren't was to get you to pull in front. I wanted to see your ass in those shorts. Best part of my summer, to be honest. Come on, over here."
"You ass." I got off, chuckling at his cocky response. Whether it was true or not was irrelevant. He was ballsy enough to say it, either way.
"You love it." He bent down and tied up his side before moving to mine and tying mine up to.
"Don't flatter yourself." I brushed my hands over my hair as it danced around me thanks to the strong breeze coming off the lake.
"I'm hoping you'll flatter me instead and save me the trouble." He offered me his arm. "My lady?"
"I'm thinking there is far more to you than you let most people see." I slid my arm into his as I worked to ignore how good it felt to be close to him.
"Most people hide those parts of themselves that scream insecurity, right?" He opened the door and watched me as I walked by.
"I guess that's very true." I moved up to the hostess’ stand and asked for a table for two.
"On the patio," Brody chimed in. He pressed his fingers to my lower back as we walked through the restaurant and made our way out onto the back patio.
The sun was starting to set over the edge of the lake, and the burnt orange and crimson in the sky pulled at my desire to belong to someone, to be romantic with someone.
"It's beautiful out here." I sat down and took the menu the hostess offered.
"Hell yeah, it is." His eyes were on me, moving around my face slowly as if he'd found something of great interest.
"Stop it, or I might actually start thinking more highly of you." I smirked and glanced down at the menu.
"Please don't. I'd rather rise to the occasion of surprising you than disappointing you greatly." He leaned back and pursed his lips.
"You know, we don't have to see Ghost tonight. We can see the new thriller that just came out, or there was a scary movie.”