Chasing Red (Chasing Red 1)

“My lipstick is all over your mouth now,” I whispered, still breathless, wiping my lipstick off his skin with my thumb.

“Did you think your lipstick would save you from my kisses?” he teased, biting my bottom lip again. “Stain me all you want, Red.”

I felt giddy. He said the craziest things, but I really wanted to believe he meant them.

He stepped back suddenly. “After you,” he said gruffly, his eyes hungry again.

We would never get out of here if he kept looking at me like that. Feeling a little wobbly, I turned and walked ahead of him. I had almost reached the door when his hand caught mine.

“Wait, please. Don’t walk away without my hand in yours.”

I smiled, melting. “Okay, Caleb.”

When we were inside his car, I asked him where we were going.

“It’s a surprise. A family friend owns it. The food is spectacular, and it’s private.”

When he said private, I took that to mean expensive. I started to get nervous. Caleb’s hand tightened around mine in reassurance.

How did he do that? He always knew what I was feeling.

Trees and buildings zoomed past us until Caleb parked in front of a sleek, modern building. Its walls were made of dark-red glass so I couldn’t really see inside. It screamed restaurant for the wealthy. I looked at it dubiously. There would be rich people inside, and I did not belong there.

“Red?”

I glanced at him, panic and nervousness in my eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have asked where you wanted to eat first.”

I was about to tell him that it was all right, let’s just go inside, when he shook his head and his face lit up.

“Wait.” He stopped my hand just as I was about to unfasten my seat belt. “I know just the perfect date.” He chuckled excitedly as he started the car.

“What? Where are we going?” I asked. He was already driving away.

“To one of my favorite places. I promise, you’re going to love it. You’ll see…but first, we have to make a stop.”

Parking in front of a strip mall, he turned off the ignition. He gazed through the windshield for a moment, biting his lip before he turned to face me.

“Hey, Red?”

“Yes?”

“Could you give me your shoe?”

Suspicious, I narrowed my eyes at him. In response, he just grinned mischievously.

“What? Why?”

“No questions,” he answered. “Please?”

The please got me. I pulled off a shoe and gave it to him. He looked inside before handing it back to me.

“Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later, he was back. Instead of going to the driver’s side, he tapped the window on my side, raising his arms and shaking two paper bags. I rolled the window down.

“What’s that?” I asked.