Redemption(3)

I waited for the rest of the story. Clearly, there was more, which was the part he was reluctant to share.

He let out a loud sigh, closed his eyes, and finished his brief history. “I joined an online dating group. This was the first date I was supposed to meet. But as you can see, that didn’t happen.”

I’d be embarrassed too, but he couldn’t help that she was a flake. Evidently, she hadn’t looked at his profile picture closely, or she would have made sure to be where she said she would. “Her loss.”

Dan’s sage-green eyes popped open, meeting my subtler greens head on.

“Seriously. My guess is she was cat-fishing you, and when the rubber met the road, she didn’t want you to find out she’d used her roommate’s picture for her profile and nothing about her was true.” I shrugged at the end.

“Are you always this sweet?”

It was a line, but I was okay with him feeding it to me. A little attention never hurt anyone, and I hadn’t had any in years. My cheeks flushed with heat, which also meant they were bright red, the downside to having fair skin. “Not usually, no. I’m normally quite snarky and sarcastic. You caught me on a good night.”

He roared with laughter, and a tiny hint of a grin crossed my face. I was smitten by this stranger. I knew nothing about him but didn’t want him to go. As the sun had set, the darkness had brought cooler temperatures. My skin pebbled, and a shiver ran up my spine.

“You cold? I should let you go back in. I didn’t mean to keep you so long.”

While I should’ve been screaming stranger-danger and not inviting him into my home, I was chilly and didn’t really want to sit outside anymore. “Would you like to come in? I can make popcorn. We could chat? Or watch a movie?”

Dan came inside to choose a flick while I went to put on more clothing. I don’t remember what he picked out to watch, or when it ended. I just remember the casual banter, the way he joked with me and kept up with the conversation. He was more than just good looks—he had a brain and fantastic personality to match. He gave every indication he was interested in me, attracted to me, but made no move beyond getting to know me. The man had been a gentleman all evening, right down to my fifth yawn. It was long past midnight, but I wasn’t ready for him to leave.

He placed his hand on my knee as I closed my mouth after the biggest yawn of the evening. “I’m going to let you get some rest.” He stood before me, towering over me sitting on the couch. “Thank you for salvaging my night.”

I offered him a gentle smile before walking him out. Dan reached for the door, and I watched the way his forearm flexed as he turned the knob. My eyes traveled past his elbow to his shoulder and finally made contact with his eyes. “I enjoyed it.”

He chewed on his lip for a moment, possibly in contemplation. “I’d like to see you again.” He hurried the words out, nervously. “I mean, I’d like to take you on a date…if you’d like to go out with me.” The way his nose scrunched at the bridge as he fought back the fear of rejection was perfection.

“I’d enjoy that.”

He handed me his phone to enter my contact information, and while I had it, I deleted Remmy’s name as well. The bitch didn’t deserve a man like Dan, but thankfully for me, she hadn’t realized that. In that final moment just before he left, he cupped my jaw and the back of my neck in his hand and stroked his thumb across my cheekbone. I waited for it, anticipated it, hoped he’d take my lips with his, but when he dipped down, his lips met my opposite cheek and lingered for just a moment. The smell of lemon and sandalwood aroused my senses just as he pulled away.

“Goodnight, Lissa.”

My fingers pressed the spot his lips had just left. Holding his kiss firmly to my skin as if it might fly away. “Be careful going home.”

He walked through the door, and I stood there long after he pulled out of my driveway. Cosmo wound himself between my legs quietly asking for attention. Bending down, I picked up the ball of fur, who nuzzled my neck until he grew bored with the affection and bit my face indicating he wanted down. As I stared out my window onto the dark country road, I was still unsure of what had taken place in the hours that had passed after my doorbell rang but thankful for whatever it was.

A stroke of serendipity.





2





Chapter Two





I didn’t hear from Dan the next day, nor the following. I’d almost given up hope I would until Monday morning between my Musical Theory class and Composition when my phone vibrated in my desk drawer.

“Hello?” I answered the cell as I gathered my things to go to the lecture hall.

“Lissa?”

“This is she.”

“Hey. It’s Dan.”

I hadn’t recognized the phone number since I didn’t have his name in my contacts. “Hi. I didn’t expect to hear from you.” My tone wasn’t ugly, more detached, even though I was secretly thrilled to have him on the other line. I’d been manhandled too many times in the past—I wouldn’t welcome it again. My defenses were up, my inner-security back on high alert.

“I’m sorry. I had hoped we could go out Saturday night. When I got home, I crashed. I didn’t even change clothes. I woke up mid-day on Saturday and had the worst allergy attack I’ve had in years. Brett ended up taking me to the ER that night for allergy shots. They knocked me out most of yesterday, and I was a pretty scary sight, anyhow. This morning was the first time I’ve felt human since I saw you.”