Stitched Up Heart (Combat Hearts Book 1) (29 page)

The doorbell rang just as she reached for the shower knob.

Of course.

She wrapped her well-worn flannel robe around her and tied the belt tight. The peephole revealed a young man holding an arrangement of flowers.

She unlocked the bolt and cracked the door. “Can I help you?”

“Hi.” He checked the form on the clipboard he held. “Brianna Marks?”

“Yes.”

“These are for you.” He raised and lowered the vase, an abundant bouquet spilling over with white and yellow day-lilies, interspersed with large red and pink stargazer lilies.

Surprised, she opened the door fully. She’d never had flowers delivered before. “Thank you.”

“Can I get you to sign the form?”

“Of course.” She took the clipboard and pen, scrawling her signature where he indicated.

He took the clipboard and handed her the vase of flowers. “Have a good day.”

“Thanks. You too.” She closed the door and turned the deadbolt while she searched for a card. The small white envelope sat tucked under a large red petal.

Blank.
Huh
.

The waxy petals were smooth under her fingers. Flowers. Just because. Her cheeks hurt from the wide smile she couldn’t hold back. After centering the vase on the dining room table, she danced down the hall to her room. She had a date to get ready for.

T
he doorbell chimed, and a dog barked on the other side of the door. Charlie, probably. He’d noticed Polly wasn’t much of a barker.

Jase smoothed his hand down the front of his tie, trying to settle the nervousness trembling under his skin. The last time he could remember being nervous about picking up a woman for a date had been his high school senior prom. Adrenaline made him restless, and he slid his hands in his pants pockets.

Bree’s heels on the wood floor signaled her approach. He should have braced before she opened the door. His breath left him in a rush.

A small, light blue stone rested in the hollow of her throat. His gaze fell to the deep V of her blue sleeveless dress, exposing the gentle curve of her cleavage. Long auburn hair spilled over her shoulder in soft waves, the ends curling around the swell of her breasts. His gaze travelled down the short, flared skirt to her toned legs and sexy heels. A vision of her strappy black heels wrapped around his hips almost broke his resolve. Christ, she had to be trying to torture him. He swallowed hard and shifted his stance, trying to make room for the hard-on pressing against his zipper.

He dragged his gaze back up her body and met her sapphire blue eyes. A few shades lighter than her dress, they sparkled with amusement, and a smile tugged at the corners of her berry-stained lips. A faint hint of jasmine teased his nose.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi.”

They stared at each other. Her heels brought her up several inches so they were almost eye-to-eye.

“Are we still going?” she asked.

“What?”

“To dinner. On a date. Are we still going?”

His body jerked as he broke out of his daze. “Yes,” he said, a tad too loud. “Yes, we’re still going.” He took her hand in his and led the way to his truck. Opening the door, he waited to help her in, unsure whether she could manage in her skirt.

“You look good, too.” She winked and boosted herself into the truck, flashing a lot of thigh.

Jesus
. He scrubbed a hand over his mouth and closed the door on her laughter. She totally had his number. He grinned and walked around the hood. After buckling his seatbelt he turned, one hand on the steering wheel. “You’re beautiful.”

“Thank you.” She leaned toward him and he met her over the center console. Her lips were soft and pliant. He growled low in his throat as erotic images of her lips tracing over his body flashed through his mind.

She created a small space between them. “Is everything alright?”

“It’s taking everything in me not to drag you back inside, strip you naked, and bury my cock in you while you dig those sexy heels into my ass.”

A small gasp escaped her parted lips and a flush bloomed high on her cheeks. “Do you, uh…” She licked her lips. “Want me to encourage or discourage those thoughts?” Her chest rose and fell with her quicker breath.

He forced himself to say the right thing. He wasn’t going to fuck this up again. She’d asked for space; she was going to get it until she told him she didn’t need it anymore. No matter what their bodies wanted.

“I need you to discourage me.”

“Oh.” Her disappointment evident, she bit at the corner of her mouth. He was ready to take his words back, but she pulled away and leaned against her door. “Where are we going to dinner?”

Her words sounded nonchalant, but her fingers clenched in her lap gave her away. He turned the key in the ignition, thankful one of them had the strength. “Catch 22.”

“Wow. Really? How did you get reservations? I had to call four months in advance to take Gran there for her birthday.”

“I called in a favor. The owner’s a buddy.”

“Yay for favors.”

He stole a peek at her cleavage. Then another. His fingers itched to trace the smattering of freckles on her delicate skin. He needed something mundane to take his mind off her body. Something innocuous. “How’d work go?”

“Good. My assistant was able to reschedule all my appointments from yesterday.”

“Shit.” He hadn’t even though about that. “I’m sorry.” He glanced at her as he pulled onto the highway toward Raleigh.

“Don’t.” She rested her hand on his arm. “It’s not a big deal. It’s not the first time I’ve ever called in sick.”

He grabbed her hand and laced his finger through hers. Raising it, he kissed her knuckles, earning a gentle smile. Resting their hands on the console, he held her hand until he was forced to downshift getting off the highway.

Outside the restaurant, the valet took his key in exchange for a ticket, and Jase jogged around the front of the truck. “I got her.” He patted the second valet on the shoulder and edged him out of the way. Bree had both her feet in front of her, prepared to hop down. He set her gently on the ground and watched as she smoothed the back of her skirt.

“Ready?”

“Yes,” she said.

The decor was rustic. Rough hewn wood pillars broke up the large space, creating the illusion of smaller rooms. Low lighting and candles added to the sense of intimacy.

“Welcome to Catch 22,” the hostess said.

“Hi. I have a reservation.”

“Jase!”

He turned at the sound of his name. “Scott. Hey, man.” He released Bree’s hand to embrace his friend and exchange one-arm hugs. Releasing his hand, he pulled Bree close to his side.

“Scott, this is Bree. Bree, Scott. Creator of the gourmet MRE.”

Laughing, Scott said, “I haven’t cooked MREs in almost ten years. It’s nice to meet you, Bree.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Scott. I love your restaurant.”

“You’ve been here before?”

“A couple of times, for special occasions.”

“You’re in for a treat,” Scott told them. “You’re my special guests tonight. Jenny, can you take them to the chef’s table?”

Jase and Bree stepped to the side as the hostess joined them. “If you’d like to follow me?”

Scott clapped Jase on the shoulder. “Enjoy your dinner. I’ll check on you in a few.”

“Thanks, man.” Jase and Bree followed the hostess to a small table tucked behind the hustle and bustle of the kitchen.

“Wow, you really did call in a favor,” Bree whispered, laying the cloth napkin across her lap.

“I wasn’t expecting this. I just asked him if he could fit us in.”

The silver fork slid between Bree’s lips, and she closed her eyes and hummed. Her pink tongue darted out. She licked at the corner of her mouth, catching a tiny dot of sauce that had been left behind.

Fuck, she was trying to kill him. He was pretty sure Scott was in on the plan. The last hour had been sheer torture. Scott spared nothing, going above and beyond by serving them a full chef’s tasting. They were on their seventh course. He hadn’t tasted any of it.

“Oh my god. This is so good,” she moaned.

The erotic images playing in his head had nothing to do with food.

“I swear each plate is better than the one before.”

Jase glanced at his nearly untouched food. He’d have to take her word for it.

“How is it?” Scott asked from the side of their table.

“This is probably the best meal I’ve ever had.” Bree licked her lips. “Everything is so delicious.”

“Jase, everything good?”

“Yup.” Fucker smirked at him.

“For dessert, the pastry chef has created a stacked vanilla bean cake with lavender-infused white chocolate ganache and a rum buttercream frosting.”

“Holy cow,” Bree said. “Yes, please.”

Jase’s cock throbbed. He wasn’t going to survive.

“Great, I’ll have that brought right out.” Scott grinned at him before going back into his domain.

Jase jolted when Bree laid her hand on his thigh. Just a few inches higher, and her slender fingers would brush against his hard-on. Pure fucking torture.

“You hardly ate anything.” Her fingers rubbed back and forth on the inside of his thigh.

He clamped his hand over hers and threw his other arm around the back of her chair. Leaning close, he brushed his mouth against the soft skin under her ear. She tilted her head toward him and her breath blew gently across his cheek.

He spoke low her ear. “I’ve been watching your mouth all night. Every time you took a bite, licked your lips, moaned around the food in your mouth, I imagined you doing that to my cock. Better than any porn I’ve ever watched. I’m so fucking hard right now I don’t think I’m going to be able to walk out of here without help.”

Her breath rushed hard against his cheek and she shifted to meet his gaze. Dark-blue desire-heavy eyes met his.

“Dessert.” Scott set the plate in front of them with a flourish.

Bree tore her gaze away. “Can we get that to go?”

Scott laughed. “Sure thing.”

“And the check,” Jase said.

“Nope. No check. My treat.”

“Scott.”

“Jase. I’m not taking your money.”

Jase stood and helped Bree push back her chair. He held his hand out to Scott. “Thanks.” He pulled him in for a one-armed bro hug and slapped him on the back. “You’re an asshole. You know that, right?”

Scott threw his head back and laughed. “Yeah. I know. Food is passion. Have Bree walk in front of you on the way out so you don’t scandalize my patrons.” He turned to Bree and took one of her hands between both of his. “It was great to meet you. Anytime you want to come back, give me a call.”

“Thank you. It was all wonderful.”

“Enjoy the rest of your evening.

Jase’s hand on the small of her back burned through the thin material of her dress. He walked close to her side and slightly behind her. A pulse of desire coursed through her as his hand slid to her hip. It was all she could do to control her breathing while the valet went to get Jase’s truck. He ran his hand slowly, back and forth, from her hip to her back until she couldn’t take it anymore. She took a step to her left, just out of his reach.

“What’s wrong?”

“I need you to stop touching me,” she said, facing him. It did nothing to cool her desire.