He still hasn’t let go of my elbow. “Why?”
A horn honks in the distance, causing me to look back. “Truthfully, I don’t want to mess anything up for them. You’re blood; I’m just a friend. I’d be the one avoiding contact because it’s easier.”
“So you already assume things are going to suck?” His brow furrows and I have the urge to run my thumb along the pucker to smooth it out. Torque takes a step back as he lets me go, shoving his hands in the pockets of his shorts. His white t-shirt pulls tight across his broad shoulders.
Biting my lip, I release a sigh. See, I’m already screwing things up, and I have no idea how to recover. I’m deeply attracted to Torque, there’s no doubt about it, but I’m as plain as they come.
“No,” I finally respond. “I don’t. I just have a tendency to shove my foot in my mouth before realizing what I’ve done, and then things just happen to…end.” Crossing my arms, I look away from his penetrating gaze.
“As it so happens, I’m an expert in dealing with foot-in-mouth situations. I work in a firehouse, after all.” My eyes fly back to find that he’s amused, a charming grin forming across his lips.
I can’t help but laugh, the tension in my shoulders easing some. Relief settles in the region of my stomach, and I return his amusement. “Fair enough. So did you have a plan for this date, or are we just winging it?”
“Do you have a preference?” With a hand on my back, he guides me to walk with him. I love summer, and being outside on a perfect day like today is exactly what I need. Torque being with me is undoubtedly a perk.
“I don’t. The last two dates were planned and went terribly.” His silence has me glancing up at him through my lashes. He looks…feral, and it takes me back. “What? What’s that look?” It’s gone as quickly as it came.
“Last two dates?”
They didn’t tell him. Great. “Uhm, yeah, Laken and Hale are in this wedded bliss stage where they want everyone as happy as they are. Since Laken and I spend so much time together, I’m often her target.” I chuckle a little because it’s kind of cute but mostly annoying.
“And so she’s got you dating?” He doesn’t sound pleased.
I blow out a breath, and his intensity right now is sizzling hot. “Well…yes. They were disasters.”
“How?” We stop in line at a hot dog vendor. Torque turns to give me his full attention as one hand gently traces down my bare arm. It shouldn’t be erotic or seductive, but my mouth dries all the same, and I have the urge to lean further into his touch.
“Trevor was boring. Like I wanted to stab a fork into my hand, boring.” Even thinking about that date bores me to near tears again. “And Baxter was…” How do I explain that one? “Baxter was about as charming as a wall.” That’s putting it mildly.
“So, no chance for a second date with either of them?” I shake my head. “Good.” I don’t get to ask him to elaborate because we’re next in line.
He gets a fully-loaded dog while I get the basics with queso on top. Moving to a bench, we sit facing the ocean and eat in silence. I can feel Torque’s gaze on me the entire time. Despite my deep interest in the water, that stare registers like a caress.
In all the time we’ve spent together in the past, he’s never looked at me the way he has today—with a possessiveness that leaves me breathless and weak in the knees. I want to explore that, but I’m also petrified of what it could mean if I let him in. If I let the walls around my heart crumble.
Everyone comments on how strong I am, but I often feel as though I’m barely hanging on. I’ve been lonely for a long time. Since moving to Jacksonville, I’ve made a grand total of about three friends. Laken Decker, Hope Burkhart, and Peyton Gamble. But I only know Hope because of Peyton and the close proximity of our shops.
“Any more dates?” Torque asks as he crumbles up his trash and tosses it in the garbage can.
Given his previous disapproval of me dating, I know he won’t like my answer. “Uh, yeah, one more, unfortunately.”
“With who?” His fists clench and unclench as they rest on his knees.
“No idea. I promised Laken four dates. Two that she set up and two that Hale arranged.” I leave that open for interpretation.
“So, I’m one for Hale. The next one is from my big brother, too?” I nod. “Probably a cop.” That’s my thought. “Probably from his precinct.” I would guess so. He doesn’t go out without Laken often, and he’s too possessive of my friend to allow anyone to encroach on their time together. Which leaves guys he knows from work.
“You into cops?” Holding out a hand for my garbage, I pass it to him, and he disposes of it as well.
“Never dated one.” I leave out the part about not dating since I was nineteen and inheriting my grams’ shop. I’ve been way too busy to even think about it.
“You into firefighters?” His voice deepens as I stand up and finish off my water.
I nibble on my lip as he takes a step closer, wrapping an arm around my back and pushing stray hairs off my cheek. “Never dated one of those either.” I’m definitely into at least one of them, though.
By the time we ended our date, I felt like I’d known Torque for years rather than months. We laughed, we had ice cream, we went on to have dinner, and when he kissed me goodnight, I almost needed his big hose to water me down.
Never in my years of dating have I been as emotionally or physically attracted to a man as I am with Torque Decker. Which is kind of a problem because it means I’m one hundred percent more likely to have my heart broken when he realizes he’s way out of my league.
Blind Date #4 – He’s definitely not the hot firefighter.
It’s been a week since my date with Torque. We’ve texted a couple of times, had a few phone calls, but he hasn’t asked me out again, and I’m unsure if it’s because he knows I still have this last date or not. I would have cancelled if he’d shown the least bit of interest in a second outing with me, but he hadn’t.
So here I am, sitting across from Detective Maxen Groves, and I have to say he’s blindingly beautiful, and if I had met him first, I might be more interested in him. But Torque has overtaken my mind.
We’re sitting on the outside deck of a casual seafood place I’ve never been to, and I’m enjoying the atmosphere and company. I believe he and I could be friends.
“Are you from here?” His piercing blue eyes are warm as he sets his menu down and to the side.
“No, actually. I moved here a few years ago from Philadelphia. You?” Taking a sip of my water, I observe him. I appreciate that his attention doesn’t stray.
Neither did Torque’s.
“Born and raised. Moved to Miami for a few years as a teen, however. Lots of culture there. It was a bit like living in two different countries at the same time.” I’ve heard that before.
“Why’d you move down there?” I hope it’s not too personal of a question.
“Parents got divorced, Dad and his mistress went there. I got into some trouble here at home, and my mom thought it would be good for me to stay with him for a while.”