Page 21 of Bruise Me Tenderly
“I’m glad you like it,” River says, giving her one of his soft smiles. “I can’t wait to meet Bryce.”
McKenzie places a hand on her belly. “You and me both.”
“I should get out of here,” River says. “It’s getting late.”
“I know.” She reaches out to hug him as much as her belly will allow. “Thank you so much for coming by to help. It means a lot to me.”
“Of course.” He kisses her cheek. “Anytime.”
“I’ll walk you out,” I say, following him to the door.
When we step outside, River glances up at the sky, gauging how long he has before the sun starts setting in earnest. I hate that he has to do that. I hate that Ian’s the one who committed the crime, but we’re the ones stuck paying for it.
“You’re such a gentleman, walking me to my car,” River teases as I follow him to the driveway.
“I actually just want to get you in the car and wrap my mouth around you again,” I reply.
He stumbles a little, and I catch his elbow to help balance him.
“I’m starting to think you’re insatiable,” he says as we reach his car.
“Only with you.” I open the car door for him but stop him before he can climb inside. “I was actually hoping to take you out on a date this weekend.”
His eyes light up. “Really?”
“Yeah, I know we kind of skipped ahead to the sex part, but I want to back up and date.” I pause before adding, “While keeping the sex thing going, obviously.”
“I would love that,” he says with a smile. But then the light in his eyes dims, and his face falls. “But I don’t go out at night.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to. You have days off, don’t you?”
“Yeah.” He chews on his lower lip for a minute. “Are you sure that’s okay though?”
“River, I don’t care when we go out; I just care that I get to spend time with you.” I reach up and run my thumb along his lower lip so he stops chewing it. “We’ll do whatever you’re comfortable with.”
“Okay, then, yeah. Yes, I would love to go out with you.”
My chest warms at the happiness in his voice, and I lean forward to press my lips to his for a quick kiss. “Let me know your schedule, and we’ll work out a time, okay?”
“Okay.” He gives me a shy smile before climbing into his car.
I shut the door after him and back up so he can start the engine and put the car in reverse. Only once he’s driven off do I realize how nervous I was to ask him out. We’ve hung out a lot since I came back to town and spent a good amount of time in his bed together, but we’ve never been on a date before. We went straight from friends to lovers to strangers. The last one was my fault, but for some reason, River’s decided to give me a second chance. And I don’t want to do anything to fuck it up.
***
We don’t manage to go out on a date until the following Wednesday. Most of my nervousness has dissipated, but I can tell River has some by the shaky smile he gives me from across the restaurant table. He didn’t talk much through the meal, but he’s loosened up a little now.
Enough that it feels safe to ask, “Why’re you so nervous? It’s just me.”
He scoffs. “Don’t act like you weren’t nervous too.”
I hold my hands up in surrender. “Okay, guilty. But you seem more nervous.”
He runs his finger along the table. “It’s just been a long time since I’ve dated. I tried a couple times when I was incollege, but…well, it didn’t work out. I hadn’t really worked through everything, and I didn’t like people touching me.”
My heart sinks at the pain in his voice. “I’m sorry.”
He shakes his head and puts on a bracing smile. “It’s okay. I’m kind of glad it worked out that way anyway. Maybe I wouldn’t have been single now, and we wouldn’t be here.”