Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 16527 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 83(@200wpm)___ 66(@250wpm)___ 55(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16527 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 83(@200wpm)___ 66(@250wpm)___ 55(@300wpm)
This is, without a doubt, the best first date I’ve ever been on.
“I hope it’s our last,” he says huskily.
I freeze, not realizing I said the words out loud, making his chest shake with silent laughter. “It’s my best first date too. Not because of what we did, but because it was you.” He kisses the top of my head, and I know I’m in deep trouble with this one.
CHAPTER
FIVE
Orrin
For over a month, Jade and I have been dating, and I feel as though the smile on my face is now permanently etched there. If we’re not working, we’re together. My place, her place, dinner, it doesn’t matter as long as I get to see her and kiss her every single day.
I never imagined myself falling in love. Not really. I always knew I wanted to get married and have a family one day. I grew up in a house of crazy brothers, watching my parents love one another with everything inside them. I wanted that. I just didn’t think much about getting there or what it would look like for me. Now I know.
It looks like Jade.
After that night at my house, I knew in my bones that she was the one for me, so I decided to take things slow, at least where sex is concerned. I wanted her to know that I’m with her because of the person that she is, not for the sole purpose of getting off. There has been a lot of kissing and exploring each other’s bodies, but I always stop us before we get to the finale. Well, not the finale, really. My girl always gets hers, and she takes care of me too, but I’ve yet to make love to her. It’s been a struggle holding back, one I’m ready to end.
Tonight.
It’s Sunday evening, and Mom’s been hounding me about bringing Jade to dinner. I’ve held off, not wanting to scare her, but last night we went to the Tavern, and Ramsey took the decision out of my hands. She asked Jade if she’d see her at Sunday dinner. I played it off like I forgot to mention it. Jade smiled and easily agreed. I could see the question in her eyes as to if I really wanted her to go, but she accepted the invite anyway.
It’s not that I didn’t want to take her to dinner or that I didn’t want her to meet my family. Hell, she’s already met all of them. I did, however, want to take her to Sunday dinner as my girlfriend. Not just as some girl I've been dating. She’s more than that to me, and taking someone home and to Sunday dinner is a big damn deal. So big, in fact, that none of us have ever done it. Not even my niece, Blakely’s mom, made the cut. That’s a story for another day.
So, my little cousin has me showing my hand sooner than I intended. Not because I’m not certain that Jade is the woman for me, but because I was giving her time. I’ve known since that first night but knew that it made me sound crazy. I wanted to give her a few months to come to my way of thinking, but the time is now. I won’t take her home without knowing she’s mine. Maybe it’s irrational, but it’s important to me.
That means today is the day. I have a plan, it’s corny as hell, but it fits us. Grabbing my phone, I climb out of my truck and make my way to her front door. It opens before I even get a chance to knock, and behind it is Jade. Her long red hair is hanging over her shoulders. She’s wearing a flannel shirt over what looks like a tank top and a pair of cutoffs. She takes my damn breath away. All I can do is stand there and take in her beauty.
“Orrin?”
“I love you.” The words fly out of my mouth without caution.
Her eyes grow wide with shock. “You love me?” she asks slowly.
“Shit.”
“It’s fine, a slip of the tongue.” She’s quick to let me off the hook.
“Can I come in?”
“Sure.” She steps back and allows me into her home. As soon as the door closes, I swoop her up in my arms and carry her to the couch. I sit with her still in my arms and hold her close. “I’m sorry, Jade. That’s not how I wanted to tell you. I had this big plan, but I ruined it.”
“It’s fine, Orrin.”
“It’s not fine.” I pull back so she can see my eyes. “When you opened the door, you took my breath away. All I could think about is how much you mean to me. It’s not that I didn’t mean the words, Jade. I do love you. I just wanted to be a little more romantic about it. A little more us.”