“Are you really single like you told my class?” My voice practically cracked, but I tried to keep it as steady as I could.
“I am,” he said, and I allowed myself a smile that fell when he added, “But I’ve met someone.”
Well, that was short-lived. It didn’t surprise me he’d have someone waiting in the wings.
“Oh.” My one-syllable response seemed sad to my own ears. I could only imagine what it sounded like to him. “So, you’re interested in someone. Is she into politics?”
Oh my God! Why am I even asking? Maybe he just doesn’t want to publicize their relationship, and here I’m firing off questions like a reporter. I need to zip my lips.
“As a matter of fact, yes, I am, and yes, she is.” He circled a word on the paper and wrote something in the margin before he turned the page.
“That’s wonderful. What position does she hold?”
Curiosity was getting the best of me, and I couldn’t help but ask. After all, I’d already dug myself in pretty deep, so why stop now? But I buried my nose in a student’s assignment to appear almost disinterested.
“She’s in education.” His tone was flat and carried a bit of sarcasm.
My heart dropped a bit to think I was in the same field as the lucky woman who’d caught his eye. When I looked up, he winked and laughed at me.
“It’s you. I’m interested in you.” His dimple appeared, and I flushed hot all over.
“Oh!” His answer brought out such contentment and relief. It also shocked me, leaving me momentarily speechless. All I could do was stare at the handsome, self-assured man in front of me.
“Oh? That’s all I get?” Slight lines formed at the corners of his eyes as he squinted at me.
I nodded. “But you don’t know me.”
“You’re right, I don’t, and it’s on my agenda to rectify that.”
We went back to grading papers until my vision blurred. I tossed my pen on the table and stretched my arms above my head. We’d been staring at papers for a few hours.
Time flies when you’re with a gorgeous man.
A little stiff and sore, I dropped my head back and rubbed my neck to relieve some tension.
Drake got up and stood behind me to rub my shoulders. His thumbs found knots near my shoulder blades. “You’re tight.”
Tight. His husky voice reverberated through every cell in my body and landed between my legs. I shifted in my chair as he continued to knead my aching muscles.
“Is this okay?” His mouth was near my left ear as his whisper and warm breath caressed my skin, making the fine hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention.
Not only did this gorgeous man who had a bigger-than-life presence tell me he was interested in me, but he was standing in my home, giving me a shoulder massage while telling me I was tight.
This is crazy.
I shook my head and placed my hands on his, stopping his movements. He held them, and when I craned my head back, his gaze intensified as he pulled me out of my chair until we were toe to toe and chest to chest. My skin tingled as he stroked the side of my face from my temple to my chin with his knuckles.
“You’re so beautiful.” He leaned forward and kissed my cheek. “And I love this freckle. It looks like a heart.”
As if on autopilot, my fingers went to cover it, but he stopped me and held my hand in his. I’d been self-conscious about that stupid freckle since I was a kid. I was always told it was my defining mark, and I hated it. But his lips were soft and his kiss tender, and I found myself strangely jealous of my freckle.
“Go out with me?” The hypnotic power of his voice enthralled me.
“When?” I asked, frowning as I gripped my bottom lip with my teeth.
“Anytime I ask.”
Surprised by his boldness, I said, “What if I’m busy?”
Drake slipped his arms around me and pulled me flush against him. “You’ll be busy with me.”
His eyes on mine, he pulled the clip out of my hair, letting it cascade over my bare shoulders. Then he leaned down and slowly grazed my lips with his, barely touching as if it was a well-kept government secret—and maybe it was. The hardness of his chest pressed against mine as I took in a deep breath. His breath.
Our lips met in a soft, easy kiss, and I was instantly captivated. A little overwhelmed, I added space between us to try to catch my breath, but we stared at each other, which didn’t help my cause. His eyes read like a romantic suspense novel, drawing you in and giving you enough angst to grip your heart.
When his dimple appeared, my stomach fluttered. I swallowed hard while I contemplated my feelings, and the only word that came to mind was enthralled.
Drake tapped my cheek with a fingertip and grinned, breaking the seriousness of the moment. Releasing me, he stepped back and asked if I was hungry again. When my stomach growled at the mere mention of food, we laughed.
“It’s almost dinnertime,” he said. “Why don’t we order pizza and hang out for a bit?”
I grinned at him, both excited and a little unnerved that he wanted to spend more time together. “Sounds good to me. If you call in the order, I’ll pour us a glass of wine.”
As Drake placed the order, I poured the wine, and then stacked up the paperwork on the table. The ungraded stack was light, and I was pleased to find I had only a half dozen left to read. I gathered the papers and put them in my tote bag, and then sat on the couch next to Drake, who set aside his phone and picked up a glass of wine. He handed it to me as I sat next to him.
“Thank you.” I took a sip and briefly closed my eyes. Mmm, smooth and oaky; it was just what I needed.
“So, since your workload is lighter, would you like to go out with me tomorrow?”
Studying his face, I saw nothing but honesty in the way he regarded me. His eyes didn’t lie, which seemed out of character for a politician. I’d noticed that in my classroom when we spoke of Marcie, he was genuinely concerned about his reply to her question. His sincerity was incredibly attractive.
“Yes, I’d like that very much.”
“Good, because my brother Josh is having a barbecue, and I’d love for you to be there with me.” His face lit up when he mentioned his brother, but my reaction was quite different.
My throat tightened, making swallowing difficult. “Thank you, but I can’t.”
He jerked his head back as if I’d offended him. “You can’t? I thought you said you were available. Is it because you don’t want to meet my family?”
My heart raced at the thought of it. “No, it’s not that I don’t want to meet them, but I just met you. Meeting family is more like a tenth or eleventh date sort of thing, don’t you think?” I laughed, hoping to make a joke of it, but he didn’t laugh with me.
Frowning, he let out a long breath. “It’s only a barbecue.”
Before he could say more, the doorbell rang, and he gestured for me to stay put while he paid for the pizza. Once he had the white-and-red box in hand, he brought it to the kitchen and set it on the table.
I’d apparently offended him, but it wasn’t intentional; I was simply being practical. We sat down and I stared at the cheesy pie in front of us, and my once-hungry stomach now felt full, even though I hadn’t taken one bite.
“I’m sorry,” I said with a sigh. “I hope you’re not upset with me.”
Drake leaned forward to reach across the table and take my hands in his. “With this being an election year, I’ll be campaigning pretty hard after the primary, and my days will be planned for me. But from now until June is my downtime, and I’d really love to spend it getting to know you better. You intrigue me.”
Stroking his thumb over my knuckles, he added, “I know meeting someone’s family isn’t a normal first date, but the Prescotts are a laid-back bunch, and we don’t bite. But I understand if you don’t want to go.”