“I know this is probably a stupid question since you’re here tonight, but are you dating anyone? I mean, seriously seeing someone?”
I’m taken aback by his question and stare at him stupidly for a second.
“Of course not,” I finally manage to say. “If I was, I’m sure he wouldn’t be too happy about the fact that I’m here on a date with you.”
Ethan grins and seems relieved. “OK. Good. I just wasn’t sure if you were considering this a date or not, or if you just thought we were catching up. I just wanted to check.”
I have to laugh. “I actually thought we were just catching up, but Mila insisted it was a date. So I’m glad that’s cleared up.”
“Well, you look beautiful and I’m not ready to say good night,” Ethan announces. “Want to go for a walk on the beach? It’s not raining for the first time in days. We should take advantage of it. I can drive us there and you can leave your heels in the car.”
“Good plan,” I tell him. “Because there’s no way in hell these heels are getting anywhere near the sand. I had to eat frozen burritos for a month for these.”
He chuckles, not knowing that I eat frozen burritos anyway. As he helps me shrug into my sweater, he dips his head and inhales. “You smell fantastic.”
“Thank you,” I murmur. The compliment was nice, but I’m rethinking my decision to extend our date.
I can’t help but wonder if there’s something wrong with me because I’m still not attracted to him, even though he’s Mr. Perfect now.
I climb into his BMW and he closes my door, a perfect gentleman. We’re at the beach in just a couple of minutes.
As Ethan pulls into a space, I gaze out across the water.
“It seems so majestic, doesn’t it?” I ask Ethan softly. “So big. It makes me feel so small.”
“I don’t know about that,” he replies as he opens my door. “But it’s definitely windy.”
I roll my eyes at his lack of appreciation for the beauty around us and follow him down the narrow path to the shore. Wild grass blows on either side of the hard-packed trail. To our left the water crashes into the shore. To our right the sand dunes roll, rugged and beautiful.
“I love it here,” I sigh and I grasp Ethan’s arm.
I mean, it’s supposed to be a date. I can touch the guy, right? The wind is chilly and his arm is warm. It’s not a crime to absorb some of his heat.
I don’t even let my mind wander to the guy I’d really like to be touching. And I wouldn’t just be touching him to stay warm, either. The mere thought of how I’d like to touch him makes my cheeks flush yet again as in my head, Gabriel winks at me.
Why the hell is he stuck in my head?
“I like it here too,” Ethan answers, bringing me back to my present company. “I thought about staying in the city to do my residency but I really just wanted to come home. It was a nice surprise to find you still here. You always seemed destined for something bigger than here, you know?”
He smiles down at me with white teeth a supermodel would be envious of. I really, really, really wish that my heart would flutter or my hormones would react. But they don’t. Nothing. Nada.
Hell. I’m such a dating failure.
“Well, it was definitely hard getting used to being back here. It’s so small.”
Ethan laughs at that, but thankfully lets the conversation thread go. I’m grateful because his small talk is annoyingly bland.
We continue walking and chatting and I continue holding on to his arm.
He appears to be genuinely interested in all the things I tell him about the Hill, although I can’t say the same for myself about his tales from the clinic. How can someone so gorgeous be so freaking boring?
“So, yeah, I was freaked out when I first gave someone a catheter. I mean, seriously. Who really wants to pick up another man’s penis and insert a hose into it? Thank God that’s usually the nurses’ job.” Ethan continues to tell me his medical tales and I continue to tune them out. Because seriously. I don’t want to hear about him playing with another man’s junk.
As I concentrate on not listening, a figure takes shape in the near distance, jogging toward us. Out of idle curiosity, I keep an eye on the jogger as he draws closer and closer, and then almost gasp when I finally realize who it is.
Gabriel.
No freaking way. It’s like the universe is determined to keep bringing me into his path.
My mouth instantly goes dry as his stormy eyes lock on my face.
We need to finish what we started.
I feel my cheeks flush and as they do, he smirks… like he knows exactly what I’m thinking.
He’s shirtless and the muscles in his chest and abdomen flex with every movement. His dark hair is mussed and damp, so it’s obvious he’s been running for a while.
Sweet Mary. Why is it that an entire evening with Ethan leaves me cold but one freaking glance from this guy sets my blood on fire?
The man is built. His arms are cut, his abs are a rock-hard washboard and he’s got that perfect V running down into the waistband of his shorts. I try to pretend that I don’t notice, but I can tell from his smirk that he knows that I did.
I ignore it. Instead I ponder the way he seems so lean and efficient. Every movement is smooth and deliberate. And powerful. I’ve always heard that Special Forces turn their soldiers into trained killers. I don’t know about that, but holy crap, he looks lethal.
I can’t seem to look away and as he jogs past, he glances at me sideways.
He also splashes through a tiny pool of water, which splatters Ethan’s pants in muddy droplets.
“Hey, dude,” Ethan protests, turning to glare after Gabriel. “Watch what you’re doing.”
I’m surprised that Ethan would say anything at all because it was clearly an accident, but I’m equally surprised when Gabriel stops, turns and walks back to us, sweat glistening on his brow. Hell.
“What did you say?” he asks incredulously. Apparently he’s surprised too.
Ethan seems hesitant now that he’s face-to-face with Gabe.
“I said watch it,” he says, quieter now. “You got mud on my pants.”
“Did I now?” Gabe rolls his eyes. “I apologize. I apologize that you’re a candy-ass who doesn’t like to get dirty.”
Ethan practically sputters as he steps toward Gabriel and I have no clue what to do.
“Whatcha gonna do, candy-ass?” Gabriel taunts him, leaning forward mockingly. “Anything?”
There is an awkward pause as I stand next to my car.
I can tell he’s contemplating kissing me and I dread the thought.
Don’t, I silently instruct him. But instead of expecting him to read my mind, I solve the problem by raising myself up on my tiptoes and kissing his cheek.
“Sure,” I murmur.
Ethan stares down at me as the top of my car lowers.