The Fiddle and Peat was filled with laughter and music. It was hard to hear myself think let alone someone calling my name, but I saw him. The second I walked in I saw Colin standing at the bar dressed in a black suit with white shirt and black tie. He looked overdressed, but then again so did I.
He gave me a quick jerk of his head, urging me to come over, which I did after scanning the crowd and not seeing Ryan anywhere. Colin's look was dark as the sky on a moonless night. "Let's see it," he said, motioning for my jacket he waited for me to show him what was under it.
When the coat parted revealing a blood red, backless halter dress that fell mid thigh, he breathed a sigh of relief and muttered the words, "Thank you."
"Don't get excited," I said. My tone was bitter and almost as nasty as the look on my face. "He specifically requested red. This is his dress."
Whatever relief I saw faded and Colin shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "So, this is actually a thing," he said. "You're actually here on a date. I thought you were just trying to make me jealous." He let out a deep breath and asked, "What about last night?"
"I think this morning made last night a non-thing,"
"I'm sorry."
That's all he got the chance to say, because strong arms wrapped around me and a smooth face nuzzled my neck. "Aren't you girls supposed to be notoriously late? I thought I'd have time for a beer before you got here." Ryan pulled back to look at me. "I told you baby, you look killer in red. I'm going to struggle keeping my hands off this dress."
He looked up and I missed the flash of recognition on his face, but I caught it on Colin's. "Hey Ryan." Colin held out a hand forcing Ryan to pull back from me to shake it.
"Colin, hey man. Long time no see. What are you doing here tonight?"
"Meeting clients," he said pointing to the door where two men were scanning the crowd. He raised his arm and they nodded and made their way over.
"Cool," Ryan said. "We'll leave you be, I'm dying to get this one alone. Come on baby, I see a table." Taking my hand, he led the way to one of very few tables and held out my chair for me. "Colin Foerster, hey? Didn't you date his brother."
"Hence the reason why it can't go anywhere and why he needs to get the picture and move on, I slung my jacket on the back of a chair and my purse on the seat before sitting across from him. "Hi," I said, "You look good."
He did, dark jeans, black dress shirt. It was untucked and the sleeves were rolled up, but it gave him a casually sexy look. My look of appreciation didn't go unnoticed when my eyes went back up to his face there was a wickedly sexy smile staring back at me.
"Do you like what you see as much as I do?" he asked.
My breathless, "God, I hope so," made him laugh.
We had a good time, I had a good time. I'd always liked Ryan, he was smart, witty. He had a great sense of humour, was a terrible flirt, he made me feel sexy, interesting, and wanted. That was the big thing, I came away from our night feeling like he wanted to be there, and that he wanted more.
"I had a good time," he said. We were standing out side my building when he used the hand he was holding to pull me into his arms. "I'm sorry some guy was playing games with you, but I'm glad you called me. I'm going to want to do this again Allie."
My next breath was shaky, I was nervous, I liked him and that made me nervous as all hell. "I could do this again. I had a really good time. Fake date turned best date I've had in a long time."
"High praise." He leaned in and brushed his nose against mine. "Wednesday? Got plans?"
I shook my head. "No plans."
He smiled, "You do now baby. Red Door, 6:30, sound good?"
