Page 49 of Imperfect Match (Imperfect Match 1)
The hostess leads me toward a wall of cozy, intimate booths lined with red curtains. “Here you are,” she says, gesturing toward the last one.
The woman seated there turns to look at me, and my knees nearly buckle.
It’s Willow.
“Hi,” she says softly, with a smile that melts my heart like butter. Then she holds out her hand. “Reid Fortino, meet your perfect match.”
I’m dumbfounded. For a full ten seconds, all I can do is stare at her. Finally, I take her hand in mine. “It’s you.”
“It’s me.”
Without letting go of her hand, I slide into the seat across from her. “I don’t understand.”
Her smile widens as she shrugs. “You were right. I do have feelings for you. I was just too scared to admit it.” Then the grin turns mischievous. “But you were wrong too.”
“I was?”
“Yes. You said your date tonight would be hopeless.”
I laugh. “I did, didn’t I? Well, fuck it. I was wrong.”
“I love hearing you laugh. I missed it this week.”
“I missed everything.” I reach for her other hand and squeeze them both. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Me too.” Her forehead creases. “But Reid, I’m still scared. I don’t know where we go from here or what we’re doing or how it will work.”
“I don’t either,” I admit.
“I mean, we still have all the same issues. Those aren’t just going to go away because the sex is good.”
“The sex is better than good. The sex is fantastic. It will fix all our problems, wait and see.”
She giggles. “I’m being serious. Tell me that no matter what, I’ll never lose you.”
“Come here.” I tug on her hands, and she comes around to my side of the booth, where I pull her onto my lap. Wrapping my arms around her, I kiss her lips and rest my forehead against hers. “No matter what, you will never lose me.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” I kiss her again and feel my dick coming to life beneath her perfect round ass. “But do we really have to stay for dinner? I haven’t seen you naked in like five days, and I’m getting a little impatient.”
“Yes, we really have to stay for dinner,” she scolds. “I want a romance, Reid. Not just a fuck buddy. Can you give me that?”
“I don’t know,” I tell her honestly. “I’ve never been any good at it in the past, but for you, I’ll try.”
Her smile is worth everything. “That’s all I ask.”
Fourteen
Willow
He said he’ll try.
As I take my seat across from him again, my heart is racing in my chest and it’s hard to breathe. I’m on a date—with Reid. I hoped he’d react this way. All day long I agonized over whether he’d show up or I’d be sitting here at the table alone. Now, I’m sort of dating my best friend.
Please God, don’t let this be a mistake.
“So, our first date.”
