Date in the Dark by Jami Wagner Read Free Book Online

exciting with someone like her
as your best friend. Giving my full attention back to the event, I
find Parker doing just as she said. A half grin tugs at his lips
and he gives me a small wave.
    I can feel the heat rush into my cheeks as I
blush and look away.
     
    Parker
     
    Allie didn’t argue today for a ride home, but
she also hasn’t breathed a word since she got into my truck. It’s a
short drive, but her silence is starting to wear me down.
    “Today went perfect, don’t you think?” I
ask.
    “Yes.”
    “Did it go exactly as you’d hoped it
would?”
    “Yes.” She nods with a sigh. “It went better
than expected. Thank you for everything you did today.”
    “It wasn’t a problem. You had the entire day
planned out perfectly. Besides, had something gone wrong, I bet you
would’ve known how to fix it.”
    She laughs and from the corner of my eye I
see her whole body relax.
    “You seem tired. Is everything alright?”
    “Yes, everything is fine. I’m just a little
in shock at how well everything went considering you had only one
day to prepare. I had months, and you acted like everything was no
big deal while I stressed every second of the day worrying
something might go wrong.”
    “What did you think was going to go
wrong?”
    Looking out the window, she scrunches up her
nose then scratches it. I barely hear the mumble that comes
out.
    “I’m sorry, what did you say?” I ask with a
laugh. Clearly there’s something she doesn’t want to tell me.
    “Nothing,” she says quickly.
    “Then you were worried because…” I pry.
    “Okay!” She throws her hands up and laughs.
“I thought you might mess something up and that I’d have to fix
it.”
    Her cheeks fill with a crimson color. With a
hand over my chest, I cringe. “It hurts that you had very little
faith in me.”
    I chance a glance in Allie’s direction to see
her starting at me with wide eyes and her lips pinched together.
Slowly, I let a grin appear.
    “Ugh,” she groans, and I laugh.
    “You could have just told Harold to ask
someone else to help you.” I tell her. “It might have helped with
all the stress.”
    “Yes, I could have.”
    “But you didn’t”
    “No.”
    “Why?” I keep my eyes on her as I wait for
her answer.
    When she finally looks my way, I’m rendered
speechless at the softness in her eyes. “I think you know exactly
why.”
    I swallow hard and nod as we pull up outside
her apartment building. I park in the spot closest to the door she
needs and kill the engine. She likes me. But why would she
turn me down? I unbuckle my seat belt and reach for the door.
    “You don’t have to walk me inside, really.
You can watch from here.” Her voice is soft and has a hint of
something that has me not believing a single word she says. If
she’s embarrassed about what she said, she has no reason to be.
    “And make you walk in the cold and darkness,
alone, all the way to the front door? Yeah, I don’t think so.” I
get out of the truck and jog around the front of my truck to open
the passenger door for her.
    “Well thank you, good sir,” she says in what
I hope isn’t her best British accent. If it is, she really needs to
practice. Her foot slips on the icy running board and she falls
into my arms. It’s almost a scene straight out of a movie and it
hits like déjà vu from last week in the storage room. I’m starting
to think this woman is making it a point to fall into my arms. I
smile down at her. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
    “I swear I know how to stay on my own two
feet.” I can feel her warm breath against my neck as she talks.
“This won’t be a regular thing.” She straightens herself in my arms
but doesn’t back away. Instead she looks up at me and locks her
eyes on mine. The intensity and want that radiates off them gives
me courage.
    “That’s too bad.” I whisper into her ear and
she blushes.
    “Why?” she ask, letting her warm body brush
against my skin.
    “I like having you