“Hello,” Jade calls into the line.

“Hey, Jade. It’s David. Is Grace there?”

“Oh, hey. Yeah, come on up.” Her voice is cut off by the sound of the door being buzzed open.

Jade is waiting at the door for me when I arrive. “I let her know you were here, but that only made her more flustered.”

Laughing, I know exactly what she means. Recalling how Grace rambled on and on as excitement flowed through her veins as she prepared her lesson makes me smile. “Should I go in there?”

Jade shakes her head just short of furiously. “Not if you want to come out alive. She takes forever to get ready on a normal day. And tonight–” Realizing she may be giving away too much about how Grace is feeling about our date, she cuts herself short, changing directions. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“I’ll take a bottle of water if you have one.” She nods, excusing herself into the kitchen. Taking her exit as my cue, I walk down the hall to Grace’s room.

Sounds of her huffing and puffing filter into the hall. When I tap on her door, the noises stop. “Not yet,” she whines. “I need a few more minutes.”

“It’s me, Gracie.” Leaning against the wall, I wait for her response, but all I catch is a few groans of displeasure, and things being tossed all around. “Can I come in?”

“No,” she exclaims. Then all I hear are hard footsteps moving toward the door. “You definitely cannot come in here.”

“Are you naked?” I snicker.

Even if she isn’t, I’m thinking of her naked. Knowing exactly how she looks makes the image that much more vivid, beautiful, and real.

Pretending to be offended, she nearly shouts, “No. Now go away.”

“Nope, I’m coming in. Otherwise at this rate, we’ll never leave.” Much to my surprise, the door opens before I have to push my way in. “Holy fuck!” Shock washes over me, stopping me dead in my tracks.

“I know. I’m a mess. This dress doesn’t fit right. I bet it’s not fancy enough. Hell, I don’t even know where we’re going, but based on how you look. Oh, God, I’m in way over my head. Maybe we should just stay home. Order some takeout and watch Netflix.” Her rambling pulls my attention away from the disaster area that is her bedroom.

Pulling her hand into mine, I step in front of her. “First of all, you look amazing. And yes, this dress is perfect for where we’re going. A burlap sack would work because you’d be wearing it.” Letting my eyes roam over her body, I have no clue why she thought she looked anything less than spectacular. The navy blue dress hugs every inch of her luscious body and shows the perfect amount of skin. The top has thin straps and her arms are bare. Even from across the room, my fingers itch to touch her.

“Oh.” She gulps down her shock at my acceptance of her outfit. “And second?”

“Second of all.” I pause, laughing and running a hand through my hair. “The ‘holy fuck’ was for your room. It’s a pigsty.” Stepping toward her, I grin.

“Oh, really?” She jabs me in my chest, some of the nervousness about her dress gone. “You’re one to talk Mr. If It’s Decorative I Don’t Need It. And if I remember correctly, I dusted about an inch off your furniture last week.”

“You did, but this. Grace, this–” Spinning around, I take in the full circle of her room. There are clothes on every surface imaginable. Her bed looks like it hasn’t been made in months, if ever. Books are overflowing from the four bookcases lining the wall, spilling out into small piles on the floor. And on the desk, it looks like there’s at least two days’ worth of dirty dishes piled up next to the computer. “This looks like a teenage boy lives here. Are you hiding a seventeen-year-old boy in your closet?” Keeping the mood light, I step over to the closet and pretend to peek inside.

“And if I am?” she jokes, arching a brow at me.

“If you are . . .” I grin again, looking down at her. Looping my arms around her waist, I pull her against me and lift her a few inches from the floor. Her arms tighten around my neck and her mouth forms a little “o” at the surprise of being lifted. “Then he’s about to get a lesson in sex ed.” Her pupils widen at my words, the black almost swallowing the baby blue. It’s a soft kiss, one where I can feel every groove and line of her tender lips. One that calls to the most basic level of human connection. Slowly and sensually, our tongues glide together. Hot and wet, it’s pure electric, a slow build of hot pulses that build and build and build until . . .

“Whoa!” Jade’s shocked voice calls from the doorway. “Well, don’t stop.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she leans against the doorframe. “Go on. That was sinful.”

Resting my forehead against Grace’s, I slowly lower her to the ground, letting her feel my reaction to our kiss on the way down. “I guess I forgot to close the door.” I laugh, kissing her one last time on the tip of her nose.

“Yeah, you did.” She laughs with me, unraveling her arms from my neck.

“Okay, okay. Enough of this lovey dovey stuff. Let me get my girl all ready. You,”—Jade points a finger at me—“your water is out on the table. Sit and wait.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Saluting her on the way out, I add, “Our reservations are at eight-thirty, so don’t take too long.”

By the time I finish my bottle of water, Grace is stepping into the living room. If I thought she looked beautiful before, now she’s . . .”My God, you look stunning.” Never having been one to appreciate the lacquered look some women go for, I’m knocked almost breathless by the golden and peach look Grace has going on. There’s nothing about her appearance that isn’t 100 percent Grace. Sparkling and shimmering, the only competition she’ll have tonight is the night sky.

Lacing her fingers with mine, she tips her head to the side where Jade is perched, watching us. “Let’s get out of here, before Miss Nosey Pants over there gets another show.”

“You’re no fun.” Jade pouts. “But go.” She shoos us to the door. “I have my own hot date to get ready for.”

When we step out into the hallway, I press Grace against the wall. Locking her body against mine, I run my nose along the length of her neck, lightly kissing her along the way. My lips move across her collarbone and I mutter, “I’ve wanted to kiss you here.” I nip lightly at the hollow of her neck, right above the line of her cleavage, “Since I first walked into your room.”

Muffled words filter out into the hall. “I can still see you.”

Burying her face against my chest, Grace laughs, mumbling, “Jade.”

And with that, we leave the building. The wait will make licking every inch of her skin that much more delectable. At least that’s the lie I tell myself as I readjust myself before stepping out onto the sidewalk.

“So where are we going?” She twines our fingers together as we walk down the street.

“It’s a surprise,” I answer, squeezing her small, warm hand in mine. “But if you’re up for it, I’d like to walk.”

“A stroll through the city with this piece of man candy on my arm.” She looks up at me, her eyes bright and shining, her smile full and warm. “I can’t think of anything better.”

I’ve always enjoyed walking through the streets of Manhattan, basking in the lively feel of pretty much everything. But doing it with Grace’s hand in mine, listening to her jabber on about her day, that brings it all to life in a completely different way. “So the school called,” she says out of nowhere.

We haven’t talked about her new job since I dropped her off at the train station. On her words, more than a touch of tension fills our bubble of space. “Oh, yeah,” I answer tentatively. “Was it a good call or a bad call?”

“Good,” she says excitedly. “I actually met with the superintendent yesterday afternoon.” Looking up at me, she’s gauging my reaction. Her words stop me in my tracks, not because I’m upset she didn’t call, but because I can’t wait to hear how it went.