“Livy? You still with me, Babygirl?” Cole asked with concern, when I didn’t reply. I was just so lost in him, the feel of him, that it took me several seconds to pull it back together.
“Yeah….yes, sorry. What was the question again?”
“Food? You know what you want?” He chuckled, clearly picking up on the reason for my fluster.
“Oh…..erm, maybe a salad?” I hadn't even bothered to look at the menu yet. Deciding I should before I made myself look even more of an idiot, I shut down my overactive mind and focussed solely on the large board above me.
“You’re awful distracted?” Cole purred, his mouth even closer to my ear, his breath brushing over my neck and making me break out in goosebumps down both arms.
“I wonder why that is? Couldn’t be the beautiful, strong, sexy man surrounding me, could it?” I replied dryly.
“I am many things, Brains, but beautiful is not one of them.” Cole chuckled.
“You are though, in a manly way, of course, but beautiful nonetheless.”
“You are beautiful. I’m ruggedly handsome.” He countered again, making me smile. “Now stop getting distracted and read the menu.”
Still lost in a haze of Cole, I managed to also select a chicken and avocado salad for lunch. When it was our turn to be served, Cole did all of the talking, and ordered everything, including two huge triple chocolate brownies to go with our lunch. I clung to his side the whole time he ordered, paid, and waited for our food, not brave enough to leave his side in a public place. I knew I needed to push more, since I’d be at school in three days and unable to cling to the guys every moment, but for that day, I was out and in a store. It was a start at being braver, right?
We sat at a small table for two, alongside the tall window, overlooking the bustling street, once Cole had our tray piled high with our order.
“This ok?” He asked as he studied me closely.
“Yeah, I’m ok so far.” I agreed with a smile, which made him smile in return. He handed me a plastic box filled with the salad I chose, while he unwrapped a footlong sub. I honestly had no idea where all four of them put all of the food they consumed. They should all be waddling when they walked considering what they put away at each meal, but there wasn’t an ounce of fat on one of them.
“This is nice, doing something just the two of us.” I glanced up at him as I spoke, while also adding dressing to my salad.
“Yeah, Beautiful, it is. I can’t wait to take you on a proper date. I have big plans for you.” He teased with that cheeky smile he wore so well.
“Like what?” I asked, excited by the possibilities.
“That would be telling. You’ll just have to agree to go with me sometime, then you’ll find out.”
“We can go on a date…..I mean, if you want to” I bumbled.
“Really? You’d be up for that? I wanted to go out for the night though?” He looked hesitant but also excited. I got his worry, I wasn't great with even being in the garden at night, but I was sure I’d be fine if Cole was with me.
“Definitely, as long as we don’t go anywhere too crowded. I’d love to go on a proper date with you, handsome.” I said with a confidence I didn’t know I had in me.
“Oh, it’s on then!” He growled playfully. “Friday night, you and me. I’ll arrange everything, and pick you up at eight on the dot.” He was beaming, looking just as excited as I felt.
“Erm Cole? We live in the same house?” I giggled.
“Doesn’t matter. This is a proper date, so I’m picking you up at the door, and I’ll be expecting my goodnight kiss when I drop you back off there at the end of the night too.” He joked.
“Very presumptuous of you, if I might say, Mr Davis.” I quipped in my plummiest voice.
“What can I say? I’m a man who has confidence in his abilities to woo.” He returned, and I couldn't help but giggle even harder. No one could make me laugh like Cole could.
“Alright Casanova! Enough. Just finish your lunch now, before your head gets any bigger.”
We laughed and joked the whole way through lunch, just having fun and relaxing together. The food had been really good, and by the time we walked back out onto the street, hand in hand, I felt so full I could barely move.
Luckily the car was only two blocks over and we were headed home, so I would soon be able to collapse into a food coma for a while.
We walked down the busy street in a comfortable silence, Cole keeping me close to his side, shielding me from the distracted passers by as they stormed past us like they were on a mission. We stopped to cross a busy street, and I looked around, out of habit, more than fear. It was then I noticed a guy just a few feet from me, watching me too closely, a cell phone in his hand. I tried to keep my eye on him, without letting him know I was, just glancing at him from the corner of my eye. He continued to watch me, and it made all of the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
As we moved to cross the street, the guy lifted his cell and snapped a picture of me, thinking I wasn’t watching, but I saw him. We got across the street and
