"On it."
I hang up and step through the front doors and straight into a hard, muscled chest. I bounce off it, as if I weigh no more than a sack of feathers. I stumble backwards, tripping and landing on my butt with a humph. My dress rides up, and I quickly squirm, trying to shuffle it down before the entire foyer sees my underwear.
I look up to see Ace, staring down at me. His hand is already extending towards my arm, no doubt to pull me up, but I wave it off, horrified that he probably just got a good view of my underwear. At least I can be assured it was good underwear. Black lace. But there is also the fact that I just fell on my ass in front of him. Highly unattractive. Not that I care what he thinks.
"I didn't see you there," he murmurs. "Sorry."
I scramble awkwardly a few times, and then push to my feet, with only a slight amount of grunting, and dust my bottom off before looking at him. "Of course you didn't. Whatever. It's fine."
I try to step past him, but he stops me with that husky, damned amazing voice. It sends shivers up my spine, which I try very hard to ignore.
"Don't forget this."
He holds out my cell phone. I glance at it. Whoops. I must have dropped it, and I was about to storm off. I take the phone from his hand, and my fingers graze his as I do. Calloused. Rough. Hot.
///
"Thanks," I mumble to my feet.
I'm not giving him any more than that after his comment the other night. Nope. I will not. Even if he did just save my cell phone's life. I shove the phone right down the front of my dress, and stare at him. For a few long seconds, we just stare at each other, neither of us breaking eye contact. Something flares inside me as we lock eyes. Determination. Stubbornness. Feelings that have long lay dormant. They terrify, confuse, and excite me all at the same time.
His brow quirks, but he doesn't say anything. Instead he finally breaks eye contact and nods his head, disappearing out the doors I just came in through. I turn and watch him go, my eyes dropping to long, thick legs that stride with ease. Yes, he definitely stirs something in me. I just can't put my finger on what.
It's probably best if it stays that way, too.
FOUR
"This one is good, I promise," Taylor tells me on the phone as I rush to the elevator, already late for date number three. "I even messaged him myself, to make sure he wasn't telling lies about his profile. He seems like a good honest man, well spoken. I think you'll thank me for this one."
Panting, I say back, "He better be, Taylor. Honestly, I'm not going to be happy if I have to endure yet another dud."
She giggles as I step into the elevator, still with my back to the door.
"I mean honestly, I know I've been alone for four years, but there is a limit to what I'm willing to put up with. As much as helping a broken man made me feel good about myself, it wasn't what I'd call a good date. So I hope we're lucky with number three."
I turn around to check that the door is shut, then squeal when I see Ace standing there, staring at me. In the elevator. I didn't hear him come in. I never see him riding on the elevator, and now suddenly he's always here. Just my luck. My cheeks instantly turn red, and I fumble an "I'll call you later" to Taylor before disconnecting, horrified that Ace probably heard my entire conversation. Now he knows I go on blind dates, and I have no doubt that whatever is going through his mind right now is something along the lines of "pathetic."
Not making eye contact, I step over and press the button to take us to the lobby. Then I stand by the wall and cross my arms, still keeping my eyes to the ground. I don't know if Ace expects me to talk with him, but if he thinks I'm going to, he's sadly mistaken.
"Blind date, huh?"
So he did hear what I was saying. And of all the times he chooses to make conversation first, it's about my lame love life and the fact that I am allowing my best friend to set me up on blind dates.
I shoot him a scowl, mostly to hide my utter embarrassment, and I mutter, "It's rude to listen to other people's conversations, but what should I expect, you're hardly polite."
His brows go up, and then he gets that broody look right back on his too perfect face. "Pretty hard not to hear you when you're basically yelling it to the entire hall."
I scoff. "I was not yelling it, and there is only one other person on this floor. So I think that counts as eavesdropping. Which, I repeat, is rude."
"You're not a very nice lady, are you?"
My mouth drops open. "I beg your pardon." I lift a hand and wiggle a finger in his face. "I have said hello to you, on numerous occasions-I even waved once-and you, mister, were the one who ignored it. Not only that, when you did speak to me, you had no freaking idea who I was. So, it's not me that isn't nice, that's all on you."