She finally settled on a summery, pale blue dress with a surplice neckline and cinched waist that showed off her curves to their best advantage.
Opening her closet door, she stared at her shoe collection. She didn’t usually wear heels, and if Chase was picking her up in his truck, it would be silly to wear them. She wouldn’t want to wobble when she climbed in, unless... A mischievous smile lit up her face. Heels meant he would have to put his arm around her to help her into his truck. Hmm.
Four pairs plus a pair of three inches high strappy black sandals. Not much to choose from. However much she wanted to wow Chase when he came to pick her up, she had to be some kind of sensible. She chose a pair of wedges with white cinches. They did look good with her outfit, even if the heel was low.
The doorbell rang, just as she slipped her feet into her shoes. She crossed to the bedroom window and peeked out the front. Chase’s gleaming black SUV was parked right outside.
Sarah’s stomach fluttered with nerves as she checked her reflection in the mirror one last time. With her parents gone for the evening, she snapped up her purse and tried not to race down the stairs.
She swung the door open a bit too fast, her pulse thrumming with the thrill of their first date.
“Hi.” She tucked a wayward strand behind her ear and smiled at Chase from under her lashes, taking in his appearance. His crisp white button down shirt emphasized his honest tan, while his form-fitting dark jeans screamed pure male.
“Hi.” His blue eyes flickered over her appreciatively, and her breath quickened. “Ready to go?”
“Yes.” Sarah silently cursed the breathy quality of her voice as she stepped out and locked the front door. His scent wafted over her, tantalizing her with a sexy combination of leather and hay. Chase opened the door of the SUV for her and helped her in, his hand under her elbow tingling her skin.
She fastened her seatbelt and waited for him to come around to the driver’s side, pinching herself again just to make sure this wasn’t a dream. Frantic butterflies quivered in her stomach and she took a deep breath to try and calm herself. Although it was a fantasy come true - no, wait, that was Chase ravishing her in her bedroom - she hoped he didn’t realize how nervous she was.
On the way to the drive-in, they talked about what had been happening in town recently and the movie they were going to see. To her surprise, Chase enjoyed old-fashioned movies just like she did.
Chase parked the truck, and a second later, the only sound in the cab was the engine ticking down. Sarah’s jitters returned as she realized she was alone with her teenage crush.
“Like some popcorn?” His deep-timbered voice broke the silence.
“Sure.” She smiled, pleased that she sounded normal, and not a breathy mess.
“Back in a minute.” His lips quirked up and he got out of the truck.
His feet hit the ground and he strode to the concession stand. She admired his denim-clad butt, glad he couldn’t see her staring after him. Once he was out of view, she turned her attention to the cars surrounding her. She remembered the drive-in as being very popular on Friday and Saturday nights when she was in high school, but tonight, there were only about fifteen cars in the lot. She guessed times had changed.
Although a lot had stayed the same in Coldwater Springs during the six years she had been away, some things had changed as well. There was a new fast food place at one end of town, and a large chain drug store had replaced the small pharmacy. Fortunately though, her old friends and acquaintances had stayed exactly as she remembered them, including Chase.
Excitement rippled through her at the thought of watching a movie with him in the cozy confines of his truck. For years, the drive-in had been well known as the place to go to watch a decent movie, as well as for steamy make-out sessions. She just wondered what Chase had in mind for tonight...
The sound of the driver’s door opening snapped her out of her thoughts. “Here.” He handed her a large tub of popcorn while he placed two soft drinks nestled in a cardboard tray on the dashboard.
“Thanks.” She curled her fingers around the warm bucket of popcorn, the aroma of the buttery treat teasing her senses.
Chase slid into the driver’s seat and smiled at her. “We made it just in time. The movie’s about to start.”
Sarah glanced at the screen, surprised to see the opening credits. She’d been so busy anticipating what might happen tonight, that she hadn’t noticed the movie screen flickering to life. She settled down in the seat and held out the tub of popcorn to Chase.
He placed the tub between them on the bench seat and took a handful of kernels, his even white teeth closing over the popped corn.