The next thing I know, Declan’s on stage with the mic in his hand, peering down at me with a shy smile.
Is this really happening?
The lead singer of the band tilts the mic to his mouth to make an announcement. “I’m gonna rest my pipes for the next set while my man Declan takes over. Seems like Dec wants to make a special first impression tonight. Take it away, buddy.”
Declan rolls his eyes and fake punches the lead singer in the gut. I guess they’re friends. The band starts to play. The drum beat is sensual, mesmerizing. After a bar or two, Declan starts to sing and all I hear are the words, I want you…you make me want you. He repeats them again, staring right at me.
Oh. My. God.
This is one of my favorite songs, and as sexy as the lead singer is when he sings this, Declan blows him away. And he’s singing it about me! I lose track of all reality as his raspy voice takes me away. Hearing him sing the words I want you makes my heart skip a beat. This is the best first date ever! I wouldn’t mind it being my last first date either.
When he’s finished making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world, the mass of rowdy boys and swooning girls cheer, mobbing Declan with high-fives. He makes his way back to our table and sits down as if nothing’s happened.
I stare at him in disbelief.
He takes a sip of his Diet Coke and says nothing.
“Seriously, dude? Are you kidding?” I pinch his arm, deflating back into the booth.
“What?” he says with a wicked grin.
“What? So that’s how we’re playing this? Okay, I’ll just come out and say it then…um, amazing. That was amazing, Declan. No one has ever done something like that for me before.”
“Who said I was doing it for you?” he arches an eyebrow.
I slap his arm this time, tilting my head as if to say “really?”
“I’m kidding, Mia. But not about what I said up there. I definitely want you.”
I motion to the waitress to get us the check.
Declan narrows his eyes, grimacing. “Check? Is our date over?”
I lean over the table and give Declan an inviting, pre-game peck on his soft lips. “Date’s definitely not over. But can we get out of here? I kind of want you too.”
We escape the loudness of The Alibi in to a brisk, beautiful October night. I love the fall, the way the weather starts to cool, foreshadowing all the things that I love about the last three months of the year; winter and the holidays and the way they spark a kind of innocent magic that I’ll never outgrow.
Declan takes my hand in his, entwining our fingers together. His touch sparks something, but it’s not innocence. The simple gesture is sweet, but after the way he just serenaded me, sweet isn’t going to cut it. I don’t want him to think I’m some slut ready to give it up to him on our first date, we hardly know each other. But God help me for not wanting to reciprocate his sweet, gentle wooing. I want him to kiss me with the same eager desire that gleamed in his penetrating eyes when he sang those words to me.
As we walk in silence, hand in hand, to the bus stop where the shuttle back to campus picks us up, I can’t control my devilish musings. Whitney won’t be back at the dorm tonight, and I intend on asking Declan to come up and continue our date. My turn to show him how much I want him.
“You’re awfully quiet. What’re you thinking about, huh?” Declan’s free hand tips my chin up so my eyes meet his.
I’m almost positive that all of my secret intentions spill out through my dilated, fiery gaze, so I lower my eyes, taking in how perfectly my hand fits inside his.
“I’m thinking about what a great time I had and how I don’t want it to end just yet. It’s still kind of early. Want to watch a movie back at the dorms?” Step one: get him in the room. Step two, and all the rest, will come later.
“I’d love that. But I kind of want to take care of something first.” He drops my hand from his, leaving it cold and lonely without his fingers wrapped around mine.
I look up into his eyes; the blue glistens with tiny gold specks illuminated by the street lamps. They’re not focused on mine; they’re paying very close attention to my mouth. I lick my lips, as if to extinguish the flames that his scorching stare has ignited.
He leans forward. This is it! But instead he takes a few strands of my hair, playing with them, flipping them through his fingers. Come on! You can’t come that close just to touch my hair, you tease. I want to move in and take matters into my own hands, but I also want Declan to possess control of our first kiss. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of the way it feels to watch a guy lean in and tilt his head, the anticipation of his lips melding to mine for the very first time. The thought of watching Declan do this sends thrilling tingles fluttering through my stomach.