No Matter What

Chapter Eight

Misty:

Shortly before six on Saturday night, Misty slipped into a pair of her best jeans and a sexy scooped neck shirt. Once she was dressed, she swept her hair in to a wispy French twist and applied an understated amount of make up. When her doorbell rang at exactly six, she smiled at J.D.’s punctuality.

            “I swear you get more beautiful every time I see you,” J.D. said as soon as she opened the door.

            “And you get more charming every time I see you.”

            “But not more beautiful?”

            “I don’t think you could look any better if you tried.”  

            “Now who’s laying on the charm?” he countered with a hearty laugh. “Are you ready to go?”

            “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

            “It’s a surprise until we get there.”

            “It’s a good thing I like surprises.”

            All through the drive to their surprise destination, she tried to guess where they might be going. Having lived in Rossmore all of her life, except for the four years she’d gone away to college, she knew the city pretty well, but J.D. had her stumped. Her surprise only deepened when he pulled the car to a stop in front of a modest cottage home.

            “Here we are.”

            Misty frowned. “Where are we?”

            “This is my house.”  

            “What?”

            “Misty, relax. I don’t have any dishonorable intentions. I just want to show you my home and make you a nice dinner.”

            “You’re going to cook for me?”  

            “Yes, and I promise you can trust me.”

            “I trust you. I was just surprised.”

            “That was the idea,” J.D. reminded her as he flashed her a grin.

            Misty waited with trepidation as he got out of the car and came around to open the door for her. As deeply as she felt for him, she wasn’t ready to face the possibility it was time for them to be intimate. Because she was still distracted, she failed to notice J.D. standing beside her open car door.

            “Misty, relax,” J.D. said again in his most reassuring tone.

            “I was just telling myself the same thing,” she admitted with a nervous laugh. “So, can you cook, or I am going to end up wishing we’d gone out for dinner?”

            “I’ve been told I’m a fair chef.”

            “You’ve been told? As in you cook for all of your dates?”

            “A few of them, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t cook for you. Haven’t you been out to dinner with other men?”

            “Of course.”

            As soon as he unlocked the front door, a large chocolate lab came bounding toward them, and Misty instinctively moved closer to J.D.