Sixty-Eighth Street and Broadway until just after eleven o’ clock. She’d spent the entire movie trying to avoid gasping as Ben consistently snuck kisses and nibbles on her shoulder blade. And she was willing to admit that she’d caused her fair share of trouble: her hand may have accidentally grazed his semi-erect shaft as she reached for the popcorn, very strategically placed on the other side of his lap.
They held hands as they strolled down Broadway in the direction of Lincoln Center, always gorgeous and serene at that time of night.
“Having fun?” he asked.
She nodded. “This was a great idea.”
“I can agree with that. And it’s a nice night, so we can sit by the fountain and … ”
His voice trailed off, taking on an edge of unease. Confused, she looked up to find him staring intently at a spot over her head and across the street. A woman who looked to be shorter than Violet stood on the other side of Broadway, frozen like a deer in headlights as she stared at them; Ben’s grip on her own hand slackened. Was she about to be thrown in the middle of a stand-off?
“Is that Elena?”
Ben didn’t answer, so she turned to get another look. Sleek, brown waves cascaded around the woman’s shoulders in sharp contrast to the ruby-red crop top that clung to her torso. Combine the wildly sexy top with her black, faux-leather, boot-cut low-riders and sky-high heels, and for half a second the entire ensemble left Violet feeling a bit inadequate. She made a point to stand a little straighter—while she might have been bigger in size than the tiny bombshell across the boulevard, she still looked like Wonder Woman come to life.
And I don’t have to climb on a stepstool to kiss Ben
.
That last thought produced a smug grin, and it just so happened that the woman she assumed was Elena caught it. Her eyes widened, and Violet could’ve sworn lasers were about to shoot out of them.
Ben grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.”
“What about this girl?” she asked, gesturing in Elena’s direction.
His brow furrowed. “What about her? Let’s go. I don’t want her following us.”
Seemingly on cue, little Elena stepped into the crosswalk as if she were heading their way. Elena’s eyes remained on Violet the entire time.
“It looks like she might have something she wants to say to me.” Frankly, Violet wanted to hear it.
“She’s nuts, Vi,” Ben replied, stepping into the street with his arm extended. “And I promise you I’ll tell you everything if you get in a cab with me right now and walk away.”
Violet gave him a semi-shocked expression. “There’s more than what you told me last night?”
A red flag waved in her mind’s eye. She was already playing with fire by messing around with Ben; contending with a crazy ex-wife didn’t make this situation any less complicated. For a brief moment, she wondered if coming out with him tonight was even a good idea.
“I think so.” Ben successfully hailed a cab and pulled open the door for her. “Can we please get in a cab and talk about this at my place?”
“You’re not worried about her, are you?”
He shifted his weight, the look on his face becoming more urgent as he waved his hand toward the open car door. “Please, Vi.”
She tilted her head to one side and eventually sighed. “Okay, fine.”
Within another half minute, Ben was in the cab next to her and giving stern instructions to the driver. Violet looked out the back window as Elena stood on the traffic island in the middle of Broadway staring daggers while the cab sped away.
• • •
When they arrived at Ben’s house, his mood had changed entirely. His expression had hardened and his eyes had darkened, though Violet could tell he was trying to keep it together to salvage what was left of the night. She was tempted to leave immediately, not really in the mood for the extra drama; after all, if tonight could be considered anything, it would only be their first date. She was
They held hands as they strolled down Broadway in the direction of Lincoln Center, always gorgeous and serene at that time of night.
“Having fun?” he asked.
She nodded. “This was a great idea.”
“I can agree with that. And it’s a nice night, so we can sit by the fountain and … ”
His voice trailed off, taking on an edge of unease. Confused, she looked up to find him staring intently at a spot over her head and across the street. A woman who looked to be shorter than Violet stood on the other side of Broadway, frozen like a deer in headlights as she stared at them; Ben’s grip on her own hand slackened. Was she about to be thrown in the middle of a stand-off?
“Is that Elena?”
Ben didn’t answer, so she turned to get another look. Sleek, brown waves cascaded around the woman’s shoulders in sharp contrast to the ruby-red crop top that clung to her torso. Combine the wildly sexy top with her black, faux-leather, boot-cut low-riders and sky-high heels, and for half a second the entire ensemble left Violet feeling a bit inadequate. She made a point to stand a little straighter—while she might have been bigger in size than the tiny bombshell across the boulevard, she still looked like Wonder Woman come to life.
And I don’t have to climb on a stepstool to kiss Ben
.
That last thought produced a smug grin, and it just so happened that the woman she assumed was Elena caught it. Her eyes widened, and Violet could’ve sworn lasers were about to shoot out of them.
Ben grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.”
“What about this girl?” she asked, gesturing in Elena’s direction.
His brow furrowed. “What about her? Let’s go. I don’t want her following us.”
Seemingly on cue, little Elena stepped into the crosswalk as if she were heading their way. Elena’s eyes remained on Violet the entire time.
“It looks like she might have something she wants to say to me.” Frankly, Violet wanted to hear it.
“She’s nuts, Vi,” Ben replied, stepping into the street with his arm extended. “And I promise you I’ll tell you everything if you get in a cab with me right now and walk away.”
Violet gave him a semi-shocked expression. “There’s more than what you told me last night?”
A red flag waved in her mind’s eye. She was already playing with fire by messing around with Ben; contending with a crazy ex-wife didn’t make this situation any less complicated. For a brief moment, she wondered if coming out with him tonight was even a good idea.
“I think so.” Ben successfully hailed a cab and pulled open the door for her. “Can we please get in a cab and talk about this at my place?”
“You’re not worried about her, are you?”
He shifted his weight, the look on his face becoming more urgent as he waved his hand toward the open car door. “Please, Vi.”
She tilted her head to one side and eventually sighed. “Okay, fine.”
Within another half minute, Ben was in the cab next to her and giving stern instructions to the driver. Violet looked out the back window as Elena stood on the traffic island in the middle of Broadway staring daggers while the cab sped away.
• • •
When they arrived at Ben’s house, his mood had changed entirely. His expression had hardened and his eyes had darkened, though Violet could tell he was trying to keep it together to salvage what was left of the night. She was tempted to leave immediately, not really in the mood for the extra drama; after all, if tonight could be considered anything, it would only be their first date. She was
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