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Abby smooths down her little black dress, glancing around the packed restaurant. She was supposed to be meeting a blind date and she truly regretted agreeing to let Connor set her up. Ever since he’d come out as bi and told her he wanted to date Danny, she’d been alone. She had to let Connor go, because she didn’t love him like he deserved to be loved.
Now, somehow, she was in some fancy Italian restaurant, meeting up with a friend of Connor’s. And for some stupid reason, she put on her best little black dress for the occasion. It’s not like it’d be the person she wanted it to be. There’s no way it will be Becker waiting for her.
Stepping up to the podium where a maître d is watching her, Abby smiles. “Hi. Party of two. I believe the reservation is under Temple?”
“Ah. Yes. Your date has already arrived and is waiting at the table. Follow me,” the man says, leading her to the table.
Abby takes a deep breath, trying to see which table only has one person at it. Then she spots the only table with just one person, but his back is to her. From behind, it appears to be Becker, but she knows she can’t get her hopes up. He had been dating Jess, last she heard. The maître d approaches the table. “Sir, your companion has arrived.”
Then he’s standing up and Abby licks her lips. She’d know those shoulders anywhere. “Captain,” she says as he turns to face her. He smiles, focused on her face. “I didn’t know you and Connor were friends.”
His eyes crinkle up in the corners when he smiles, she realizes. Then he speaks, “Well, we are friends. I asked him to set you and me up. Once I heard he’d broken up with you to be with Danny, I ended it with Jess. I wasn’t who she wanted to be with anyway.” He gestures to the table. “Have a seat, we can eat.”
“I... You really want to be here with me?”
“Yes, Abby. I’ve wanted to date you for years, but first, you were so nervous around me, like you didn’t want to become attached. Then you were so involved with the dinosaurs and other creatures that I didn’t want to distract you. Then you were gone and when you came back, you and Conner were...” Becker shrugs. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to drag that all up.”
“It’s okay. I’ve wanted to be with you since the beginning, but you were so no nonsense, and you hated the creatures.” She shakes her head. “What changed your mind about them?”
“You.” Becker smiles. “You care so much for them. Even the ones that are dangerous, you just want to keep them safe. I never thought anyone would care that much about things that dangerous.”
Abby smiles back. “It’s... I don’t know. I’ve always been fascinated with reptiles and the like. They’re all dangerous, even when they don’t appear to be so. The smallest creature can kill you in an instant.” She shrugs a little. “I guess I just find dangerous things to be incredible.” She stares into his eyes for a few minutes longer. “Like you. You’re awfully dangerous, Captain. In more ways than one, yeah?” She chews on her lower lip, contemplating the way his eyes darken.
“You’ve no idea how dangerous,” he murmurs. “But I’d never hurt you, Abby.”
“Wouldn’t you?” Abby swallows hard. “You’re everything I’ve tried to stay away from in a lover, Captain.”
“Hilary. My name is Hilary, not Captain.” He tilts his head to the side. “I would not hurt you willingly.”
Abby looks down at the table. “I want to believe you.”
“It’s as simple as that, then.” He reaches across the table and takes her hand. “Believe me. We can be together and if you decide to hate me later on, if I screw up, then at least we’ll have tried.”
Abby looks up at him, trying to gauge his sincerity. “Then we’ll try. And we both have an out. If either of us changes our minds, we can say this stops at any time.”
“As you wish,” Becker says. “I want to be yours, Abby. Whatever that takes.”
She nods. “And I want to be yours.”
He smiles and leans across the table, kissing her softly. “Then this will be the first of many dates.”
Abby smiles back, unable to stop herself when faced with such a bright, sunny smile. “Sounds good to me,” she replies, giving him another kiss. “We should look at our menus and order food, or this will have been the most boring date in history.”
“I’m with you. Nothing about it could be boring.”
Rolling her eyes, Abby smiles a little wider. “You’re a suck up.”
“Just telling the truth.”
“Suck up.” Abby pushes him until he sits back and she shakes her head. “You’re a dork.”
“Without a doubt.” He chuckles and picks up his menu. “What would you like to eat?”
Abby picks up her menu as well, glancing over it. “Give me a minute,” she says, smiling to herself. Even if she is afraid of him hurting her, she’d rather take that chance, then not be with him at all.