Read The Kiss for Free Online Page B

though she somehow doubted it. The way he carried himself showed he had confidence in his manhood, but he lacked the finesse of whoever had changed her world with a kiss in the dark.
    “Shouldn’t judge a book by its cover,” she muttered to herself, the sound muffled against the pillow.
    Plus, if it wasn’t him, it could be either of the last two guys. That she’d failed to spot them around town since that night didn’t mean she never would. There was still hope.
    Only, she didn’t feel all that hopeful.
    ***
    Cal was militarily punctual.
    He knocked on Eliza’s door at precisely eight in the evening. When Eliza said there was no reason for him to come upstairs to get her, he said that was what a gentleman did.
    He also brought her a red rose, which really tipped the scale toward him, and he was dressed appropriately: dress slacks and a button down shirt that did not have colorful patterns on it.
    Maybe she’d been wrong in her assessment of him.
    She filled a coffee mug with cold water, put the flower in it, took his proffered arm, and bid Krista goodnight.
    Cal told her he’d made reservations for them in a fine restaurant—not too posh, but certainly not a casual diner—and commented on how her dress matched her eyes.
    All in all, that date started off in the most promising of ways.
    Until the waitress came to take their order.
    “I’ll have the pepper steak, medium-rare, and the lady will have the Carpaccio and mozzarella salad,” Cal said. Then he turned to Eliza and winked. “I know how you gals are always on a low calorie diet.”
    She decided not to kick him in the shin just then. He had been extremely polite up to that point, after all. If ordering for her without asking first and making one politically incorrect remark was all he had going against him, she’d get over it—even if she was drooling at the thought of his steak, and had never been worried about her diet.
    It appeared that wasn’t all.
    Cal Finn was as dull as a doorknob. An unpolished one.
    All he talked about was the class, the lecturer, and the team . Early on, Eliza had to prop her elbow on the table and lay her cheek on her palm, to avoiding falling asleep in her salad.
    He wasn’t a bad guy, she told herself. Just not Mr. Right. Or Mr. Right-Now.
    To be absolutely honest, he was Mr. Right-Now-I’d-Rather-Be- Anywhere -Else.
    Oh, great. He changed the subject.
    “I go to the gym every day.” The way he needed to flex his biceps to serve her some wine gave Eliza a vivid imagery of a male peacock stretching its tail feathers.
    “That’s nice. I do kick-boxing three times a week.”
    He chuckled. “Gives you the illusion you can defend yourself?”
    Eliza decided that even if he was the kisser there was no future for the two of them. She’d throttle him in his sleep if they ever were a couple. “I don’t need an illusion.” She drove a leaf of lettuce across her plate with her fork. “I can actually land any would-be-attacker on his ass.”
    He smiled and patted her arm. “With this here?”
    She returned his smile. “I’m pretty good with kneeing groins.” And pretty close to doing just that.
    The brute retracted his hand and turned his focus to his humongous steak. The mashed potatoes on the side made Eliza’s mouth water. “There is no need to get testy, Eliza. All I wanted to say was that every girl needs a man by her side, if she’s to feel safe.”
    He actually believed that. Eliza rolled her eyes so hard, she almost saw the inside of her head.
    Amazingly, Cal remained oblivious. “Besides, that is the purpose of a woman: to find someone to settle down with.” He shrugged.
    “And the purpose of a man?” Keeping the irritation out of her voice was exceedingly difficult.
    “He has to be able to provide for the woman at his side.” He seemed shocked she didn’t already know that. “Has to have a solid job, so he can bring the bread home while she raises his children.”
    She’d heard more than enough.