Changing Course (Wrecked and Ruined #1)(30)

"Nope, you're taking me out. To somewhere that doesn't have pizza. And just because you are giving me a hard time, I'm ordering the most expensive item on the menu. I hope you brought your life savings with you."

"There she is! No alcohol needed this time, either," he says, pulling me into a hug, running his hands across my bare shoulders. "You really do look incredible tonight. I'm not sure I want to take you out in public. You might cause a few men to spontaneously combust, and I'm terrified one of them might be me." I giggle at his silly compliment.

"You look pretty handsome yourself."

"Apparently, I do. I think I saw you froth at the mouth when you opened the door."

"Not my fault. You were the one who rolled up your sleeves like that."

"What? Jesse Addison, do you have an arm fetish? It's not quite as kinky as I was hoping for, but I can work with that," he says while crossing his arms over his chest and using one hand to slowly stroke his exposed skin. We both start laughing, and it feels awesome to be able to joke with him like this. It's a welcome change from the nervousness I usually feel. I guess giving a man a hickey can really loosen a girl up.

"Oh God, you're ridiculous. Can we please go before you start molesting your poor arms in the middle of my living room? You owe me dinner, remember?"

"Lead the way."

When we get outside, he leads me over to a shiny silver BMW sports car. I freeze as he pulls open my door.

"You have a BMW?" I ask in a voice a little higher pitched than I meant.

"Yes, is that a problem? Do you hate Germans?" He tries to joke, but looks confused.

"Brett, this is a really nice car." He stands waiting for me to get in, but I’m still frozen in place.

"She is, isn't she?" He lovingly runs his hands over the convertible hardtop. The very, very expensive convertible hardtop.

"Where's your Jeep?" I ask because when he drove me home last night, it was in an older model Jeep Wrangler. I surely was not expecting him to show up in a nice sports car today.

"It's at home. This is my other car. I'm not taking you out on our first date in a beat up Jeep I've had since college."

Any comfort I felt with Brett inside has now vanished. It doesn't take a genius to realize this is a successful man. He's gorgeous, drives a nice car, wears fancy clothes, and probably won't even bat an eye when I order the twenty-three dollar steak at dinner. He is like...a real adult. Here I am a too-curvy, twenty-six year old college student, who works in a coffee shop. I share an apartment to keep costs down, and I’m currently wearing my roommate’s clothes because I didn’t want to spend the money on a new outfit tonight. It wasn't until this moment that I realize just exactly how far out of my league I am tonight.

"What's going on, Jesse?"

"Nothing. It’s the Germans thing. Yeah, I hate them." I become unstuck and walk forward, sitting in my seat as he closes the door behind me. Once he folds his huge body into the tiny car, he turns to look at me.

"You do not. Let’s try this again. What's wrong, Jesse?"

"I just wasn't expecting you to have such a nice car that's all."

He chuckles, "I've wanted a BMW since I was a pimple-faced kid. I finally saved up enough money over the years, put down a hefty down payment, and bought it about six months ago. Now, I know it was more than that back there, but I'm really hungry so I'm going to let you work it out on your own. If you want to talk, I'm right here, okay?"

"Okay." I smile back at him as he starts the car and speeds out of my apartment complex.

On the ride to the restaurant we make small talk, and I start to relax again. He's just a regular guy, it's not like he's loaded or anything. He's a detective, they don't make millions. I just have to remind myself of that. Well, that is until he pulls up in front of Langley's Restaurant.

"Oh my God, we are not eating at Langley's!" I screech.

"Why not?" he asks startled.

"This place is crazy expensive!" I continue to scream at a decibel that should have dogs running in my direction.

"Alright, spill it Jess. First you freak about my car, and now about the restaurant. You have some sort of hang up on money?"

"No." I stare down into my lap, embarrassed by my outburst. "I'm sorry. That was really rude of me."

"Don't stop there, tell me what has you all worked up."

"I...um, I... can we just go eat?"

"Absolutely, as soon as you talk to me. I mean, it will take a few minutes for me to unload all the briefcases of cash I have in the trunk, but as soon as I do that we can go inside." He winks at me. I know he is just trying to lighten the mood. That's what Brett does, he makes jokes. Most of the time I like that about him, but tonight his humor isn't helping.

"When you make fun of me, it really makes me want to open up to you all the more," I say sarcastically, causing his smile to quickly fade.

"I wasn't making fun of you. I threatened to punch my best friend in the face for picking on you. I told you I would never make fun of you, and I meant it. I was just teasing to get you to talk to me. I meant nothing by it, and I'm sorry if you took it that way."

Crap. We are fifteen minutes into our first date and I'm already acting like a fool. I either tell him the truth, or allow him to think that I'm a wacko. I'm not sure which is worse.