Just One Wish (The Kingston Family #4.5)(8)

Once alone, Tara took a shower and shaved everywhere, not that she planned on exposing herself to Axel tonight, but better safe than sorry. She applied some makeup, including a light coat of foundation, blush, mascara, and a peachy-pink lip gloss, and she used her beach waver to curl her hair.

Keeping it casual, she put on the outfit she and Amy had chosen. Her favorite pair of skinny jeans and a not-quite-sheer light pink off-the-shoulder blouse, held up with slender, halter-like straps. The top had a breezy feel Tara loved. She zipped on a pearl-colored pair of chunky-heeled booties, paired them with a black lightweight faux-leather motorcycle jacket, and added some jewelry.

She set her quilted cross-body bag by the front door before heading to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine to calm her nerves.

Then she settled in to wait for Axel.





Axel picked up Tara up at the address her mom had written down, which turned out to be a guesthouse with a private driveway on the property of another large estate home. He pulled his Corvette into the driveway and parked, drawing a deep breath before climbing out. He was nervous but amped up, like before a concert.

Reminding himself he had experience with pre-show anxiety, he shook it off as he normally would and strode up the cobblestone walk.

Before he could knock or ring the bell, the door opened, and Tara stood in the doorway. What would be a casual pair of jeans and top on anyone else looked gorgeous on her. Her skin tone blended well with the pink color of her blouse, and the simplicity of her silver necklace and the bracelet on her wrist made sure she stood out and not her accessories. She didn’t deliberately reveal her cleavage like the groupies did. Instead, everything about her was genuine and called to him on a soul-deep level.

“Hi,” she said, her voice a touch breathless.

“Hi, yourself. I see you’re ready.”

She nodded. “No sense in wasting time.” She pulled the door closed and locked it behind her.

So he wasn’t going to see the inside of her place before their date, and if he had to guess, she had no plans to allow him entry after. He’d just have to do his best to get her to warm up to him.

“Besides, Dakota will jump and get her white hair all over you,” she said as she placed her keys into her purse.

“The Samoyed in your Facebook picture?”

She nodded. “She’s my baby.”

He laughed. “A fifty-pound baby?”

“Women don’t discuss their weight,” she said, her sexy lips lifting in a grin.

He couldn’t tear his gaze from her face. “You look beautiful.”

A flush stained her cheeks. “Thank you.”

Reaching out, he tangled a finger in one of her long curls, causing her to draw in a shocked breath, as if he’d touched her skin.

“Do you want me to pull up the convertible top?” He tilted his head toward the car in the driveway. Women and their hair. He knew from his sister, an open top was hit or miss. He never knew what Cassidy would say when he picked her up in the ‘Vette.

Tara wrinkled her nose in thought. “I did my hair but … I love the wind. I’ll survive,” she said with a smile.

“Down it is.”

Thanks to the breeze as they drove, there wasn’t much in the way of deep conversation, and he saved that for their dinner. It was early in the Hamptons summer season, and he chose a restaurant with a view of the water. At sunset it was still cool at night, especially on the water, so they took a table inside.

Axel waited until they were seated, they’d ordered and were served a bottle of Chardonnay, and the waiter had disappeared for a while, leaving them alone, to start a conversation.

“Is this where you usually go on a date?” Tara asked, beating him to the first question of the evening.

He couldn’t stop his grin from forming. “Well, my last date ended with a pup cup so…”

She laughed, breaking the tension between them.

Her hand was on the table, and he reached out, placing his palm over her soft skin. Her gaze darted to their now joined hands, but she didn’t break their connection.

“I gotta tell you, I haven’t been on a real date since moving east.”

Her eyes widened. “When was that?”

He thought back. “Right before last summer, so it’s been about a year. I flew out to talk to Dash Kingston after Caged Chaos imploded, and I liked him. I hit it off with the other guys in the band. Cassidy was already living here, and I thought moving to New York would be a good change of pace.”

“And do you like it here?” With her free hand, she picked up her wine and took a long sip.

“It can get a little quiet and lonely in the winter,” he said honestly. “But I’m getting used to it. Dash and Xander have apartments in the city, and I was thinking that’s not a bad idea.” He shrugged, knowing he was still undecided. About a lot of things. “I guess I need to figure out where I want to live. I’m renting right now, and since the band is here permanently, I need to buy something for when we’re not on the road.”

She slid her hand from beneath his and looked away, taking him off guard. Hmm. He’d have to figure out her reaction later.

Meanwhile… “You’ve done a nice job keeping the conversation about me, but I asked you out to learn more about the woman you are now.”