Blaze (Blaze #1) Read Online Free

that falls around my face in
raven waves, and my brown eyes. I can never help but feel I belong
in a Disney cartoon as the clumsy best friend who always ends up
tripping over things.
    “Fix your face.” Nat’s voice is stern, yet
playful.
    “What’s wrong with my face?” I ask, reaching
into my clutch for a compact.
    Nat places a hand on mine to stop me.
    “You’re gorgeous, as usual, but you look
like you’re about to take an exam you didn’t study for.”
    We are sitting at the second floor bar at La
Belle, overlooking the first floor dining area. True to her word,
Nat convinced Dave and James to get us a table. The restaurant
began taking reservations a month before its grand opening, and in
one week it had been booked solid through the first three
months.
    I take a healthy sip of my martini and try
to relax. Even though the place is full, the noise level never gets
above a melodic hum. Between the alcohol and dim lights, I’m at
ease within moments. Nat smiles triumphantly.
    “That’s more like it. It’s just a double
date.”
    “For you, it’s a double date. For me, it’s a
blind date.”
    “Semi-blind,” Nat counters. “You saw his
picture. James is a hottie. I mean, he’s no Gabriel Call, but…”
    She lets it linger there. At the mention of
his name, my body reacts and I shift in my seat. Nat smirks. I
glance at my phone.
    “Well, doesn’t seem like James is all that
excited either. They’re late.”
    “Oh, they’ve been here for ten minutes.”
    “What? Where?” I ask, quickly scanning the
bar area.
    Nat nods her head in the direction of the
main dining room. I finally spot a guy who looks like the photo Nat
showed me, seated with a thin, blonde man.
    “Why are we up here if they’re down there?”
I ask.
    “Because is there anything better than
watching a man’s face light up when you walk across the room
looking like this?” She waves her hand up and down the length of
her body, and I admire – not for the first time – the fit of her
red dress. I glance down at my own outfit, a form-fitting black
skirt stopped just above the knee and an off-the-shoulder emerald
green top that shows off, and complements, my best assets: my
breasts and my hair.
    I shake my head and then finish off the rest
of my drink.
    “You’re too much. Let’s go.”
    She glides. I follow, trying not to move too
awkwardly in this skirt.
    James is even better looking than his
picture. He’s tall and fit, but not in a way that would be
described as hard or chiseled, but… solid. His smile reveals deep
dimples and his brown eyes are warm. We shake hands and his grip
manages to be both soft and firm at the same time. Something about
him reminds me of home.
    I take the seat next to Nat, and across from
James. We order a round of drinks and exchange getting-to-know-you
questions and answers. When Dave leans forward to whisper to Nat, I
catch something about a flirty text message and realize we probably
won’t hear much from either of them anytime soon.
    James takes a deep breath and looks me in
the eyes.
    “So, I was watching a talk show and this
lady from a dating site was on. She was talking about the best
questions to ask on a first date.”
    “Have you tried any?” I ask.
    “No. I haven’t had a first date in a… a
while.”
    The waiter appears with our drinks, but when
he asks if we’re ready to order, Nat tells him we’ll need a few
more minutes. No one had looked at a menu since we sat down.
    “We should try one,“ James says
suddenly.
    I sip from my drink and nod.
    “Okay. Shoot.”
    “What’s something you’re afraid to tell
me?”
    “Wow. We just jumped right in it, huh?”
    He throws up his hands playfully.
    “Hey, she’s an expert. Something about
building trust.”
    The liquor makes my tongue brave, and I
start speaking before I realize what I’m going to say.
    “I’m really worried you’re not going to pay
for dinner.” His eyes get wide and I rush on.
    “It’s not that I