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that they’d slept together before their first official date. She took her attention off the road long enough to connect her gaze with his. He seemed to be eying her cautiously, as though gauging her reaction. Corina realized why she felt embarrassed. It wasn’t because she regretted her actions. It wasn’t because she didn’t want to have sex with him again. It was because she wanted it to happen again so badly that she was scared of what might happen when the two of them appeared in public together this afternoon.
    How were people going to regard them, sprawled out on a blanket sharing lunch in Forest Park and strolling through the museum? More importantly, how would Zach react to people seeing the two of them? If she hadn’t slept with him, she wouldn’t care how they looked together. In fact, had she not already been physical with Zach, she would have purposely kept their date platonic. Her usual dating rule was to let the man make the first move. She had blown that rule at the charity event when she’d initiated sex with Zach. It had undeniably been the best sex of her life, but it had definitely complicated things.
    “Corina, is everything okay?” he asked in a low, urgent tone. He grabbed her right hand.
    His voice snapped her out of her moody reverie and made her realize she hadn’t answered his question. She knew he deserved an answer, but she was unsure what she could tell him. Did she want to admit that she was worried he’d realize he was out of her league?
    “I don’t regret being with you. What happened at the charity event was…hot, to say the least. To be honest with you, I wasn’t sure how you’d react when I showed up for our date today. I didn’t know if you’d still want to actually go out. A part of me worried that you would just expect me to hop in the sack with you as soon as I showed up at your place.” She let out a long breath, slowing the car’s speed in order to get on the exit ramp.
    “Is that why you ran away from me without even saying goodbye the other night?”
    “Yes, I’m sorry. I’d like to think of myself as a modern woman, but I guess somewhere along the line all those lectures from my mother must’ve sunk in. She was from the school of thought that if you go to bed with a man too soon, he’ll get the wrong impression about you, and once he’s gotten what he wants, you’ll never hear from him again.”
    “Oh, and by me cracking that joke about getting naked later you thought my plans for our date tonight was just staying in and having sex? No. I plan on taking you out to dinner, then taking you back to my place for dessert .”
    At the idea of being devoured by Zach later that night, Corina’s clit throbbed. Her heartbeat began to quicken and she was thankful that they had reached their destination. She put the SUV in park under a shady tree and killed the engine. “Let’s just forget about my weird behavior and start over. It was stupid. I hope I haven’t put a damper on our day by clinging to old-fashioned ideals,” Corina said.
    “With those green eyes and that smile, it’s impossible for my day to be anything but spectacular.” Zach placed his hand under her chin and planted a kiss on her lips.
    When his mouth found hers, her fears melted away. He was into her. She believed him. Zach was either completely sincere or he was the smoothest liar she’d ever met.
     
    * * * *
     
    Corina spread an old quilt under a massive oak tree then removed items from the picnic basket. She pulled out the plastic containers she’d gotten from her deli that contained balls of fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes in olive oil, prosciutto-wrapped melon, grapes, diced pineapple and a hunk of French bread. A few bottles of sparkling water completed the spread.
    “It’s not a lot, but I wanted simple food that could be eaten with our hands.”
    “Mmm. Sounds delicious and maybe a bit naughty.”
    “It’s just finger food,” Corina insisted.
    “Yeah, but it would