His to Win (Carmel Springs Book 5)

Chapter 6

Rogue~

Even though we were only going to a diner, I'd still done my best to look decent enough. I'd chosen a light blue blouse and darker blue skirt that flowed just above my knees. With my hair in a ponytail and plain white sandals, I looked casual, but...not. I'd also gone with mascara as my only makeup. Again, we were going to a diner, and even if we weren't, Carmel Springs didn't have that fancy or glamorous vibe. I'd look like a fish out of water if I'd dressed up like I used to.

Before Maxwell had left the gym yesterday, we had exchanged numbers, because that's what people that were dating did-his words, not mine. So, after giving him my number and taking his, he had actually spent the next thirty minutes going over his shoulder injury before leaving me to do my job with the other clients of Better Health. I had also found it oddly sweet when Jax Colter had made sure to say goodbye to me before he'd left after his workout.

Taking one last look in the mirror, I jumped when my phone chimed, alerting me to just how anxious I was over this date. This morning, I'd had no interest in anything other than ogling Maxwell Colter a bit, but that changed somewhere in between his rudeness and his sweetness.

Maxwell: I'm here

I quickly sent back a reply.

Me: I'll be right down

Leaving the bathroom, I grabbed my purse off my bed, checked to make sure everything that I needed was inside, then locked my front door before making my way towards the elevators. As the metal box made its way towards the lobby floor, I couldn't believe how nervous I felt. Maybe it was because I'd never met a guy like Maxwell Colter before, or maybe it was because how Lee had said the Colters were like royalty in this town. Could also be because he had a brother that wouldn't arrest him for murder. Whatever the reason, I could feel those butterflies flying around in the pit of my stomach, and I couldn't remember the last time I'd gotten butterflies.

When I opened the front door to my apartment complex, Maxwell was standing on the steps, looking better than any one man had a right to look. Before now, all I'd seen him in were t-shirts and basketball shorts, and even though sexy as hell, Maxwell looked like sex on a stick in his black button-up with the sleeves rolled up enough to show those sexy forearms, his dark blue jeans, and tan Timberlands.

Was it wrong to hope that I got lucky tonight?

"You look perfect," he said as he reached for my hand to help me down the steps.

"You don't look so bad yourself," I replied honestly.

Maxwell's hand reached around, and I could feel its heat through my blouse as he placed it on the small of my back. I had no idea why that simple gesture felt so sexy, but it did. Still trying to prove that he was a gentleman, he opened the car door to his silver Lexus, escorted me inside, then made his way around the front of the car to get in himself.

After putting on his seatbelt and starting up the car, he said, "You can put on whatever kind of music you want, though it's a short drive."

I looked over at him. "You're giving me the creeps, Maxwell."

He let out a soft chuckle. "How so?"

"You're acting like a gentleman, and it doesn't seem...it doesn't fit you well," I answered honestly.

"Ouch."

"I prefer the real you to whatever this is," I added to soften the criticism.

"I'm both the jerk you first met and the guy I'm being right now, Rogue," he replied, smiling. "I have my moods just like everyone else."