Prince Charmer

Chapter 5

That Wednesday afternoon after she'd closed the office and had only been home for about half an hour, Jax began texting her. He was asking about her day and then told her a little about his. After a little back-and-forth, he took her off guard by asking if she wanted some company that evening. Thinking for a minute or two, as he'd never been to her apartment except to pick her up and drop her off for their two dates, she finally agreed. She told him to be by around six and she'd have dinner prepared. He promised to be on time and that he looked forward to her cooking. Knowing she was going to have a guest that evening, she headed into her kitchen to look through the fridge, freezer, and pantry to try and figure out their dinner plans. She had the ingredients so she opted to prepare Balsamic glazed beef tips with mushrooms, garlic mashed potatoes, and a nice side salad to round out the meal. Pleased with her selection, she began to prepare the meal knowing she only had so much time before he would arrive. As the potatoes were boiling and the meat cooking, she set the table.

The more she thought about having actually in her home, as meager as it was, the more nervous she became. This was the first time she'd have anyone in her new apartment since she moved. It had been a very long time, even before she'd gone to prison, that she'd had someone in a romantic way in her apartment. She wasn't quite sure what to do or how to entertain him. She tried to keep calm as she prepared dinner but her thoughts kept returning to the hot blond and having him in her space. To her, it was a very intimate environment. They weren't out in public where anyone and everyone could see them. They were in her personal space. A space she didn't really want people in. Just as she was bringing all the food to the table, there came a knock at the door. Taking a few deep breaths, she moved to answer it. Sure enough, there he stood grinning at her. She smiled back and then moved to let him in. She hoped her raggedy furniture wouldn't scare him away.

She told him dinner was ready earning a wide grin from the blond. The pair moved into the dining area and sat down. He looked at what she'd prepared and told her how great everything looked. She smiled shyly at the compliment and told him to dig in. He wasn't sure how good a cook she was but the first bite of the beef tips told him. It was delicious and he quickly told her she was as good a cook as his mother which was saying something. She giggled, with a slight blush to her cheeks, and thanked him. Everything was full of flavor and obviously prepared with care and love. They talked more about their day as they ate dinner. Afterwards, they both brought their dirty dishes to the kitchen but she told him she'd clean up later. They moved into the living room and she took a few deep breaths not knowing how to entertain a guest. Sitting on the couch, he began to look around at her furniture. None matched and most of it looked pretty old. He asked her about it making her sigh hoping he wouldn't notice.

"I didn't have much money when I got out of prison and I had to start over when I moved here. I bought cheap furniture from thrift stores until my business got going well enough that I can replace it with better pieces." She explained.

"Makes sense. I didn't mean to offend." He smiled at her.

"I know. It's just kind of embarrassing is all." She shrugged.

"No need to be embarrassed. You did what you had to do and did your best to stretch your limited funds. I can't fault you for that." He reached over and squeezed her hand.

"Thanks. For being so understanding." She stated.

"Don't worry about it. Like I said, I'd be a huge hypocrite if I looked down on you for going to prison. At least you didn't belong there. My club does illegal things so I deserved my time in prison." He answered.

She just smiled at him unsure of what to say. He asked about her practice and she was happy to tell him she finally hired a dental assistant and she was working out wonderfully. All she needed now was a receptionist and more patients and things would be great. He chuckled and said the right person would come along before she knew it. The conversation turned towards the future and what both wanted. Both from a relationship, from work, from the club, and how she'd met a few of his biker brothers at the diner a few nights ago and the conversation they'd had. He huffed not liking his brothers digging into their relationship. He apologized but she waved him off saying she couldn't fault them for trying to look after him. He smiled liking her laid back attitude. The pair spent the entire night just chatting about this and that and getting to know one another even better. When she began yawning, he decided to head home. She thanked him for the company and he thanked her for the wonderful meal and said he'd have to return the favor one night. She walked him to the front door where he pulled her into his arms for a passionate kiss. It left her feeling breathless and wanting more.