Bridesmaid Lotto (USA Today bestselling author)

Chapter 10

The rest of the date was absolutely perfect. Jake took me speeding down the lake in his shiny new ski boat.

"Aren't there any other cabins on this lake?" I asked.

"Actually no. I own the whole lake. So I guess it's kind of like being stranded on an island. At least as far as privacy goes."

Wow, I thought. He owns his own lake. I barely know anyone who owns their own apartment, let alone a second home and a whole lake.

After the boat ride, we went for a long walk around his never ending property. The land was mostly forest, but there was one memorable little clearing where he'd turned to me, not saying anything.

"What?" I asked.

He had the strangest look on his face and reached up to gently pull my head towards him and... kissed me.

Somehow the voice in my head shut off and I was able to lose myself in the moment.

When he let go, he smiled at me, and we just kept walking, hand in hand, in silence.

When we returned to the house, a chef had arrived and was preparing a meal that smelled better than anything I'd ever remembered smelling in my life.

"Dinner should be ready shortly, sir," the chef said.

"Thanks John," Jake said with a smile. He opened the bottle of wine that was set out on the counter.

"I hope you like red," he said, handing me a glass.

"Absolutely," I said and took a sip.

He walked me to the living room with his hand on the small of my back, like someone would on a soap opera. But it didn't feel weird at all.

If it hadn't been for the massive house, the private lake, and well, the personal chef, I'd have almost forgotten that I was out on a date with a movie star.

The meal was unbelievably fantastic, it really was better than anything we could have eaten at a restaurant, plus having an ultra private meal with Jake was icing on the cake. I would have been happy eating at a crowded restaurant, of course, but this was so much better.

On the flight home I began to get sleepy. The combination of the fresh air and the wine was starting to get to me. By the time we arrived back to my house in his sports car I was asleep on his shoulder.

Blinding strobe like lights woke me up as Jake was pulled up to my building.

"Well, I guess the paparazzi found out about our date," he said, obviously not too shaken up over the whole thing.

"Oh shit," I said.

I wondered if the other Bridesmaids knew that my prize had been a date with Jake. If not, they'd be pretty pissed off tomorrow. Especially Rebecca.

Jake was the perfect gentleman and walked me to my door. Thank goodness no one else was allowed into the building, even though the paparazzi, being the paparazzi, certainly tried to push in when we entered.

At my door, which thankfully was three floors up, Jake must have decided we were safe.

"I had a great time today," he said.

"Me too," I said and smiled.

He leaned in and kissed me again. I inhaled deeply, wanting to remember this moment, the way Jake felt, the way he smelled.

"I'll call you," he said and turned to walk back down the stairs, his arm lingering for a moment as he let go of my hand.

"K."