The McEllis Boys

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Six

"A date?!" Leslie exclaimed with shock. "You want to go on a date?" She looked at Ian, sure he had lost his mind.

Ian grinned as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "Sure. That is what you all call it when a man and woman go out alone and spend time together, right?"

Leslie nodded, "Yes, but... Why in the world would you think that you and I would go out on a date?"

Ian took a step back and cleared his throat as he looked down at the floor and kicked the wooden beams with the toe of his boot, "Well, damn. You sure know how to take a mans ego and just chuck a stick of dynamite right at it, don't you?" he grumbled.

Leslie quickly stepped forward and shook her head, "That's not what I meant," she insisted, "But still, why?"

Ian shrugged and forced himself to look into her grey eyes. He had no idea why his stomach was so tied up in knots. Ian had never once gotten nervous around a woman. Hell he'd had more women than he could count and yet something about this particular one made him unsure of what to say or how to act.

"Well I.. I kinda like you and well I guess I thought the feeling was mutual but I guess I was wrong so... I'll just go walk off a ledge now." Ian turned and was about to walk away when he felt Leslie's hand on his arm.

"Please don't."

"You don't want me to walk off a ledge?" Ian asked as he turned back around and grinned happily.

"No," Leslie assured him and then she shrugged, "Madeline likes you an awful lot."

"If I didn't know any better I'd swear you were teasing me," Ian said.

Leslie smiled, "Yes but you don't know me." she reminded him.

"So go on a date with me. Tonight. Let me get to know you and I'll do you the honors of letting you get to know me." he added with a wink.

Leslie found herself laughing and then her head began to nod without her permission. In the next instant, her mouth too seemed to catch onto the rebellious streak, "Okay."

She was about to take back her yes until she saw the way his strikingly handsome face lit up. He swiped his hand through his thick dark hair and smiled, "Great!" he exclaimed and then he realized that he sounded too happy. He desperately tried to wipe the happy smile off his face and failed miserably, "Well I guess you oughta get to work." he said nonchalantly. "Stay around people today. No going down dark hallways alone. And make sure a man you trust walks you out to your car."

"Yes, sir," Leslie said with a mock salute. Truthfully she was flattered that he cared. She had never had anyone that truly cared in her entire life. Not a man anyway. And she found that despite her earlier apprehensions about Ian, she was starting to trust the man. That thought both excited and terrified her.

"Aww.. Ian, did I hear that right? You have a date?" Cavanaugh asked mockingly as he came into the living room.

Ian smiled at his older brother, "Sure do. Now when are you going to take your woman out and do something romantic?"

Cavanaugh just smiled and shook his head and Ian laughed when Nicole came down the steps next. Her hair was a little messed up in the back and her face was flushed, "Oh, I see... You do your romancing behind closed doors," he said with a wink. "Way to play it, big brother."

"I have to go," Leslie said as she looked at the clock. "Take care of Madeline today," she added to Ian.

He feigned hurt, "Of course I will," he promised. "You don't have to remind me."