Hearts Ablaze (Hearts On Fire Series) by Heather Lyn

figuring I might as well get some reading done while I wait.
     
    ***
     
    I end up getting lost in the pages, finally pulling myself away from it when I see it’s four thirty. Throwing the book down, I rush into the bathroom, deciding to go heavier on the makeup than I normally do and add a smoky eye and shiny pink gloss. I put on my dress and heels, add a dab of my favorite perfume, and head into the living room to wait. I settle onto the couch, playing on my cell phone. A few minutes later, I hear a knock on the front door. My heartrate immediately accelerates and I feel the butterflies stir in my stomach. Rising from the couch, I take a deep breath then open the front door.
    Noah is standing there, a bouquet of roses in hand, looking more gorgeous than I’ve ever seen. He has on a long-sleeve button-up shirt in royal blue, with the sleeves rolled up his forearms and the collar open, showing a sprinkling of chest hair. He’s in tight black pants and his black Timberlands again. His hair is brushed back off his face, the damp ends curling around his ear, and he has several days’ worth of stubble.
    “You look beautiful, Aubrey.” He hands me the flowers and leans down to press a soft kiss to my lips .
    God, he smells so good.
    “Thank you, Noah. You look good, too. I’m just gonna go put these in water. I’ll be right back.” I rush into the kitchen and grab a vase, fill it with water, and drop the flowers in. Heading back into the living room, I grab my purse and throw it over my shoulder. Noah holds the door open for me and we head out.
    “So, where are we going tonight?” I ask, wondering what he has planned.
    “You’ll see. It’s a surprise.” He gives me a grin and goes back to driving. I lean forward and switch his radio on, the sound of country music filling the car. And it’s one of my favorite songs, Carrie Underwood’s “Heartbeat.” I’m a terrible singer, but I can’t resist turning it up and singing along. I get completely lost in the song, the lyrics meaning so much more to me than they ever did before. When I look over at Noah, I realize he’s singing too. God, could this guy be any more perfect? The song ends and I realize we’re about to pull onto his street.
    “I thought you said we were going out tonight?”
    “No, I said we were having our first date tonight. You assumed.” He pulls into his driveway and shuts the engine off, then rounds the hood of the car and helps me out. He leads me into his house, and I immediately smell something delicious. Placing his hand on the small of my back, he guides me to his dining table, and I feel tears well up in my eyes.
    He has the table set for two, with candles in the middle. There is a bottle of red wine breathing on the table, along with a fresh vase of flowers. I can’t believe he did this for me.
    “I made you chicken alfredo, and there’s salad in the fridge. I hope you’re hungry.” Noah pulls a bowl out of the fridge and places it on the table, then grabs some matches and lights the candles. He walks over to the stove and turns the front burner back on, warming dinner up. Grabbing a dish towel, he places it on the table, and then sets the hot pot of food on it. He pulls a chair out and motions for me to sit down, which I do. Pouring me some wine, he then takes a seat next to me. He serves us each some pasta and chicken, and hands me the bowl of salad, which I refuse. Lifting my glass of wine, I clink it against his glass of water and take a sip. Not bad. I grab a fork and dig into my meal, groaning when I realize how good it is.
    “Oh, man, Noah. This is so good!”
    “I’m glad you like it. It’s one of the few meals I can actually make.”
    I laugh and continue eating. We mostly eat in silence, just enjoying each other’s company. Once we’re done, I help him put the leftover food in containers. He won’t let me wash the dishes, but he does let me dry them. Grabbing my glass, I quickly refill it  then follow him out