Page 3 of Blind Date with a #MOUNTAINMAN (Love Canyon Blind Date with a #BOOKBOYFRIEND)

CHAPTER THREE

Jace

Despite the cold exterior radiating off Iris, for some reason, I enjoyed her company. In the short twenty minutes since we’ve met, there was something about her that set off a spark inside me.

But I pushed it down and ignored it. This was nothing more than a fun evening together.

A favor for my Nan. Besides, Iris would get some much-needed dating practice, not that I was any better at this whole dating thing, while I had fun trying to break down her walls. Kindness was such a killer after all.

“What do you do for work?” I asked Iris as we climbed into the taxi she hailed for us. I wasn’t much of a city boy, hell I wasn’t one at all, but she made it look so easy, flagging down the first taxi that took notice.

“I work as a marketing executive for a big company downtown. Long hours, but I love it and the money.” Iris shifted in her seat, our bag of dinner in between us along with the bottle of wine we picked up.

“Money is great. I know all about working long hours. When you run your own business, sometimes it seems like you never get a day off.”

“You run your own business?” Iris raised an eyebrow in question.

I laughed. “Do I not look like a business type guy or something?”

She shrugged, a small hint of a smile playing on her lips. “Not really. I mean…okay, fine, I’m judging. Based on appearance alone, no. But most of the businessmen around the city wear suits. I take it you’re not from around here, are you?”

“How could you tell? The New England accent? Or the flannel shirt?”

Iris giggled and the sound was sweet music to my ears.

So, the grumpy girl does laugh. I loved it.

“Definitely the flannel. But I love the accent.” Her eyes lit up and the unexpected happiness on her face filled me with a joy I couldn’t explain.

She looked away quickly, her cheeks turning pink, and my heart rate doubled.

Is she actually flirting with me?

“Wasn’t too shabby for a blind date, huh?” When she turned her head back towards me, I winked, causing her cheeks to flush more. I fucking loved it.

“What business do you run?” Iris asked, skipping right over my flirty question. Dammit.

“The family one my grandfather handed down to me. We make applesauce in a little mountain town in Vermont called Appleridge. Sounds silly, but there’s a very precise process to making applesauce. Just the right amount of sugar and cook time equals perfection. Plus, you must pick the best apples.”

Iris watched me with amusement, and I knew exactly how I looked. Like an idiot who loved applesauce too much.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you would a person who makes applesauce for a living.”

Iris laughed, the sound even better than her giggles and I wanted to make her laugh all the time. “What brings you all the way out here? And on a blind date no less?”

“I’m here visiting my grandma. Nan moved out here a year after my grandpa passed, the small town too full of painful memories.

She also wanted to see the world, having never left Vermont before.

The blind date thing is sort of a favor.

Apparently, your grandma, Mimi, told Nan, you needed help in the dating department. ”

“I’m going to hurt her.” Iris muttered under her breath. “I don’t need help. I just don’t have time. My job is my life. And that’s how I like it.”

The taxi pulled over in front of a large, high rise apartment building. I offered to pay, holding out a couple of twenties but Iris insisted, pushing my money away. “You paid for dinner. I got the cab.”

“Thank you.” I watched as she slid out of the cab, reaching behind her to grab the bag of takeout and bottle of wine. Her full figure of curves made my damn mouth water and suddenly all I could think about was getting her naked. Her perfect ass pointed to the sky as I railed her from behind.

“You coming?” Iris peaked her head back inside the taxi.

Shit.

“Yes, sorry. Got a little distracted there.” I winked and climbed out of the taxi, closing the door behind me, the driver barely waiting for the door to be closed before he sped away.

“By the food?” Iris held up the bag. “It does smell yummy.”

“Something like that. More curious about what your pajamas might look like.” I took the bag and wine from her.

“Get ready for the best moo moo you ever saw.” Iris snickered.

“Ah, ha. So, she does have a sense of humor. Glad to see it.”

“Home brings out the best of me.” Iris led me into the lobby and over to a set of elevators. A few minutes later, we walked through her front door, her fifth-floor apartment spacious with a lemony clean scent.

Being in someone’s space showed a lot about a person and I greedily drank all of it in, wanting to get to know this mysterious woman.

“I don’t do tours, so feel free to look around. The kitchen is just through here and the bathroom is down the hall. I’m going to change if you don’t mind?”

“Bring on the pjs! Wish I had mine.” I moved towards the kitchen. “I’ll get our dinner plated.”

“Perfect. Everything you need is in the cabinets. I might have a pair of sweatpants you could wear? I sometimes buy my pjs oversized.”

I chuckled. “Nah, I’m good. Thank you. Might just take this flannel off.”

“Okay, I’ll be right back.”

While Iris went to change, I headed to the kitchen, set down the bags, and opened up all the cabinets until I found the wine glasses and dishes. I located utensils, a couple of serving spoons, and popped the cork on the wine, filling our glasses.

A quick swirl, sniff, and taste told me the wine was perfect.

Iris appeared in the doorway. One look her way and I froze. Not only did she not have a moo moo on but she looked sexy as hell.

A silk button down pink pajama top with the matching pink shorts left little to the imagination, her nipples clearly on full display along with long, silky legs.

The bottom of the shorts barely covered her ample ass cheeks and fuck, I wanted to press my face between her ass cheeks and taste her sweet taste.

Her blonde hair was thrown into a messy bun on top of her head, curly tendrils falling around her face, and fuzzy cheetah slippers adorned her feet.

I swallowed hard. “I thought…”

“My best moo moo was dirty.” Iris’s eyes flashed, the sexual tension between us growing at rapid speed. “Hope this is okay.”

I nodded as I began to unbutton my flannel, revealing a tight black undershirt. Two could play at this little game. “It is a bit too hot in here for flannel, wouldn’t you say?”

Iris’s gaze dropped down my chest and I loved the way she drank me in, savoring every sip, her eyes traveling along my arms both covered in full ink sleeves. Her mouth fell open and her tongue darted out, the very tip of it touching her lip.

Then as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice-cold water on to her, she straightened her back and walked over to the spread of food and wine. “Let’s eat in the living room. The couch is calling my name.” Her words emotionless, her face a mask of seriousness. The cold wall back in its place.

We had a moment there. It was there. It was palatable.

And I wanted it back even though I knew I shouldn’t of.