intelligence and warmth and caring, and he made her feel safe. Mike, on the other hand, was a walking, ticking sex bomb. He made her feel reckless and wild and utterly out of control, a heady feeling she didn’t mind admitting she enjoyed.
Could she choose between them if she was forced to?
Did she even have to?
She didn’t want to think about it right now. Too many thoughts and conflicting emotions were trying to fight for supremacy. She didn’t know how she felt.
To distract herself, she worked, focusing on the final paper that was due next week. It helped to take her mind off Seth and Mike, to concentrate on something else besides men and sex. Before she knew it, four hours had passed, and it was time to get ready for her date with Seth. Instead of calling, he’d e-mailed to suggest he pick her up at six. She saved her file and took a shower, then stood in front of her closet trying to figure out what to wear.
Shit. She’d never even asked Seth where they were going.
Damn, damn, damn. Now what was she supposed to wear? She supposed she could call him, but that would be lame. After debating a few minutes, she grabbed a flowered sundress and slipped it on with some low-heeled sandals. That would work for either semidressy or casual.
She dried her hair and left it down tonight, put on a little makeup, earrings, and a bracelet and called it good.
Tonight, she was going out as Abby Lawson, not someone else.
As the minutes ticked by and she waited for Seth to pick her up, she was actually amused by how nervous she was. A few times she stared at the phone, wanting to call Blair or Callie. Frankly, she was surprised they hadn’t called her or showed up at her place, demanding every sordid detail about last night.
Then again, maybe they thought she was still with Mike and Seth.
Maybe she should still be with them. Did she make a mistake by running out on them so quickly?
No. She hadn’t made a mistake. She’d done exactly what she wanted to do—had a magnificent night with two amazing men. And made a graceful exit after it was over.
Her doorbell rang, and her heart leaped, excitement pumping adrenaline through her system. Seth was here!
Smoothing her dress, she opened the door and let out a sigh of pure feminine appreciation.
He wore jeans and a dark blue polo shirt, unbuttoned, revealing a smooth expanse of his chest. She inhaled and caught the clean scent of freshly showered man. Damn, that smell was always so sexy.
“Hi,” she said, moving to the side to let him in.
“Hi yourself. You look gorgeous.” He stepped in and gathered her in his arms. She went willingly, realizing how much she’d missed him in the few hours they’d been apart. His lips caught hers in a warm, gentle kiss, his tongue probing softly as he moved his mouth over hers. She melted into his embrace, right there at her front door. It was like something out of a romance movie where the hero takes the heroine into his arms and kisses her senseless.
That’s how she felt whenever Seth was around—senseless.
He broke the kiss and stepped back. “I guess I’d better stop that, or we may never get out of here tonight.”
And that was a bad thing? “If you insist. Where are we going?”
“If you don’t mind a repeat of the club, there’s a fifties and sixties band playing tonight. They’re doing hot dogs and hamburgers and fries. We’ll eat and do some dancing.”
“Oh! I love that era. It sounds fun.”
“Glad you think so.” He held out his hand, tilted his head down, and cast her his best smoldering Elvis look. “Let’s go rock and roll, baby.”
the club was definitely rocking by the time they got there. Decorated like a high school prom with streamers and balloons and a band playing all her favorite oldies songs. Seth had grabbed hot dogs and fries for both of them, and they sat at a table and ate, laughing at some of the clothes people were dressed up in. Anything from rolled up jeans to early hippie garb was the theme of the night.
She’d thought about changing clothes, but Seth wouldn’t let her. He’d told her she looked comfortable and sexy, and he liked the feel of her in her dress.
How could she argue with him after he’d complimented her like that?
“Thirsty?” he asked.
“Sure.”
“Beer?”
She arched a teasing brow and mockingly