EIGHTEEN

I'm on pins and needles waiting for Jordan to pick me up for our date. He set up the first few dates, and now the tables have flipped. I decide to plan a more laid-back date for him, which I hope he enjoys. I didn't want to do anything too extravagant. I ditch the fitted dresses and high heels in favor of a T-shirt, jeans, and flats.

I texted Jordan earlier to make sure he understood the dress code because I'd never seen him in anything less than business casual. Tonight is all about relaxation and having a good time. Andrew had me cooped up for a few days due to his ear infection, so I'm relieved to finally have a day off to myself.

Because I'm dressed so casually, I decide to go a little heavier on the eyeshadow, creating a deep dark smoky eye. I smooth down the fly-away strands of hair in my closet after one last look in the full-length mirrors before grabbing my purse and practically skipping out the door, down the hall to the elevator.

I shuffle from one foot to the other, urging the elevator to arrive at the lobby as soon as possible. I finally make it to the first level, and there's Jordan, leaning against the wall, looking as dashing as ever. His dark hair is slicked back, and I see he has followed my instructions by wearing jeans and a well-fitted button-down shirt.

"You look dashing," I say.

"I appreciate it," he says.

I wrap my arms around him and lift my head to kiss him.

"How does it feel to be dressed in something other than your work or gym clothes?"

" I inquire.

"You think you know everything there is to know about me?"

" he asks, a smile on his face.

I shake my head and kiss him once more. "I'm not quite there yet, but I'm working on it."

He laughs and brushes his thumb across my cheek. "What have you done to your eyes?" " he inquires.

"What exactly do you mean?" Is it unappealing? " I inquire, pulling away to check the mirror closest to us.

He pulls me back and hugs me tightly. "Of course, it doesn't appear to be a problem. You're always a sight to behold. In fact, I like the way it looks. "I just noticed something was different."

"Oh," I exclaim. "You frightened me for a split second."

He takes my hand in his and leads me to the car. "Babe, you could use a Sharpie to color your face and I'd still think you're beautiful."

I smile and squeeze his hand, slightly taken aback by his term of endearment. "Well, I hope that never happens, but thank you for the compliment."

I slide into the backseat first, followed by Jordan. Before getting into the driver's seat, Eric closes the door behind us.

"Where are you going, Ms. Delos Reyes?"

" he inquires.

"We're going to The Grove, if you don't mind, Eric," I say, looking over at Jordan to see what he thinks.

"Roger that, ma'am," Eric says before pressing the button that closes the partition.

Jordan draws me in close and raises an eyebrow. "A date to the movies? "That's amusing," he says.

"How is this so?"

" I inquire.

He intertwines our fingers and kisses the back of my hand gently. "Because it's unusual. I'm not sure what I expected you to do, but going to the movies definitely seems like a 'Aliyah' thing to do. It's enjoyable and not overly complicated. I'm glad you thought of it because I haven't been to the movies in years."

I lean against his chest, smiling. "Well, I'm glad I'm the one who can break the cycle." "I believe you'll enjoy this film."

"Is it a chick flick full of crying and kissing?" " he asks, poking me in the side with a playful poke.

"No," I say, trying not to laugh while avoiding his prodding fingers. "I believe you'll enjoy the film. It's a comedy about a wealthy man who loses everything and is forced to work odd jobs to make ends meet."

"Oh," he exclaims. "That sounds like something out of a horror movie to me."

We arrive at the movie theater just as the previews begin.

I enjoy going to fancy restaurants, drinking Champagne, and eating lobster, but I'd take twenty dates like this one any day.

I spend more time watching Jordan than I do the film. He catches me a few times and then kisses me.

He's so... right. This man who has access to the entire world is on a date with me.

I'm ashamed to admit that I did, at one point, Google Jordan. I was surprised to learn that I had another billionaire in my midst. I saw a few pictures of him with high-profile models here and there, but none of them had the look on his face right now. Right now, he appears to be... happy.

I think highly of myself, but every now and then I consider our differences and wonder if Jordan is too far out of my league. I've seen how men in his position treat women firsthand, though that hasn't been my experience with Jordan, and I hope it never is.

I hope he wants me for the right reasons and not just to have a pet to take out on occasion when he's bored. Seeing Romina live that kind of life is enough to put me off. No amount of money will ever make me feel at ease as someone else's toy.

Late at night, I wake up and wonder what Jordan thinks of me. I'd hate for him to think I'm a gold digger out for his money, because that's just as bad as him seeing me as an object.

"Hey," he says as he waves his hand in front of my face. "From Aliyah to the Earth." Are you all right? ”

I blink a few times and notice the theatre is starting to empty. The closing credits are scrolling across the screen, and the lights have been turned back on.

"I'm sorry, I sometimes lose track of time and get lost in my own head." Did you enjoy the film? ”

As we leave the theater, he drapes his arm over my shoulder. "I really enjoyed it," he says. "I haven't laughed like this in a long time." "You made an excellent choice."

We climb back into the backseat, heading to our next destination, which I've told Eric about. Vanilla Beans and More is one of California's best ice cream shops. It's one of my guilty pleasures that I get to indulge in while out and about on grocery shopping trips.

I walk right up to the counter, ready to order the king of all desserts. I've wanted to order it since the first time I walked into the store, but it's too large to carry on its own. Since it was my turn to plan the date, I knew this had to be one of the evening's stops.

"A chocolate double fudge brownie sundae with double pralines and extra whipped cream," I order.

Jordan pulls his wallet from his pocket to pay for our dessert.

"Not so fast, Mr. Delgado." This is my reward."

This dessert is nearly as expensive as an entrée, but I want to show him that I value his company and that his wallet can collect some dust.

He encircles my waist with his arm. "Ms. Delos Reyes, if you insist." You, on the other hand, are attempting to give both of us a stomachache."

"Certainly," I say, a broad grin spreading across my face. I take the two massive spoons from the cashier and lead us to a booth in the corner to wait for our sundae.

Jordan takes a seat on the other side of the booth and reaches out to take my hands.

"I'm having a fantastic evening." "I hope you're ready for the second installment," he says.

"Oh my goodness, there's a part two?"

" I inquire. "I thought I was the one who was organizing this date."

He rubs his thumb over my knuckles and smiles at me, his panty-melting smile.

"Don't be too upset with me," he warns. "Doing things for you and seeing your smile brings me more joy than words can express." I wanted to add something special to our evening just for you."

I kiss him as I lean over the table. "Thank you; I appreciate your willingness to give; however, please do not feel obligated to do anything extra for me."

When the sundae arrives, I immediately dip my spoon into the heap of sweetness. The massive dessert takes up the majority of the small table, and I'm eager to dig in. I've read hundreds of reviews on this sundae and am eager to see if it lives up to the hype.

Jordan examines the sugary confection before staring at me over the top. "There's no way we'll be able to finish this thing," he says.

I smile as I grab my spoon. "That sounds like a test to me."

We dig and begin destroying the sundae, but after about a half-hour, I realize the dessert has won. In defeat, I slouch and place my spoon on the table.

"Are you giving up?" Jordan inquires, spooning another large bite into his mouth.

I sigh and nod my head. "I'd wanted that thing for so long, and my eyes were probably bigger than my stomach."

Jordan sets his spoon down on the table and reaches for my hand. "Your eyes were bigger than both of our stomachs, Babe." I believe that dessert is meant for at least four people, but since you're protesting, let's move on to the second part of our date."

We dig and begin destroying the sundae, but after about a half-hour, I realize the dessert has won. In defeat, I slouch and place my spoon on the table.

"Are you giving up?" Jordan inquires, spooning another large bite into his mouth.

I sigh and nod my head. "I'd wanted that thing for so long, and my eyes were probably bigger than my stomach."

Jordan sets his spoon down on the table and reaches for my hand. "Your eyes were bigger than both of our stomachs, Babe." I believe that dessert is meant for at least four people, but since you're protesting, let's move on to the second part of our date."

"Even though there is so much more to look forward to, I want you to know that the date you chose was ideal." "You make an old man feel like a young man again," he says.

I intertwine my fingers and stroke the back of his hand with my free hand. "You're not old, but I'm glad you know how to have a good time."

He has a sly grin on his face as he looks down at me. "Baby, the good times are just getting started."