Chad rang the doorbell, nerves making him tug at his sleeves to straighten his shirt. Everything had to go just right tonight. Beth opened the door and light fell on the porch. “Damn!”

           

She laughed. “My, you do have a way with words.”

           

“Let me see this!” He whistled, stepping in and circling around her so he could get the full effect. Beth had on a longer emerald dress, with four straps crisscrossing her upper back before plunging downward and long slits gliding up her legs. Again, her hair was swept up, making her neck seem so much more inviting. He returned to face her, admiring her from the front. He laughed. “I’m sorry, it’s just…damn!” He shook his head.

           

“Oh stop,” she mumbled, her face flushing as she hit him with her handbag.

           

“I love the way you blush.” Chad touched her hot face and gave her a kiss.

           

When he pulled away, she blurted out, bubbling over, “I’m so excited. So where are we going?”

           

“Ah-ah-ah. Not yet. You need to wear this.” He pulled a silky, black scarf from his suit pocket.

           

“Ooh. What kind of kinky thing am I in for?”

           

“You little vixen!” Chad gave her a sharp swap on the derriere. He positioned himself behind his date again and brought the scarf over Beth’s head to tie it behind her as a blindfold.

           

“What are you up to?” she asked coquettishly.

           

Chad leaned into that tantalizing neck, enunciating each word in her ear with a seductive whisper, “Try not to anticipate.” Then, unable to resist, he kissed her there.

           

She squirmed with delight. “Ooh. That’s so much better when I can’t see you.”

           

“Uhh…is that supposed to be a compliment? ‘Cause, it doesn’t sound like one.”

          

 “Oh, silly. You know what I mean.” She tried to reach for him. “I can’t find you to kiss you,” she whined in frustration.

           

“That’s part of the fun,” he teased, his voice now coming from in front of her.

 

“Okay,” he continued, leading the way, “you need to take a step down onto the porch. Where’s your key?”

           

“In my bag.”

           

He took her handbag and locked the door. As he moved her toward the steps, another arm supported her on the right. “Wow, Beth! You look fantastic.”

          

 “Thank you, Pete. So he roped you into this, too?”

           

“No rope needed. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

           

Chad shot his usually tight-lipped bodyguard a warning look, which Beth, of course, could not see. After the two men got her safely in the limousine and closed the door, Pete commented, “If you don’t propose to her, I will.”

           

“Just you try it, old man,” he returned with a grin.