The Girl He Marked by Laila Callaway novel Chapter 1

Chapter 18 

Work passes painfully slowly, I squirm with excited anticipation as I type away, already mentally choos ing an outfit for tonight. 

I should have asked him where we‘re going. I don‘t know what to wear. 

I think about it for a moment and then decide to text him, this is our first date, I‘d like to feel confident in my outfit. Only a few minutes later, my phone buzzes on the desk, making me smile. 

I love fast repliers. 

I frown at his reply, saying that I can wear whatever I want, he just wants me. I get that he‘s trying to be cute, but for me, that‘s a really annoying answer. 

I have a few hours to get ready when I finish work and return home, Nate is sat having his breakfast be fore for his night shift. 

‘He asked you on a date?‘ Nate asks, his tone is unimpressed. 

‘Isn‘t that a normal thing to do?‘ I reply as I use a make–up wipe to take off my make–up in prepara tion for tonight. 

‘I guess...I still don‘t like him though, he responds, and I don‘t bother to reply, I just go upstairs to my room. 

• I take over an hour to do my make–up, I want to look perfect for him. I spend the next half hour looking through my wardrobe, trying to find something suitable, which is more difficult than it sounds when I don‘t know where we‘re going. 

Eventually, I decide to go with jeans, a nice top and some heeled boots, trying to be smart–casual. I check myself over in the mirror, glad that I decided to forego straightening my hair and left it curly instead. I‘m ready early, so I go downstairs and try to distract myself by watching TV. 

Almost exactly at seven, the doorbell rings and my stomach responds by clenching tightly with nerves. I grab my handbag, quickly check myself in the mirror and open the door. Nothing could have prepared me for the sight I am greeted with. Jayce is stood before me, wearing a tight, maroon shirt that hugs every muscle on his chest and arms. My mouth goes dry, and I can‘t form words as my eyes drop lower to his slim waist, pausing on his thick thighs accentuated by his jeans. I can‘t find the words to describe how in credible he looks. 

He‘s left his dark black hair unruly and somehow still styled, its atramentous color contrasts beautiful ly with his azure irises. Combine that with the stream of tattoos peeking above the collar of his shirt and under the cuffs of his sleeves, he is completely irresistible. 

‘Good evening, he greets me, his voice doing unspeakable things to me. 

‘Evening, I force my brain to comply and manage a breathy response, his eyes trail up and down my body. My skin heats under his gaze and I‘m glad that I wore the tightest jeans I have, they show my curves off well. Jayce seems to notice. 

“You look hot, really hot, he compliments me, I spin around to lock the door so he can‘t see how pleased I am. 

‘Thank you, you look...divine,‘ I reply, mentally cursing myself for sounding like such an idiot. 

Divine, really? 

We make idle conversation as he drives us off to our unknown destination, it is only when we follow my 

route to work that I become curious. 

‘Where are we going?‘ I ask, glancing around to see we are on Damien‘s territory. 

‘My house,’ he replies, for a moment, I‘m mad that I stressed about what to wear so much, he could have just told me this earlier. 

“You‘re making me dinner?‘ I question, trying to keep the surprise out of my voice. 

“Yes, you nervous?‘ He asks and winks at me, I‘m momentarily stunned by this flirtatious side of him that I‘ve rarely seen. 

‘Would you like a drink?‘ He offers, and I eagerly accept a glass of wine to calm my nerves.