Ava thought she had the world figured out until it was turned upside down. She must decide if she wants to be free or re-building the life she had.
Series Order: Baby Steps, Colossal Jump, Moving Forward, Little Leaps and Passing Motions.
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Dating Blake feels like I'm back in high school again! Everything from the cheeky glances, hand holding, and the exuberant amount of butterflies coursing through my stomach has me churning with nerves. I'm weak at the knees and I feel like whatever I might say will be stupid. On the bright side, at least we've got our spark back.
I shuffle in the car seat, unable to get comfortable. My gaze eventually flickers to the smile resting on Blake's lips.
"Where are we going?" I ask.
"Somewhere nice," he replies. "That's why I bought you a new dress."
"Really? I thought you were trying to buy my affection again," I tease.
"Wowza, when did you get so sassy?" He laughs.
"Maybe I've always been like this?" I smile.
"Whatever it is, I like it."
Blake's hand shifts from the gear stick so that he can hold my hand. I squeeze his hand tightly which earns me a tight smile. When Blake lets go of my hand, I rest mine on the top section of his thigh.
Some time later, we arrive at the restaurant which is a small building enclosed by the vineyards. It's almost like a secret place from the slight off-road driveway made of orange pebbles. The lighting is dim, but it sets the tone of the area nicely. If you look at the sky, you can actually see the stars.
He jumps out of the car and rushes around to open my door. I quickly step out of the car and fix the navy blue material that lightly floats around my thighs. Blake smiles with happiness as he leans in to kiss my cheek.
"You look hot in that dress," he compliments. "I went through five shops before I found this dress."
"Welcome to my world." I laugh. "But thank you, I do love this dress." My hand smooths over the light lace bodice. Blake places his hand on the open V-neck on my back which gives me chills. His fingers rub over my skin until his arm wraps around my waist.
"Let's go, we've got reservations."
We walk into the wonderfully lit restaurant and wait by the entrance for the waiter to greet us. The middle-aged, well-dressed man takes us to our table by a set of wide open windows that overlook the wonderful lit vineyard.
Once we're seated, Blake orders us a glass of white wine. The waiter nods his head and then leaves to give us a moment to browse the menu.
"This place looks amazing, Blake, thank you for bringing me here."
"I'm glad you like it," he admits. "It's been awhile since we've done something like this before."
"It has been," I agree.
I think about the last time Blake and I went on a proper date but nothing comes to mind. We usually lounge around the house, so it's no wonder why our relationship somewhat failed because we never tried to shake it up.
