Dream With Me (With Me Book 4) by Elyssa Patrick Page B

says, her voice soft and so full of love that it sets off this longing in me.
    I want that. I want to look at some guy and be so much in love with him that nothing else matters, because I know that he’s completely in love with me, too.
    I glance at Griff and feel this jolt when I see that his attention is on me. His eyes don’t leave mine, and the air suddenly feels . . .
    Hot.
    “But don’t mind me. Continue the flirt fest you have going on. I’ll just sit here and look pretty,” Jamie says with a wink, before turning his attention back to his girlfriend.
    “Really,” Griff says under his breath, “we shouldn’t let him out at all.”
    “He’s funny, but his theories are definitely out there.” I gesture toward my hamburger. “Does it bother you if I’m not a vegetarian?”
    “Of course not.” Griff leans closer to me. “Everyone else eats meat but Zelda.”
    “Does your brother?”
    “Jack’s a vegan, too.”
    “Oh,” I say, then take a bite of the burger. It’s delicious, but I’m conscious that Griff isn’t eating and I’m more interested in him than the food. I should ask Griff if he has any plans. I’m definitely not going to ask Griff if he wants to hook up again in front of his friends—they might be talking to each other, but I have a feeling they’re also paying close attention to what’s going on with us. “Are you going out tonight?”
    Griff nods. “Are you?”
    “Yeah.” I think over what I should say next; I should play it cool. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”
    “Maybe.”
    Ah, so he’s playing it cool, too. I deflate a little. Last night felt so easy between us, but it’s all sorts of awkward right now. And I just don’t want to play these games. This is a mistake. I should have just left it alone, sex god or no.
    Griff clears his throat. “Or . . .”
    I put my burger down and see that he’s turned in his chair to face me, so I do the same. “Or?”
    “Or we could just go together.”
    I lick my suddenly dry lips, and his eyes go to my glossy coral lips. “You mean, we can meet somewhere tonight? Plan a certain time and place?”
    “No, I mean, we can go together.” Griff leans in, his gaze darkening. “As in a date.”
    “A date?” I can’t help repeating him again, so stunned by his statement. A date is not in the plans. I’m supposed to keep this casual. Keep it fun. But . . . but . . . a date can mean those things. A date can just be a date. I’ve had plenty of dates that have gone nowhere before.
    “A date,” Griff says. “Go out with me, Evie.”
    The more I look into Griff’s deep brown eyes, the more I want to say yes. And why shouldn’t I? It’s only a date. Nothing serious.
    “Yes,” I say.
    “It’s a date.”

Chapter 8
    ‡
    My best friends don’t laugh at me when we head back to the car and I tell them of my change of plans. And when we reach our apartment, they gamely sit through me modeling various outfits. Because even though this date doesn’t have to mean anything, I still want to look good.
    I catwalk back out to the main area in yet another outfit—this one a super short tangerine dress—and strike a pose. Chloe and Taylor give me a thumbs up, but they’ve pretty much given the previous five outfits their seal of approval.
    “So, this is the problem,” I say. “I can wear a dress. A skirt. Or I can do skinny jeans.”
    “No to jeans,” Taylor says.
    “I could do a new pair of tiny shorts.”
    Chloe shakes her head. “No. Wear a dress. Not this one, though. You’ve done sexy. You’ve done casual. What about something flirty?”
    “Definitely flirty,” Taylor says.
    “And something that will also drive him wild,” I say, thinking of the dresses in my closet.
    Chloe and Taylor share a look.
    “What?” I ask.
    Chloe smiles wide. “I’m pretty sure that whatever you wear will drive Griff wild.”
    “Did you see how he looked at her?” Taylor fans herself.
    I can’t help myself. I need to know.