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Delilah took in a deep breath before exhaling slowly. James should be pulling in to her driveway at any moment and she was nervous.

She liked James. Plain and simple, she liked him. And she really wanted him to like her too. She was enjoying talking to him and getting to know him and letting him get to know her.

And getting to know her meant telling James about her family, because that was what had shaped her life.

Delilah didn't figure she was unlike any other person who was looking for love. She wanted to find the person that would listen to her ramble on about the choreography she saw in her head, the person she could come home to and just enjoy their company. She wanted the person that understood her, that got her, that loved her. For ever quirk, for every wrinkle. For every smile and every tear.

Was James that person? Maybe. She didn't know, but she wanted to find out. She felt something in her heart that told her to try, to give it her all, and that meant having this conversation with him.

The headlights of his car bounced through the front windows and she made herself sit on the couch until she heard his knock at the door. When she pulled the door open, James looked up and his face broke into that dazzling smile.

"Hi," he started. He held a bouquet of flowers out to her. "My mom taught me to never show up empty handed and I'm pretty sure most girls like flowers."

"We do," she agreed, accepting them from him. "They're beautiful. Come inside," she said as she stepped back.

"I brought wine too," James offered, pulling the bottle from behind his back. "I don't really know much about wine but I made Fish check with his wife and she swears this is really good."

"Fish?" Delilah repeated as they walked towards the kitchen. She sought out a vase and filled it with water and quickly arranged the flowers in it.

"Mike Fisher; he's one of my teammates."

"And his wife?"

"Carrie."

She nodded. "That was nice of her to help you out.”

“You don’t know?”

“Know what?”

“Who Fish is married to.”

“Am I supposed to? I've never really met Craig’s teammates before and we don’t talk all that much about hockey, although I can always tell when you’ve lost.”

“Why haven’t you? Met the guys before that is.”

“When I left New York, I wanted to recharge and find my passion. I went home for a little while but my mom just nagged me every day. What was I going to do next, when was I going to meet someone and get married. I called Craig to vent and he told me I could move here and live with him so I did. I started working part time at a studio here and I discovered that I was passionate about teaching dance. Craig helped me get a loan to start out and then everything happened from there. I was so busy trying to get everything started that I didn’t get to go to any of the games and when we were here at the same time, I always threw ideas at Craig. He’s a very good sounding board for me. Anyway, I spent pretty much all of my free time at the studio so the opportunity to meet anyone were few and far between.”

“How’d you get rid of him tonight anyway?”

“Gave him beer money and pointed him to a bar serving dollar beers with Ryan. Should keep him occupied for awhile.” James nodded. “So are you going to tell me?”

“What?”

“Who Mike is married to.”

“Oh, that. It’s Carrie Underwood.”

Delilah stopped what she was doing and turned to face James slowly. “I’m sorry, but you have a teammate that is married to Carrie Underwood? The Carrie Underwood?”

“I'm pretty sure it’s just Carrie, but yeah.”

“Wow. He must be really hot.”

James laughed. “I guess he’s not bad looking.”

“But you’re better, right?” she teased him.

“Well, yeah, of course.”

“Ego much?”

He shrugged. “When you’ve got it, flaunt it.”

Delilah laughed. “Is spaghetti okay? I make my own sauce and meatballs.”

“Spaghetti is great. Do you need help with anything?”

“You can stir the sauce on the stove. I’ve already got the meatballs in. It shouldn't be too much longer.”

"Stir the sauce; yeah, I shouldn't be able to mess that up."

Delilah laughed as James moved around the kitchen. "You close on your house this week, right?

"First thing tomorrow; having my new furniture delivered and everything."

"Congratulations."

"Thanks. I think I'll miss Rich cooking for me but not him trying to get in my room every morning."

"I'm sure you can manage ordering in."

"Probably. I was thinking though..."

"Sounds dangerous," she winked as she edged him out of the way to pull the meatballs from the oven.

"Oh, you've got jokes, eh?"

"You left yourself open for it."

"Yeah, probably," he chuckled. "What time do you work until tomorrow?"

"Five thirty. My other instructor is closing tomorrow."

"I was thinking that I could pick you up and you could help me me stuff for my kitchen and then maybe we could cook dinner together after."

"What kind of stuff do you need for your kitchen?"

"I have a fridge, an oven, and a microwave."

"So everything?"

"Yeah."

"Pots and pans?"

"Yep."

"Dishes?"

"And utensils."

"Oh wow; you really do need help."

"I'm very helpless." He smiled widely, flashing every one of his perfect, straight teeth, his eyes dancing with mischief. Delilah wasn't sure she had ever seen a better smile in her life.

"Alright, I'll help you. But you can't argue with me and you have to buy whatever I tell you. If I'm the one making you dinner then it's only fair."

"Deal." He held out his hand and they shook on it before pulling her into a hug. "I really appreciate you helping me," he said softly.

"You're welcome," she said, looking up at him. He smiled and while Delilah was thinking about how she liked the way his eyes crinkled in the corners and how strong his embrace was, James leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

He didn't demand in his kiss but it certainly commanded Delilah's attention. Her mind snapped to the fact he was kissing her and to the way he pulled her in closer while breaking the kiss.

James looked down at her, searching her face. He wanted to kiss her again. Her lips were soft and she was pretty and he really could not think straight when she smiled at him. Without asking, he leaned in and kissed her again.

This time Delilah was more prepared and when his lips touched hers, her fingers curled in the material of his shirt at his back as she pressed into him. Obediently, she opened her mouth to his when he traced her lower lip. Kissing James was heaven. Absolute heaven.

His hands skimmed up her sides and then back down, settling at her waist. He didn't want to push his luck but his hands had a mind of his own when touching a gorgeous woman and one slipped to her ass, pulling her body even tighter to his. He had one thigh wedged between her legs and his senses were in overdrive.

Delilah broke away with a gasp when she felt James erection press into her. She was breathless and wide eyed as she took two steps back. "Sorry," he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I shouldn't have kissed you."

"No, that was okay. I just...it's complicated."

"Complicated, oh.... You have a boyfriend?"

"No, nothing like that. I um, I don't..." She sighed and took a tentative step forward. "I like you, James. And I'm not seeing anyone else. It's me."

"You're beautiful," James said, reaching for her and pushing a piece of her hair behind her ear, touching her cheek tenderly.

"Let's eat and I'll explain, I promise." James nodded his agreement and they each filled bowls full of spaghetti. Delilah brought a bowl of salad to the table and they sat down to eat. Delilah paused, saying a silent prayer before beginning to eat. Across from her, James watched.

"Do you pray before meals?"

"Something quick in my head usually. I don't expect others to."

"My mom makes us, when I'm home and everyone's there for family dinner. She says it brings us closer together.”

“Some people feel like it does.”

He shrugged and took a large bite of the spaghetti. “Holy fuck, Delilah! You should bottle this and sell it and make like a million dollars.”

She blushed. “It’s not that good.”

“It’s awesome. You made this?”

“Mmhmm. Family recipe.”

“You’re Italian?”

“Half. My mom is Italian.”

“Do you make alfredo sauce too?”

“Of course.”

“Can we have that one time?”

“Sure.”

“Cool.” He shoveled several more forkfuls of food into his mouth and Delilah giggled to herself watching him as if it were his last meal. “What does your mom do, other than teach you secret family recipes?”

“She’s a nurse.”

“And your dad?”

Delilah paused before looking over at him to meet his eye. “My dad is a baptist preacher.”

James stopped with his fork in mid air. “A preacher?”

She nodded. “A preacher,” she confirmed.

“So you were a preacher’s daughter?”

Delilah laughed. “That was me.”

“You don’t look like a preacher’s daughter,” he blurted out.

“No, not particularly. The church was force fed to me from the day I was born. Grew up in it, held to a certain standard, a certain ideal. When I left home for college, I explored religion for myself, and did the things that made me happy. They weren’t what my dad believed but that was okay with me. I had my own peace with what I believed and that’s what mattered to me.”

“How did you start doing burlesque though?”

“Saw a show in the city and fell in love with it.”

“And the tattoos?”

“The first one, the birds, it was an expression of how I felt. Going to college, getting away from home for the first time, I truly felt like I was a bird being released from its cage. And I knew my parents would hate it so it was a little bit of a rebellious thing too. I kept going because it was a way for me to express myself.”

“I never would have guessed though...”

“Because of the burlesque and the tattoos?”

“Yeah.”

“I know what people probably think when they hear I dance burlesque, or they see the tattoos. But I know who I am and I’m happy with that person. This is me. A tattooed, burlesque dancer with a personal relationship with my faith.”

“Layers.”

“Layers?”

“That day I asked you to coffee; Daisy said you have layers and that I had to get to know you to get through them all.”

“Just the fact that I go to church each week scares most guys away.”

“It doesn’t scare me,” James said confidently, reaching across the table for her hand.

“I’m not into one night stands; I don’t give myself easily. And I’m not a virgin before you can ask. I just want to have a connection with someone, to feel something deeper before I share that part of myself with someone.”

“And I’m the idiot who got a boner when he kissed you.”

Delilah blushed. “I wouldn’t call you an idiot. I was just surprised.”

“It’s been awhile since I’ve been with anyone. Hell, it’s been a while since I kissed somebody. I like you, Delilah. I like you a lot. I want whatever you’ll give me, if you want the same.”

“I do.”

“My life isn’t easy, the schedule is even worse. But I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy because your smile makes me smile.”

“That’s sweet of you, James.”

“I learned a few things in the last year and a half about growing up.”

“Did you now?”

“I think so. I’ll let you be the judge of it.”

“So what next then?”

“We try dating. Find time in between your dance studio and my hockey.”

“You think we can do that?”

“Yeah, I think we can. Because I know you’re worth it.”

“I think you’re worth it too.”