She opened her mouth to protest, wanting to tell him he didn’t need to do that, but then she thought better of it.
“You know what?I’m going to take this as an opportunity to say yes.I’d love to come over again soon.”
His smile grew bigger as he came toward her, holding his arms out.She stepped into them, and when he closed them around her, she rested her cheek against his chest.
“It’s good to see you,” he murmured as he dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a squeeze.“It’s good to see you, too.”
When she looked up into his eyes, he chuckled.“Just tell me you’re not allergic to pepperoni or something.”
That made her laugh.“It’s my favorite.Whether you believe me or not, it is.”
“Okay, good to know.I’ll make note of that.”He pressed a soft kiss to her lips before asking, “And what about drinks?I have soda, I have wine, I have beer.”He frowned.“I don’t know what you drink.I feel like I should know.”
“Why should you?And besides, how could you?”
“I don’t know.I just feel like we know each other pretty well, don’t we?So why don’t I know what you drink?”
She shrugged.“Honestly, I’d love a nice cold beer.”She smiled as she added, “And now you know.”
He grinned as he let go of her and went to the fridge to take out two bottles.He popped the lid off one before handing it to her.
“I think I remember now.”
“Remember what?”she asked.
“I think my brain short-circuited when I put together that not only are you the sweetest person, but also a gorgeous girl who knows her way around a motor—restored her own Camaro no less— and to top it all off, you drink beer.”He chuckled.“I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I’d met my perfect woman.I figured you had to be too good to be true.”
She rolled her eyes at him.“You don’t need to lay it on so thick.”
“I’m not.I’m telling you the truth.I love everything about you, Savannah.”
He looked more serious as he added, “At least I love everything I know so far, and I hope we’re going to get the chance to get to know each other better.”
His earnest smile made her heart beat a little faster when he added, “I’ll just have to hope that you like what you learn about me, too.”
“I already love everything I know about you so far, Jake.I think you know that.”
She could tell he wasn’t fishing for compliments when he shook his head slowly.“I didn’t know.I mean, I hoped, but I didn’t know for sure.Thanks for saying it.”
“You don’t need to thank me.It’s true.”
She frowned.“And now I don’t know if I shouldn’t have said it—if I’m supposed to be playing this more carefully, or if there’s a way these things are supposed to go and I’m saying too much too soon.”She shrugged.“I don’t know how any of that works.All I can do is be me.”
He reached up and ran his fingers down her cheek.“That’s all I want you to do.And I promise I’ll do the same.”
She relaxed.It felt as though there probably was some playbook that should be followed in these situations, but she got the impression that Jake had no more idea what it was than she did.
~ ~ ~
They ate at the table in the kitchen, and Jake was shocked when he realized the pizza was gone and a couple of hours had ticked by while they were sitting there talking and laughing.
“Do you want another beer?”
“Thanks, but I shouldn’t.I have to drive back.”
“Damn, I should have thought about that.Sorry.”
