Back at her place, she took him outside to the patio. “Sit. I’m going to get you your reward.” She ignored the hungry look he shot at her body. “Vanilla hot-fudge sundae work for you?”
His slow smile struck her right in the heart. So innocent, and so at odds with that glimpse of pain she’d seen before he got into the car. “With nuts too?”
“You really think you’re that special?”
“Peanuts. Not some froufrou sugar-coated walnuts or almond knockoffs.”
“Purist.”
“You’re damn right.”
She left him smiling and returned with two bowls full of lots of vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, and nuts. With a cherry on top. Only to find him kneeling by her garden, shuffling dirt around.
“Hey.”
He shot up with a guilty look on his face. “Oh ah, that was fast.”
“What were you doing to my cucumbers?”
“Such accusation in that tone.” He tried to joke it off, but she saw his fists clench.
“Oh. Weeding. I see.” She totally didn’t, but she felt bad for teasing. “Look, the sundae will keep. But since you do owe me for taking you to an awesome museum—”
“Which I paid for,” he mumbled.
“Then you should take care of Violet. See? If you can name your plant, I can name mine.”
“Which one is Violet?” He started to relax.
“The big geranium in that pot. I have to move her to replace the dead thing my aunt swears will come back to life. It won’t, and she’s going to blame me for killing it, though she gave it to me already dead. The potting stuff is over there. Hop to. Chop-chop.”
He blinked. “Seriously?”
“Well, yeah. I’m eating ice cream over here.” She took a big scoop and sighed, ignoring the brain freeze.Oy. What I do for myboyfriend.
His eyes crinkled, and he laughed. Then he kissed her. “Hmm. Vanilla. Not my favorite, but the fudge makes up for it. Tell you what. I’ll do the hard labor while you feed me and tell me how brave and awesome and sexy I am.”
“Seriously?” He really made her want to laugh.
“I have self-esteem issues. Plus I’m doing your work.”
“Kind of like I was doing yoursandyour sister’s in Magnolia, hmm?”
“Not the same thing at all. That was a date to impress you. Now feed me, woman.”
He ate the ice cream like he was making love to it. By the time he finished, Zoe was hot and bothered. And not having any sex, because their relationship had to be more than casual.
It had to be for both of them, because Zoe feared she’d started falling for the muscular Marine with buried wounds, who owned a plant that had girlfriends and wore a smile that turned her world upside down.
And that’s how Zoe found herself wishing to trade places with a spoon on a Friday night with a man made for loving.
