He managed a smile when his whole body was ready to get up and pounce.
Yeah. It had been a while.
A long, long time since he'd been with a woman.
He hadn't been with anyone since his wife.
Sure, he was up close and personal with his hand, but-
"Sir. Ma'am."
The waiter stopped at the side of the table and Nick felt like he'd been caught with his pants down in more than one way.
Clearing his throat, he released Ruth's hand and sat back in his chair.
The waiter set Ruth's plate down first and then one down for him.
Nick looked down at the meal to get the first look at what he'd ordered sight unseen.
After asking the obligatory questions about seasoning or drinks, the waiter bowed out.
Nick was still looking at his plate, wondering what the hell he'd ordered.
When he heard the in-drawn gasp from Ruth's side of the table he looked up.
She clasped her hands together in front of herself and the look she had focused on the dish in front of her on the table, he wanted her to look at him like that.
Like she could eat him up bit by bit.
He was suddenly very glad for the thick tablecloth covering enough of his lap that no one could see what he was feeling.
"Uh... Sorry to sound like a total nitwit, but," he gestured at the plate in front of him, "what did we order?"
Ruth leaned in toward the table, her forearms bracing against the edge of the table. Her face was lit with joy. "It's beef wellington."
"Wellington?" Nick looked down at the brown loaf-like item in the main part of the dish. "What does that mean?"
"It's a piece of meat surrounded by a savory mix of mushrooms and shallots and baked in a layer of pastry. I've seen it for over a decade on Hell's Kitchen with Gordon Ramsey and this is the first time that I've been to a restaurant that actually serves it. So I had to try it."
Rubbing her lips together made it harder for him.
To think.
To breathe.
To ignore the pain below the belt.
He was glad they still had to eat their meals because he was back to feeling like that teenage boy again.
A boy who might just have a problem keeping it in his pants.
He hadn't felt this alive in a long time.
Ruth hadn't started eating yet.
She hadn't even picked up her knife and fork.
Frowning, Nick looked over at her plate before he looked at her expression. "Is it wrong? Do you want to send it back?"
