The sting of the needle as it penetrated her skin caused her to squeeze her eyes shut. She was stuck in a kneeling position on the floor, leaning her arms on his knees. She rested her chin on one arm, opening her eyes and looking up at him. It was nice. She liked being close to him.
“Sorry,” he said, poking her finger again.
“It’s okay.” She didn’t care whether it hurt or not at that moment. She hoped it would take him all night to get that splinter out.
Another poke. “Almost got it. Do you have any tweezers?”
“Yes. I have to get them out of my makeup bag.” She hopped up and ran into her room, threw open her makeup bag and dug around with her good hand until she found them. Then she hurried back. “Here.” She sat back down as he took her hand in his again.
He softly rooted around with the tweezers. “Does that hurt?”
“No. You’re very gentle,” she said with a smile.
“Good.” She noticed how his concentration had caused lines to form between his eyes, his brows pulled down, and a focused frown on his face. Then, that relaxed, happy look filtered through his features and he set down her tweezers. “Got it.” With her hand still in his, he put her finger to his lips and kissed it. “All better.” She wanted so badly to feel that kiss on her lips. He stood up, helping her up as well, and then thumbed through the first aid kit.
“Thank you,” she said as he ripped open a packet of cleaning wipes. He pulled out the tiny towelette and shook it free before taking her hand again to wipe her finger. When he was finished, he wrapped a small bandage around it.
“I should sand that rocking chair and repaint the arm.”
“You’d probably do it right now if I didn’t stop you.”
“I don’t have my work truck or I would,” he grinned.
They were standing together, face to face. He was looking down at her, the corners of his mouth twitching upward in amusement, and even though he wasn’t touching her, she had an ache within her to put her hands on his face and feel him next to her. She caught herself urging him with her eyes to touch her, and he seemed to read it perfectly. He reached out and dragged his fingers down her arm, giving her goose bumps. His gaze followed the invisible trail he’d left with his finger and then he made eye contact. He could tell his affect on her.
His breathing was steady as he took a step closer to her and put his hand on her waist. She looked up at him, waiting, hoping he’d kiss her. He looked as though he were deliberating.
“What are you thinking?” she whispered, her body still in the moment, her hands moving up around his neck to help him along.
“I’m thinking how much I want to kiss you, and it’s taking all my willpower not to.”
“Um hm.” She totally agreed but wasn’t using her willpower tonight. She lifted herself up on her tiptoes in an attempt to be face to face.
He leaned in, resting his face next to hers—cheek to cheek—his breath near her neck, the corners of their mouths so close that it almost felt like the start of a kiss. “I don’t want to screw this up.” He pulled back and looked at her, as if waiting for her response to his honesty.
“You won’t.” Even with a deep breath, she couldn’t slow her heartbeat.
“I’ve messed this up between us a few times now. You deserve for me to do this the right way.”
He put his hands on her face and very softly kissed her lips. It took everything she had to be still and not push him down on the sofa. The thought surprised her. It wasn’t like her, but she couldn’t help it.
“I was wondering, would you like to go on a date with me?” he asked.
“Adate?” She smiled.
“Yes.” His face was playful, almost excited. “A date.”
That word “date” had brought to mind her conversation with Casey when they’d first arrived. She’d forgotten all about that until now. That conversation she’d had with Casey seemed like years ago. How far they’d come since they’d arrived. “We’ve been on a date already remember? You took me to Bodie Island Lighthouse.”
Jake shook his head. “I was thinking about a real date. That was more of a day out.”
“Call it what you want,” she said. “I’ll call it a date.”
The way she was feeling at this moment, she knew she could talk to him when things made her uncomfortable. It seemed so easy now. She could feel the excitement bubbling up, but she didn’t want to admit to herself how pleased his proposition made her or his reasons for being so happy. Last time he’d been this happy, he’d dropped the bomb on her that he’d be leveling two local restaurants. She was afraid to be too hopeful.
He grinned, a little chuckle of laughter escaping his lips. “Well?”
“Yes. I’d love to go on another date.”
