After placing the bottle on the table, he retrieves two glasses and fills them halfway. He picks up his glass and waits for me to do the same. “To our surprise date.”
Laughing, I raise my glass and carefully tap it to his. “Cheers.”
I try not to allow any drool to escape as I watch Hayden move about in the kitchen. He walks past me, and I realize his feet are bare. And it’s doing something for me. I’m used to seeing him completely put together, with cowboy bootsand a hat, but he’s completely relaxed and comfortable despite my being here. Between that and the corded muscles of his forearms, I just want to throw my panties at him right here and now. I laugh at the thought right as he approaches with a casserole dish.
He places the dish on a potholder before looking at me with a raised brow. “What’s funny?”
I laugh again, and my cheeks heat. No way will I be telling him what’s got me laughing. So, I blurt out the first thing I can come up with. “Oven mitts.”
Seriously? That’s the best I can do?They are basic oven mitts, but I’m committed to this lie, so I try to find something—anything—to find fault with. “They’re very pretty and made me wonder if you have a matching apron.”
A smile spreads across his face, and I find myself grinning back at him. Once again feeling like a schoolgirl with a crush, I cast my eyes downward to try to give myself a moment. By the time he returns with the rest of the items and sits beside me, I’m mostly able to play it cool again.
When he uncovers everything, I discover he cooked my mother’s pot roast with mashed potatoes and rolls. First, he learned to make my mother’s chicken alfredo, which he knows is my favorite. And now this, which I also love.
“Hayden…” I trail off, unable to find the words I’m looking for.
“I wanted to make something both you and Sierra would like. I really didn’t know she had plans, and I get the feeling the plans came after I invited you to come over for dinner.”
“You may have something of a matchmaker on your hands,” I say with a laugh. “Teenagers…”
“I guess I could have worse problems than a kid who’s trying to help me out.”
“I didn’t realize you needed help in that department. Although now that I think about it, I’ve never seen you with a woman,” I say casually before digging into my food.
We’re both quiet for several moments while we eat. It’s delicious, of course. Possibly even better than my mother’s, not that I would ever tell her that. The fact that he learned how to prepare it to make both Sierra and me happy, probably makes it even better.
I push my plate forward so I can rest my elbow on the island and turn to face him. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Hayden takes his last bite of food, chews slowly, and swallows before turning the rest of the way to face me. “You didn’t ask one.”
“Why haven’t I seen you date?” I ask boldly, fighting the way the low timbre of his voice goes straight through me.
“Hmmm. I’m pretty sure I asked you about your dating situation on our trip, and you dodged it. So, you first.”
“Obviously, I’m not dating anyone. I’ve dated here and there. But none of them—” I stop myself before I say none of them were him. “None of them were right.”
He hums again before tucking a few stray hairs behind my ear. My skin tingles beneath his touch, and I instantly think about our night together. One night was definitely not enough.
“And what would the right man be like?”
My breath catches, and I swallow hard. “Nope. It’s your turn.”
“You haven’t seen me date because I don’t. You’re the only woman I’ve been with since we met.”
Chapter 28
Hayden
Miranda’s lips part, and she takes a surprised breath. I already told her I don’t sleep around, but I wasn’t sure if I should tell her she’s the only one I’ve been with in the past five years. She should know I wouldn’t put her at risk, and things wouldn’t have happened the way they did that night had I not been absolutely sure I was safe.
“Only me?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Only you,” I repeat. “I didn’t know it right then, but it was only ever going to be you from the moment my eyes met yours.”
“Hayden. We can’t-”
“We’re adults, and I’m fucking tired of fighting this.”
