My knees shake from how badly I want to strip off his shirt right now so I can take a look. It’s an extremely inappropriate reaction, but it also makes me want to giggle.
We examine the necklaces, and I point to one with small green and gray stones and a large oval piece of beach glass wrapped in spirals of silver wire. "That one. It's fun and would go with lots of different colors."
Kellan picks it up carefully. "Yeah. But there's a scratch or a crack or something in the middle of the glass."
“Oh, that’s an inclusion. It’s deliberate. Doesn't it kind of look like a wave?”
"Hmm." He turns it and finally nods. "Okay, sure, I could see that."
We select some earrings that complement the necklace, then my eye is briefly caught by a delicate necklace on the shelf below. This one features a round piece of deep bottle blue glass and several smaller pieces of green along the sides.
Kellan follows my gaze, then picks it up. "This one instead, you think?"
My head shakes. "No, I think the other one is better. I mean, I’ve never met your mother, but you said she wears a lot of green and gray. It's a quieter design, too."
I lift my chin to meet his eyes, and time stops. Gravity isn't quite as reliable as I've come to assume. I'm floating while standing in front of him, lost in his deep brown gaze as my body leans incrementally closer to his.
"Not for Mom." His deep voice is scratchier when he speaks, sending another cascade of shivers down my spine. "For you. I saw your eyes light up."
I don't think he realizes how seductive his smile is as he takes the necklace from my hands. Then I melt as he pushes my hair aside with his finger to check that my ears are pierced. “And how about some earrings to match?"
He's already picking out two different pairs as I sputter in disbelief – one silver spirals, the other plain blue glass. He takes everything to the counter, and Crow rings him up. Kellan doesn't even ask the total, just taps his card on the reader.
We leave with two gift boxes, one of them tied with a red bow. "Thank you," I finally whisper.
"Hey, don't be so shocked," Kellan says with a grin as we stroll down the street and into Betty's Bistro. "Crow is a great guy. I'm always trying to support small businesses around here. Plus, you wanted it, so you should have it. Simple."
We're seated on the patio by a woman with a fifties pinup hairdo and bright pink leopard print hot pants. Since we're right in the corner, our chairs are tight together. It gives me another panty-melting opportunity to revel in the incredible sensation of being so close to him. His masculine scent. The sexy curve of his lips. The way his eyes are locked on mine, listening to every detail when I speak.
"I guess I should tell you," I murmur. “I’ve never…really gone on a date or anything before. So I'm not used to gifts and sudden lunches at the drop of a hat."
Kellan nods, smiling warmly as he holds out his hand palm up on his solid thigh. I take it, instantly feeling more grounded and wildly excited at the same time.
"How old are you, Jenna?"
“Twenty-one. You?"
"Thirty. But according to my four older brothers, I might as well be several years younger since they treat me like a baby whenever it's amusing."
I laugh for a moment. "I guess it's good I don't really have siblings. Less teasing that way."
He leans closer, and the intensity of his gaze sends lightning bolts through me. "Look, I'm normally a patient person. But inthis case…" His eyes close for a moment as he takes a deep breath.
Then he looks at me again with that smile that I’m quickly becoming addicted to. "Let's just do this lightning-round style, okay?"
I have no idea what he means. I nod anyway.
He quirks up an eyebrow. "Are you single?"
"Yes."
"Do you think our age difference is a problem?"
"No. I think I like a guy who's capable."
"Good. Do you understand that once in a while I'll have to take off in the middle of a date if there's a company emergency and my brothers aren’t available to deal with it?"
"Of course."
