“Oh,” she breathes out, “I’m glad.”
As I clear my throat, I realize my palms are sweaty and my hands are shaking. When was the last time I was this nervous?
I shouldn’t even be nervous.
Syndal wants me. It’s written all over her face and in the way her body reacts to me. My eyes dart down to her neck where I can just make out the way her pulse flutters with the beat of her heart.
She wants me.
She’s going to say yes.
I hope.
In a move fueled by panic, I pull my phone out of my pocket and hold it out between us like an offering. She glances at it and then back up at me with confusion written all over her face. I can practically feel the press of the people around us and their desire for my woman’schocolate treats. There isn’t time to waste here and yet, I’m frozen for a second.
When I get my shit together, I blurt out, “Can I get your number?”
“My number?” She says it with complete bewilderment in her voice while her eyebrows pull together as she looks up at me. “I don’t understand. Why do you want my number?” The confusion clears from her face, and she lights up before she exclaims, “Oh! Do you want to place an order? I have a card and it can all be done online.”
She reaches for one of her business cards on the table and I grab her hand before she can touch it. The moment our skin touches my knees go weak and I almost drop to the floor as an electric current shoots through me. A small gasp falls from her lips and her pupils dilate, clearly feeling the same thing I just did.
Holy shit.
What the fuck was that?
Will it happen every time we touch?
Why am I craving it now?
“I loved the chocolate, Syn, but it’s not why I want your number,” my voice is a deep rumble. She’s totally clueless, and it’s as frustrating as it is adorable. “I’d like to call you to finalize the details of our date.”
She rears back slightly as her mouth opens and closes a few times. She squeaks, “What details of our date?”
Unable to hold back any longer, I close the distance between us and get just a whisper of how good it would feel for the curves of her body to be pressed against me. It’s not nearly enough.
“Sorry,” my voice is husky, “I’m fucking this all up. I’d really like to take you out on a date. A proper date where I pick you up, we go out and get over the awkward first date feelings while having an amazing night together. It’ll be the start of something special; I just know it.”
I almost wince at how fucking earnest I sound, but I’m not going to start out whatever this is with my woman with lies. No fucking way.
The moment between us stretches for just long enough that I want to fidget. But I hold myself steady. Just when I think she’s going to say yes, her head tips back and the sound of her laughter wraps around me. As much as laughter isn’t what I was going for, I do love the sound of it.
“Joss,” there’s admonishment in her tone, “you don’t need to take me out on some sort of pity date to get chocolate.”
She reaches over and snags something off her table, but I don’t take my eyes off her. She presses it into my hand, but I still don’t look away.
Fucking hell, she’s gorgeous and she doesn’t even know it.
She shakes her head like I’m just the silliest thing she’s ever come across, and my heart sinks. She thinks I’m messing with her, but I’m fucking serious. My jaw clenches and I have to fight against my instinct to grab her and pull her against me.
Before I can tell her just how serious I am, some guy in a costume I don’t bother to look at walks up and Syndal’s focus shifts towards him. As much as I want to stand there until she gives me her number, I force myself to walk away.
When I look back at her, she’s looking at me with a look of amusement on her face. She gives a little wave before giving all her attention to her customers.
That did not go how I wanted it to go. My stomach clenches with unease while my resolve hardens.
I’m not going to give up. I just hope that it’s not too late when I get the chance to see her again.
It’s not just her sweet treats I’m addicted to; it’s her and I’m going to need to satisfy the craving sooner rather than later.
