“Very funny. You want to have dinner with me?”
Milo moved closer, his eyes focused on my face until he paused with only a few inches between us, then his gaze swept down to my wide-legged overalls and cropped black t-shirt. I bitmy lip until he reached out and gently released it with his thumb before dropping his hand.
“I want that and more, Eden, but what about you? Was it just one night for you?”
I sucked in a breath. “No. I didn’t—I’m sorry I ran out on you.”
“What do you want, Eden?” he asked, no longer touching me but still holding me in thrall with that impossibly sexy voice.
Of everything that happened between us, it was the memory of his voice that crept up on me unexpectedly as the days passed. He had been sweet, generous, impressively talented, and utterly devoted to pleasing me—but that low, deep timbre of his haunted my dreams, the way my name rumbled from his chest and whispered past his lips.
“Dinner,” I squeaked, then kicked myself for being a ninny.
Milo’s lips tipped up at the corners, barely visible through his beard, and he murmured, “That’s a start. Do what you need to do, lock up, and I’ll bring you back to your car later.”
Much to my extremely strict parents’ dismay, I was not built for following orders. When they were issued by Milo’s low baritone, however, I couldn’t resist.
Everything was ready for the grand opening tomorrow morning, so I just checked the back door, grabbed my coat and purse from the little room we’d turned into the employee lounge, and met Milo back in the shop.
However at ease the man looked amidst lace and satin and the occasional marabou feather trim, I felt anything but. Mypulse worked double-time as I approached his spot in the center aisle. I wondered which of the store’s offerings he might like best and what his reaction would be to seeing me wearing them.
When I came to a halt, he reached out and stroked his knuckles down the side of my throat.
“Relax,” he whispered. “I know you don’t know me very well yet, Eden, but we’ll remedy that over dinner, okay?”
With a breathless laugh, I nodded. “Okay. I’m sorry I made things awkward.”
“Things are awkward because I know what you taste like, but I don’t know your favorite food,” Milo teased, but the words were gentle. “We’ll get past that, and then it will be smooth sailing while we see where this goes. Sound good?”
“Yes. Good. Just, um, if you could not mention tasting me while we’re having dinner, I might be able to act like a regular human being.”
That grin.It got me every time. I remembered how soft the beard surrounding it was, thanks to some hipster beard oil he’d joked about, one that smelled faintly of pine.
“I’ll behave like a perfect gentleman, Eden. Tonight is just dinner and getting to know each other. You have my word.”
I was still mere seconds away from hyperventilation, but I nodded. This was Milo—sweet, generous, kind Milo. He didn’t hate me for leaving him alone in that hotel room, wasn’t holding a grudge because I’d made a split-second decision that hurt us both. In fact, he seemed nothing but pleased to have found me again.
I took the hand he held out to me and led him out the front door, locking it behind us. The brisk January air did very little to soothe me, but when we passed my car, Milo squeezed my hand and chuckled.
“You know, even when I was annoyed at losing my parking spot, I was afraid I might actually like the owner of that car based on the bumper stickers alone. I didn’t peg you as a Zelda fan.”
Lifting my chin, I said, “Don’t tell me you’re one of those gamer dudes who looks down on girls that can kick their asses at video games.”
“Oh ho,” he protested, “I certainly am not. In fact, I welcome video game ass-kicking. Why don’t we pick up dinner, head back to my house to eat, and you can kick my ass at your choice of games while we get to know each other better?”
Normally, I’d assume a first date at a guy’s place was just a ploy to get into my pants, but Milo had already done that—at my very explicit request—so I said, “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Consider me warned,” he replied solemnly, but he winked. “What would you like for dinner?”
Part of scrimping and saving to open the shop meant I didn’t get takeout very often unless I was with Addie, who refused to ever let me pay. “I’ve been wanting to try that new Thai place on the next block. Do you like Thai?”
“Thai Me Down?”
I choked on my laughter. No matter how many times I drove by the sign, it always made me giggle. “Yes.”
“The first non-sexual thing for you to learn about me, Eden, is that I like food. Full stop. Specifically, however, I do love Thai food, so that’s settled. I’ve only ordered from their food truck, but everything I’ve tried has been delicious.”
We continued up the street, holding hands in a way that normally would make me feel awkward but for some reason comforted me instead. When Milo stopped so I could peruse the menu taped up in the restaurant’s front window, I slanted a glance in his direction.
