“Mmm.”
The low sound was somewhere between a murmur and a growl. Those gray eyes darkened when goosebumps rose along my bare arms and a shiver danced up my spine.
“You look like a gift, just waiting to be unwrapped.”
I sucked in a breath as that fantasy spun before me. Milo let go of the fabric, but he trailed one fingertip along my throat as his hand moved away. Focused as I was on his expression, a mixture of heat and longing, I didn’t realize Addie was calling my name until Milo tipped his head in her direction.
“What?” I asked, swiveling on my stool.
Addie was smiling at me, but it wasn’t the triumphant smirk I expected. It was soft, pleased. Loving. All my remaining irritation fled under the warmth of that smile.
“Sorry about the crowd, babe. I just told them we were coming out and they wanted to celebrate your success today. You did great. I’m so proud of you.”
“Be proud of us,” I replied. “You’ve done more than your share of the heavy lifting. I couldn’t have managed this without you.”
“Nonsense. Take note, Milo. Eden Rosalie Campbell has a will of solid steel. Whatever she sets her mind to, it doesn’t matter how long it’ll take to make it happen—if she wants it, she will get it.”
Milo grinned at me and said, “I’d noticed that, actually.”
Addie burst out laughing while I shot him a glare, but I couldn’t hold onto it long. Aside from Addie, Rob, and Monique, I hadn’t built a whole lot of community in SpruceHill while I worked toward my goal, but here I was, surrounded by people ready to cheer me on.
Including Milo.
With him at my back, I let Addie and her friends draw us into their conversations. As I relaxed into this whole being part of a group thing, I felt Milo shift, turning on his stool with one knee on either side of my hips. I moved without thinking, settling myself there between his legs, reveling in the heat of his chest against my back and the weight of his hand when it squeezed my waist.
“I’ll walk you out when you’re ready,” he murmured into my ear, just as my sleepless night and chaotic first day caught up with me.
I stifled a yawn. “I think I’m ready now.”
Addie had a sixth sense for anything that involved getting me alone with this man, so she smiled brightly and said, “I’ll catch a ride with Monique. Have a good night, you two!”
Though I rolled my eyes, the chorus of farewells and wishes for continued success on opening weekend distracted me from my cousin’s meddling. Milo’s hand closed around mine as we left the restaurant, walking into a startling burst of chilly air. I recoiled slightly, bumping into Milo’s firm chest.
“If I had a jacket, I’d offer it to you,” he said.
“I guess I should still be bringing one to work. It’s been so nice out during the day this week, I thought maybe we were in for an early spring. I can’t wait for warmer weather.”
He wrapped his arm around me, tucking my body into his side as we hurried toward his car. God, he was warm, even in a t-shirt and jeans. I tripped over my own feet just as we reached the car, saved from falling only by Milo’s quick reflexes.
“Easy there. Are you okay to drive? I can take you home.”
I wrinkled my nose. “That’s probably a good idea. You’d think a single drink wouldn’t be a problem, but I have zero tolerance for alcohol. Addie had offered Monique as our driver and said she’d bring me to work in the morning if I needed it.”
Milo’s expression shifted as he led me toward his car instead. Once my door was shut, he jogged around to the driver’s side, settling into his seat before he spoke. “Eden, that night…”
Before he could even finish the sentence, I started shaking my head. “No. Nope. If you’ll recall, I didn’t even finish that glass of champagne. I’m not drunk now, Milo, I would just rather be safe than sorry when it comes to operating heavy machinery.”
“Okay,” he soothed. “Just making sure.”
“Do you regret hooking up with me?” I blurted out, then wondered if I might be drunker than I’d thought, since my verbal filter had apparently abandoned me.
“Do I regret—fuck no.”
The words carried enough force to reassure me, though he looked a little hurt that I’d even asked the question. I wasn’t sure what exactly my face was doing, but as his eyes searched mine, whatever he saw there caused his expression to grow soft.
“Eden, that night was amazing and my only regret was not waking up with you so we could exchange information before you left. But for what it’s worth, this—hanging out, talking, letting you kick my ass at video games—this is amazing, too.”
My eyes narrowed. “What do you mean,lettingme?”
