“Maybe.” His thumb traced circles on my wrist, right over my pulse point. Could he feel how fast my heart was racing? “But I haven’t stopped thinking about you since last night. The way you looked at me during that song. Like you saw me. Not the performance, not the persona. Me, and I want to know what else you see.”
The food arrived before I could respond. Probably for the best, because my brain had vacated the premises and my body was staging a coup.
We ate. We talked about nothing and everything. His childhood in Kentucky. Mine in North Carolina. His favorite movies were action and musicals, which he claimed madeperfect sense together. My secret obsession with reality TV cooking competitions.
“You watchHell’s Kitchen?”
“Every season. Gordon Ramsay is my spirit animal.”
“The man calls people donuts when he’s mad.”
“It’s poetry.”
Cole laughed, full-bodied and real, and I felt it in my toes.
The restaurant buzzed around us, but we existed in our own bubble. Wine flowed. Conversation came easier. His knee bumped mine under the table and stayed there, a point of contact that felt both innocent and loaded with promise.
Dessert appeared. We agreed to share because we were both too full but also incapable of saying no to chocolate.
I took a bite. Moaned.
Cole’s fork froze halfway to his mouth.
“Sorry,” I apologized. “It’s just really good.”
His voice had gone rough. “Don’t apologize. Do it again.”
Heat flooded my entire body. “I’m not going to moan on command.”
“Pity.”
“You’re terrible.”
“You like it.”
I did. God help me, I did.
Outside, the night had grown cool. I wrapped my arms around myself.
Cole shrugged out of his jacket. Draped it over my shoulders before I could protest.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re shivering.” He tucked it around me, his hands lingering on my shoulders. “Better?”
I was wrapped in his scent, his warmth, his everything. “Yeah.”
We stood on the sidewalk, neither of us moving toward our cars.
“I should go,” I said.
“You should.”
“Early morning tomorrow. We got six new intakes this week.”
“That’s a lot.”
“Kitten season hit late this year.”
