He places a hand over his heart, feigning offense. “Excuse you, that was comedy gold.”
I shake my head, biting back a laugh. “Gold? Please. That was bronze at best.”
He leans in, a playful glint in his eyes. “Fine. Give me a better line.”
I arch a brow. “Oh, so now I have to flirt with you?”
He smirks. “You’re already undressing in front of me, might as well commit.”
I toss the pile of sopping napkins at his head, laughing as he dodges them. “Unbelievable.”
His hand brushes against mine on the table as he reaches for his coffee. It’s a ghost of a touch, but enough to make my heart leap in my chest.
“This is what I’ve been waiting for all day,” he says quietly. “Seeing you like this.”
Like what? Relaxed? Happy? I don’t ask, because I don’t want the answer. It doesn’t matter. None of this matters. Not really.
Because I already know how this ends.
He’s going to say and do all the right things, and then we’ll go back to his hotel room, he’ll get what he wants, and in the morning, I’ll be just another girl who spent the night.
Even if it almost feels like this could be something more.
By the time we finish eating, the rain has stopped, leaving the streets damp and shimmering under the glow of the streetlights. Eric tosses some bills onto the table before I can even think about reaching for my wallet, and then we step outside into the cool night air.
“We can grab a cab,” he says, glancing at me. “Unless you feel like walking?”
I hesitate. Walking means more time with him, but it also means more time for me to do what I do best—second guess everything and overthink.
“Walking’s fine,” I say, shivering involuntarily as I stuff my hands into the pockets of my soaked jacket. Eric, for the second time today, slides his jacket off and drapes it over my shoulders. I reach for the edges and pull it closed around me, closing my eyes against the warmth and his now familiar scent.
“Won’t you be cold now?” I ask, looking up at him. He reaches out, gently brushing his thumb over my cheek and tucking my hair behind my ear before sliding his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.
“I’ll be fine.”
He turns and starts walking, his pace easy and unhurried. The city is quiet, the chaos of the day settling into something softer. I let myself steal a glance at him, at the way he looks so at ease despite the weight of his world. He could be anywhere, with anyone. But he’s here, with me.
“Do you do this a lot?” I ask, my voice more casual than I feel.
“Eat breakfast at midnight?”
“Bring girls to diners. Take romantic late-night walks.”
He tilts his head, considering me. “Only when they’re interesting.”
I huff out a laugh, shaking my head. “Right.”
“You don’t believe me?”
I glance ahead, pretending to be fascinated by the passing cars. “I just know how this works.”
He stops walking, and when I turn, he’s watching me with an unreadable expression. “How does this work, Ty?”
My stomach twists and I shrug, playing it off. “You take me back to your hotel, say all the right things, and tomorrow I go back to my life, and you go back to yours.”
His jaw tightens, but then he exhales, a slow smile creeping onto his lips. “You think I’m that predictable?”
I arch a brow. “Aren’t you?”
