I grab cutlery as he carries the plates to the table.
As soon as I sit down, he hooks my foot over his thigh, his hand curved around my ankle as I lean back in my chair.
I shiver as he traces his thumb up the inside of my calf.
“Francesca…Frankie… I’m really going to enjoy having dinner ready for you when you get home from the hospital. And it can be here in your friend’s house, or it can be in a house of your own.”
“This is averystrange second date.”
He squeezes my ankle. “I need to correct the record.”
“What record?”
“You’ve said that a few times. This isn’t our second date.”
“Third?”
He sets my foot down and gestures for me to start eating. “Well…I thinkthe birthday cakewas our second date. Drinks in the bar was the first date. Dancing at the jazz club was our third date. Getting our wedding license as a joke—fourth date. Dedicated location, a distinct event. Which would make New Year’s Eve fireworks on the rooftop our fifth date. We wouldn’t be the first people in this world to get married after five dates. And if you want to keep counting now, that’s all right by me. Iplan to keep dating my wife for the rest of my life. But this is at least our seventh date. Or a very mediocre honeymoon.”
I laugh.
He doesn’t.
Once we finish, and we’ve cleaned up, he scoops me into his arms the second I finish drying the second plate. “Do you want a better honeymoon?”
“I’m still wrapping my head around the accidental wedding part.” I take a deep breath and slide my arms around his neck, pulling him down so I can kiss him. “But if you’re worried that I might not want to spend your money on a nice house, don’t be.”
“Thattagirl,” he growls. “My wife deserves the best of everything. I can take care of you, Frankie. I’m going to make sure you have everything you need.”
“Right now, I just need a kiss.”
“Is that all?”
My heart is rabbiting against my ribcage. “Maybe more than a kiss.”
CHAPTER 23
LOGAN
Thank fuck.
I scoop my arms around her, palming her soft denim-clad ass as I lift her in my arms. The relief of finally—finally—having her in my embrace again after days of uncertainty nearly knocks me sideways.
“I can do that,” I murmur against her hair, breathing in the scent of her.
I’ll give her the world if she lets me.
I pivot without setting her down, my hands flexing against her bare thighs because I can’t help myself. She’s so warm, so perfect, and I want to memorize the feel of her. She clings to me as I carry her down the hall to her bedroom.
“Be careful,” she whispers as I bump into the doorframe.
“Please. I lift guys bigger than you and slam them into the boards for a living.”
I set her down gently on the edge of the mattress, then sink to my knees in front of her like I did in Vegas. The parallel isn’t lost on me—me on my knees, looking up at the most incredible woman I’ve ever met, hoping like hell she’ll give me a chance.
I press my open mouth to her bare thigh, holding her gaze. Her eyelids immediately flutter half-shut, and her hands reachfor me, cupping my face. I lean into her touch, feeling the warmth of her palm against my cheek for a moment before I twist and kiss the inside of her wrist.
Her pulse hammers against my lips.
