Eric was waiting just outside, leaning casually against the wall again, arms crossed over his chest like he owned the space simply by standing in it. The sight of him sent a jolt through me, equal parts relief and excitement.
“What are you doing here?” The question was sharper than I meant it to be, an attempt to mask the ridiculous thrill blooming in my chest.
“It’s been less than twenty-four hours, and you’ve forgotten already?” He smirked, pushing off the wall to move closer. “I promised to feed you. We made a date, remember?”
He looked at me like he always did, like he was reading more than I was saying. Like he knew all the ways I’d been fantasizing about him.
The glint in his eye made my pulse stutter.
Shit. I was such an open book for this man, it was ridiculous.
“I could eat.” I shrugged, aiming for casual and missing by miles.
His warm hand closed around mine without hesitation, already turning us toward the elevator like the decision had been made the moment he showed up.
Even as my feet followed him, my mind stayed stubbornly fixed on everything but food.
Somehow, we ended up at a table, drinks sweating onto coasters, a plate set in front of me.
“This is seriously the best hamburger I’ve ever tasted,” I mumbled around a mouthful of half-chewed meat and bun.
Yes, it was a burger place, but not some greasy, overrun chain. It was the kind of place that took its food seriously. Still, the meal wasn’t the best part.
Eric watched me eat, openly amused, his attention fixed on me in a way that made my pulse trip. He lifted his milkshake, lips closing around the straw, his gaze never leaving mine as he took a slow sip and dragged his tongue across his lower lip afterward.
My blood pressure spiked. The man had a way of making everything look sexy. Even eating.
And I wasn’t the only one who noticed.
A woman at a nearby table kept glancing over, her eyes lingering on the line of his broad shoulders. The server had already made three unnecessary trips to our table, her questions directed at Eric with a smile that was a little too bright. Even the guy at the corner booth had looked up from his phone more than once to steal a glance.
If Eric was aware of the attention, he didn’t show it. His focus stayed locked on me, like I was the only person in the room worth looking at.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.” His smile was easy, the look in his eyes making it clear he knew exactly what he was doing to me.
We still hadn’t talked about yesterday. He hadn’t pushed, but the weight of it sat between us. There was no doubt he’d overheard at least some of my conversation with Dylan. But how much did I need to explain?
How much of myself was I ready to unpack?
Not much, if I was being honest. Still, telling him the truth felt like the right thing to do.
If things were normal, if we hadn’t met under fluorescent lights in a hospital cafeteria at one of the worst moments of our lives, I would’ve already said it all. But my hesitation wasn’t just about sparing him my baggage.
The real reason was less noble.
I liked the way he looked at me. The assurance in it. The way he made me feel capable and fragile at the same time, strong without having to pretend I wasn’t tired. He held me in a kind of quiet regard that felt rare.
“Can I ask you something?”
I swallowed thickly, the food sliding painfully down my throat and settling heavy in my stomach. I nodded anyway. Whatever he was about to ask felt inevitable.
“Are you really going to stay at your dad’s place?”
“I hadn’t thought about it before yesterday,” I admitted. “But I’ve got a room up at the resort that I’ve barely used.”
“Copper Ridge Resort?” His tone didn’t change, but something in his gaze sharpened.
“Yeah. It’s not exactly budget-friendly but I didn’t want to be right in town.” I exhaled, decision crystallizing. “I think I’ll save the money and stay at the house.”
