“Well, I admit, when both of my sisters are on me about something, it’s sometimes easier to just roll over and give in.”
“I can imagine.”
He finished off his coleslaw and set his plate aside. “Ready for the cheesecake?”
She put a hand on her stomach. “I’m already full. That sandwich was huge.”
“Oh, come on, just a little piece...”
He unboxed the presliced cheesecake and grabbed a plastic knife, poising it above a slice. “This okay?”
She put her hand on his, moving the knife until there was just a sliver of cheesecake left. His hand was big and warm under hers. She pushed down, and they sliced it together.
Their gazes connected for a long moment. She was starting to become rather fond of his eyes. Had she thought them colorless? They were all kinds of interesting with varying shades of gray and those flecks of silver. They were expressive too. Stormy or soft or just steady and quiet.
Her gaze fell to the golden scruff on his jawline, and she wondered if it would feel soft or bristly. And also what did it mean that he’d shaved for his date the other night and not for this?
It means this isn’t a date, that’s what it means.
She withdrew her hand and cleared her throat as an awkward moment settled between them.
Connor plated her sliver of cheesecake and handed it to her. “That’s hardly even a bite.”
“I’m not used to eating this much for lunch. It was delicious, though. Thank you.”
She took a small bite. It was slightly sweet and pleasantly creamy. The buttery graham cracker crust had a hint of ginger, making it rather extraordinary.
He took his own hefty slice, and they ate in silence awhile, watching the pipers scuttle around on the beach.
“So,” Connor said a few minutes later. “Tell me about your mom. Are the two of you close?”
“She lives in Georgia, and she’s remarried. I wouldn’t say we’re close. We talk on the phone now and then. Visit occasionally.”
“Part of that rift your grandma has made reference to?”
“Something like that.”
Maddy didn’t want to talk about her family. She’d only ever given Nick the CliffsNotes version, and he’d been satisfied with that. Of course, he hadn’t really cared about her.
She savored another bite of her cheesecake, refusing to let the topic bring her down.
“Sorry,” he said. “Didn’t mean to pry about your family business.”
“It’s okay. I just don’t want to think about it today. It’s too perfect a day.”
That made him smile. He set his plate aside. “You’re right. In fact, I think I’m ready for a swim. I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a little hot.”
“I’ll be right behind you.”
He stood and tugged off his T-shirt, dropping it onto the blanket.
She watched him stride toward the water, her mouth going dry at the sight of him. He had nice broad shoulders that tapered down to a trim waist. His arms were sculpted, his legs trim, and all of him was tanned and gorgeous. His calves bunched into hard knots as his feet worked through the sand, cutting over toward the pier. He hopped onto it, broke into a run, and did a cannonball off the side.
Chapter 20
Maddy turned onto her stomach, cradling her head in her arms. The sun beat down on her damp back, warming her. She and Connor were drying off after their swim. The water had been cold, but she’d soon forgotten that as they frolicked in the sea.
He dozed beside her, and Maddy lay listening to the soothing sounds of the ocean, enjoying the play of breeze off the water. She liked that he felt comfortable enough to drift off. There was something flattering about that.
