“Please take a seat. I’ll bring everything over.” While the server busied herself with the coffee maker, Lewis steered me to a table in a cosy nook by the window. We settled on the bench, sitting so close to each other our knees touched.
“I suggested coming here for breakfast,” he said as soon as I had taken my thin coat off.
I bit my lip and looked away from him. Even though it was late in the year the castle gardens still looked beautiful.
“I’m sorry, Noah,” Lew whispered and took my hand under the table. My throat seized up and I was moments away from crying again, but the server approached with our coffees and I managed to pull myself together.
We thanked her.
“I’ll be back with your food and drinks in a few minutes,” she told us and disappeared in the direction of the counter again.
“Don’t apologise, Lew. It’s fine. Thank you,” I added in a low voice. I wasn’t ungrateful, just fucking ashamed that I wasn’t even able to pay for us.
“We should take a couple of pictures,” he reminded me gently.
Right. For my ArgoS.That’s why we’re on a fake date. So I can make content.
“Right, yeah. Let me just grab my—”
“Noah.” He stopped my frantic search for my phone and scooted even closer until his thigh pressed against mine. “It’s okay. Just breathe for a moment, yeh?” He slipped his arm around my back and held me close to his warm body. I tried tothink of something to say but couldn’t find the right words. So I just sat there in his embrace and let his touch soothe me.
I was in a much better mood by the time the server returned with a three-tiered tray laden with food.
How does he calm me like that?
“I hope you enjoy it. Let me know if you need something else.”
Lewis threw me a concerned glance as I inspected our order.
“No, I’m good,” I said and popped a strawberry quarter into my mouth. “It looks so good. God, the strawberries are so sweet!” I reached for another piece but stopped myself.
“It’s fine, take them. Berries aren’t really my thing.”
“You are a terrible liar, Lewis Sinclair.” We both snorted, and I took another quarter of the fruit.
“Okay, you caught me. I love strawberries, but I want you to have them.”
He said it with such a tender expression in his face that my cheeks heated.
“Thank you.”
“Are you ready to check out the museum?” Lew asked me as soon as we’d finished the sandwiches and scones and emptied our coffees.
“Sure, let’s go.”
He probably wants to get it over with.
Once we’d returned our dirty dishes to the counter, he guided me out of the restaurant with his hand hovering over the small of my back. I leaned into his touch as we crossed the foyer where the woman at the ticket counter was on a phone call and passed through an archway and along a hallway that led to the East Wing.
I know I shouldn’t rely on it, but Lewis touching me was a bit like when I found a food that helped shut my brain up and I ate it over and over again to milk every ounce of regulation from it.
He held me back for a moment at the end of the hallway.
“Noah?”
A stray curl fell onto my brow when I raised my head to look at him. Lew’s eyes followed my hand when I reached up to brush it back.
When I licked my lips, his bright blue eyes snapped down to where the tip of my tongue traced my bottom lip. His gaze narrowed on my mouth.
