Page 59 of Harvest Heat

“You made dinner. I’m not going to have you eat it off a paper plate.”

“I didn’t cook anything. I just⁠—”

“Putting all this together takes time. I know that.”

Now that he was here in this room in the soft glow of the fairy lights, looking at this man he’d just been in bed with, he didn’t want to admit exactly how much time he had taken or how hard he’d worked to make the charcuterie boards look nice. “I didn’t have enough space for everything, so I had to split it up.”

“There’s no reason to have it all on one tray.” Caleb started opening the wine. Rhys braced himself, but he still jumped with the cork popped out.

“Sorry. I always do that.”

“You don’t like surprises.”

“No, not really, and I don’t like loud sounds, especially if I don’t know when they’re coming. Balloons are the worst. I can’t stand waiting for someone to pop them.”

Caleb smiled. “No balloons. I’ll keep that in mind.” Most people would have said that sarcastically, but Rhys was fairly sure Caleb was sincere.

Caleb poured each of them a glass of Prosecco, then checked out the spread. “Tell me what everything is.”

Rhys described each of the cheeses and meats. Caleb listened intently, never once seeming to wish he would hurry, even though in Rhys’s mind, he heard his explanations going on for far too long. Caleb was starving. He didn’t need the full origins of each piece of cheese.

He hurried through the last one and explained the different mustards and the chutney he’d added. “I think the fruits and nuts and stuff are self-explanatory.”

“They are,” Caleb said. His smile was so big. He looked truly happy, and that made Rhys’s chest tighten. This all felt like too much, like this was so much more than just a fling while they worked together.

Caleb selected a piece of baguette and topped it with soppressata, brie, and spicy mustard. Rhys took a sip of Prosecco and just watched him.

Caleb looked over at him, apparently sensing Rhys’s eyes on him. “You’re supposed to be eating too. Don’t tell me you aren’t hungry after all that.” He glanced up toward the ceiling, and Rhys felt heat rush into his face.

“I’m hungry, but I was just… I wanted to watch you.”

Caleb smiled. “I could watch you all day, but we need fuel.”

Rhys placed some Port Salut and prosciutto on rosemary crackers. As soon as he ate it, he realized how much he needed food. They continued to devour the items on the trays until less than a quarter of it was left. Maybe Rhys hadn’t gotten too much food after all.

Rhys took a sip of Prosecco and realized that, once again, he felt far more relaxed than usual. Caleb had worked his magic. Rhys had almost forgotten that they were right there on Front Street, where anybody might look in and see them having a romantic dinner.

It was late for a weeknight in Frostwick Harbor, and there weren’t that many people out. It was also dim enough in the store that it would be hard to really see them, but someone could.

The more time he spent with Caleb, the more he realized that Caleb wasn’t just a hot guy he was lusting over. Rhys really liked him. Sure, he was even hotter in bed than Rhys had imagined, but he was also kind and gentle. But Rhys remembered what it had been like anytime he’d gone on a date in town. He’d gotten way too much advice and too much scrutiny when he’d preferred not to be perceived at all.

He’d also seen what happened with his friends and their relationships. When Finn and his high school girlfriend had broken up, Finn couldn’t enter a business in Frostwick Harbor without the conversation stopping because everyone in town had an opinion about what had happened. The whole town had expected Finn to propose to his girlfriend, not break up with her.

Marianne had gone through a similar hell when rumors reached the town that her college girlfriend had cheated on her. Then the woman came to Frostwick Harbor to try to win Marianne back. There was a public spectacle, and it was all anyone talked about for ages.

Rhys was scared enough about letting himself get invested in a relationship with Caleb. He didn’t think he could stand having an audience for it.

“Rhys, are you still with me?”

He realized he’d been lost in thought for a long time. “Yes. Sorry. I was just thinking.”

“Do you want to share your thoughts?”

Rhys shook his head. He was not ready to share any thoughts about how hard he was falling for Caleb.

Caleb grabbed one more olive, and Rhys took the last strawberry. “We really were hungry, but maybe we should work some before dessert.”

“Work?”