Page 22
“Army?” Ryan asks and I nod.
“Yep, he was a mechanic and after he got out, he married my mom and opened his own shop. A few years later, Mom started baking cakes for people to make a little extra money and when I was little, she opened her own bakery.”
“Wow, that’s really cool. Your parents are the American dream.”
I nod. “Yeah, I guess they are.”
We’re both quiet for a moment before Ryan squeezes my hand. “Tell me something else about you, Emma. I’m dying to learn as much as I can.”
“Can I ask you a question first?”
“Of course.”
“Do you have like a book or something at home that tells you how to sweep a girl off her feet in a week?”
He chuckles, taking another sip of his beer. “Maybe. Is it working?”
“Yeah,” I sigh, “it is.”
“Okay, now answer my question.”
I close my eyes as I try to think of something interesting to tell him.
“I don’t know,” I finally say, my mind completely blank but this could have something to do with how good his hand feels in mine.
“All right, favorite flower?”
I can’t help but think that this is a trick question but I answer him anyway. “Any kind of lily.”
“Favorite food?”
“Sweets.”
He grins, his hazel eyes holding me captive. “Oh, ya? My girl’s got a sweet tooth, huh?”
I desperately want to say something about the ‘my girl’ comment but chicken out. “Yeah, what about you?”
“My favorite food?” he asks and I nod. “Hot wings.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “Oh my God, that is such a guy answer.”
He shrugs his shoulders. “What can I say, I’m all man, baby.”
Laughter bubbles out of me and little tingles of desire rush to my core. What is this man doing to me? He glances out at the dance floor where a few couples are swaying back and forth to an older country song.
“Dance with me?” he asks, a playful grin on his face. My face mirrors his as I nod my head.
“Okay.”
He leads me away from the table, to the dance floor, before sweeping me up in his arms and pressing his forehead to mine as we sway to the beat. My heart races and I pray that his eyes are closed so he doesn’t see the giant goofy grin on my face. Pulling back, he looks down at me, his eyes sparkling in the dim lighting and I suck in a breath.
“What are you doing to me, Emma Harrington?” he asks and I feel a blush creeping up my cheeks as my heart gallops in my chest.
“I could ask you the same thing.”
His gaze drops down to my lips and my body instinctively moves closer, hungry for the feel of his lips on mine. Heat flashes in his eyes just before he leans down and captures my lips. The kiss is slow and sensual, almost like the tempo of the song that we’re still rocking back and forth to and he nips gently at my bottom lip, making me gasp. He takes advantage of the opportunity and slips his tongue between my parted lips to stroke and caress my own.
Good God…
