“Yeah, it must be hard to enjoy the sights and relax when you’re there for work.”
“Exactly.”
I pop my last fry into my mouth.“Did you miss the lumberyard?Is that why you got out of the Marines?”
“No.Well, kind of.”He sighs heavily.“I got sick of watching my friends get hurt or killed.It started to eat at me.I was becoming someone I didn’t like—angry and on edge all the time, constantly looking for danger or threats.That’s no way to live.”
“No, it isn’t,” I say softly.
I’m surprised by how open he’s being.I figure a guy who’s spent most of his time avoiding people won’t be so forthcoming with information.
Rune pushes his fries toward me, and I take one, chewing it thoughtfully.
“Did you know people here in Wolf Valley?Or what made you choose to move here?”
“I do know some people here in town, old military buddies, but that’s not why I moved here.I was looking for jobs and stumbled upon the manager role at the lumberyard.I applied, got the job, and moved here.”
“And how do you like our small town?”I ask with a wide grin.
“It’s growing on me,” he says softly, his eyes locked on mine.
We finish our food and both stand to throw away our trash.Rune takes mine from me, and I smile as I follow him over to the door.He takes my hand as we head outside to his truck, and it feels so easy, so natural to be with him like this.
“We should do this again,” he says as he opens the passenger door.
“Yeah.”
He stares at me for a beat, and I look away first, climbing into his truck.He shuts the door, and I busy myself with my seatbelt as he climbs into the driver’s seat and starts the truck.
I want to tell him then that it doesn’t have to be fake, that I don’t want it to be fake, but I’m not sure how to bring it up.It would come out of nowhere, and if he’s not into the idea, it would be so embarrassing.
We make the short drive back to my apartment in comfortable silence, and he parks out front.I pause when Rune reaches for his seatbelt.He unbuckles and hops out before he goes around to open my door for me.
“Careful,” Rune says, offering his hand as I step down from the truck.
“I’m good,” I murmur, even though I take his hand anyway.
Another spark shoots up my arm the moment our skin touches.My stomach flips, and I’m suddenly very aware of how close we’re standing.
Too close.
Not nearly close enough.
Rune shuts the truck door behind me, but he doesn’t let go of my hand.
“Thanks again for dinner,” I say.
“Anytime.”
The way he says it makes it sound like a promise.
For a second, we stand there, neither of us moving.My heart is beating way too fast, and I can feel the weight of his gaze on me.
I look up and immediately regret it.His dark blue eyes are locked on my face, intense and focused in a way that makes my breath catch.
Oh.Oh.This is happening.
My fingers tighten around his.