She pulled her hand away, and her tropical blues turned stormy. Her gorgeous grin wavered, the corners tipping down before she forced them back up into a fake smile. I could’ve kicked my own ass.
“I didn’t mean it like that. I just want to spend more time with you. I want to get to know you. Take you out on a date. No pressure for anything, ever. I promise.”
“Yeah, yeah, of course. I know.” She widened her smile, but her eyes didn’t crinkle in the corners like they did when she smiled for real.
The waitress came over with our food, and Jenna’s eyes flashed with relief at the distraction. She dug into her burger with a gusto I’d appreciate if it wasn’t an excuse to avoid me. I concentrated on my food as well, offering her as much space as I could from across the table.
“How’s Thor?” I finally asked after I was halfway through my burger.
Bingo. She looked up with a real smile. I was glad I remembered how much she loved that dog.
“He’s great! A goofball, but great.”
“Yeah? What does he do that’s so goofy?”
“Well, a few days ago, we were walking in Atteren Park and he went crazy growling and lunging at a bush. I tried to distract him and get him to walk around it, but he just glowered at it,hackles raised, standing between me and the bush, growling. Then a squirrel scampered out, chattering back at him, flicking his tail and stomping his tiny paw, and Thor jumped a foot into the air.”
“Quite the guard dog you’ve got.”
She laughed, the musical sound ramping up my heartbeat, sending all the blood in my body to its singular destination. Thank fuck I was hidden behind the table, or she’d be siccing Thor on me.
“Hey, you don’t know what he was saying. The squirrel did sound taunting,” she said, laughing again.
My gut clenched, feeling almost as tight as my jeans. She was funny. And beautiful. And sweet as honey.
“You’re off the whole day of Dylan’s party, right?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“I usually take Thor for a long walk on Sunday afternoons. Do you want to come with us before the party?”
“I’d love to. I can’t wait to meet him.”
The tension broken, we made small talk about everything from our favorite music—’90s for her, country for me—to our favorite foods, with Tex-Mex as the big winner for us both, and nothing much heavier than that.
Before I knew it, we were finished, and I’d paid for dinner, which I had to fight her on. Then, like we’d done it a hundred times before, we strolled out with Jenna’s hand in mine. I walked her to her car, my heart doing funny things at the way she was so relaxed now compared to how she’d arrived. I was reluctant to end the night. “You’ve asked me out twice now, and I love it, but I’ve got to ask you at least once. For more than just Dylan’s party.”
“You’ve got to?” She looked up with an adorable teasing sparkle in her expression.
“Yep.”
“Okay then. Ask,” she said softly.
I couldn’t resist touching her. I slowly reached out to smooth a stray strand of hair behind her ear, my fingers trailing down the soft skin of her jaw. “May I have the honor of taking you out on Friday?”
“Why, yes. Thank you, sir.”
If I hadn’t been watching her with the expertise of a soldier and the interest of a teenager, I might’ve missed it, but since I was, there was no mistaking the darkening of her eyes or the subtle way she shifted toward me.
“Jenna, may I kiss you?”
She swallowed and nodded, tilting her head up, her eyes drifting closed.
I leaned down and brushed my lips over hers in the barest of caresses.
She looked pleased but surprised when I pulled back.
“Baby steps,” I whispered near her ear.