“Lafayette High.” He squinted at her. “So North went toSTM?”
Rainey shook her head. “I’m pretty sure he was at Acadiana. But because of our dad, a lot of high school musicians found their way to Holi, hoping to get an inside track or some advice for making it big.” She made herself look at him then even though she didn’t want to. Rainey hadn’t let herself think about it, but she prayed to God that wasn’t why Jacques Gilchrist was interested in her. That would utterlysuck.
Their bejeweled server came back to the table and set down a plate of winter rolls — which looked to Rainey exactly like spring rolls. Jacques thanked the server before releasing Rainey’s hands and pushing the plate towardher.
“Here. Try one. The peanut hoisin is really good,” he said, indicating to the dish of sauce. As if on cue, her stomach growled, and Jacques gave her a pointed look. “Eat.”
Red in the face, she picked up one of the rolls and dipped it into the sauce. It tasted just like a spring roll, fresh, not fried, but the sauce was crazygood.
“Mmm,” she moaned. “Thankyou.”
Their server returned with the hot sake and poured them each a cupful. After she left, Rainey picked up her cup, and Jacques slid his across the table to her. “You can have mine,” hesaid.
Rainey frowned. “Why? You don’t like sake?” If he didn’t like sake, why had he orderedit?
He shook his head. “I only drink when I’m notdriving.”
A gasp escaped her throat. Hisfather.
“Oh my God,” she squeaked, setting down the white porcelain. “Your dad. I’m so stupid. I shouldn’thave—”
Jacques eyebrows climbed, and he waved out a hand. “No,” he said firmly. “I drink, and I like sake. But tonight, I’m driving you, and after I drive you home, I’ll drive three or four other people home.” He picked up her cup and pushed it back into her hand. “But even if my father hadn’t killed two people fourteen years ago, I still wouldn’t drink on nights I work. Strangers are entrusting their lives to me, and most of the time, they’re doing it because they’re trying to be responsible. That means I have to beresponsible.”
She blinked at him. Jacques Gilchrist was a good man. He was a principled, trustworthy, and thoughtful man. He put the straw from his water glass between his lips and took a long sip, and Rainey thought it was the sexiest damn thing she’d everseen.
“I think I’ll send itback—”
“Don’t you dare.” His dark eyes were completely no-nonsense. He held her with his gaze for three long seconds before his lopsided grin emerged. “I had the best jam session of my life today, and somebody ought to toastthat.”
“It was that good?” It had to have been that good. Happiness seemed to radiate fromhim.
“It was frickin’ amazing,” he said, his voice hushed. “I can’t wait for tomorrow. And when we get the tracks nailed down, I want to share them withyou.”
She tried to inhale, but her lungs wouldn’t work. She swallowed once. Twice. And then she could breathe. “I’ll drink to that,” she managed on a hoarsewhisper.
Rainey tipped back the contents of her sake cup and swallowed the warm rice wine — so light it was almost ethereal. As she did, she watched him watch her with a satisfied smile that sent warmth pooling in her lap. And Rainey had to revise her scale becausethatwas now the sexiest damn thing she’d everseen.
Their server came back to the table, and, heated and flustered, Rainey hurried to choose an entree, asking Jacques what he liked. Because she was clueless, they wound up ordering his two favorites, the Pho Chicken and the Egg Noodle Soup and sharingboth.
As soon as their server left, Jacques reached across the table and claimed her hands again, and a thrill swept up her arms, setting off her pulse. She remembered how he’d touched her almost the same way that morning. It felt just as intimate now, and Rainey knew she could get used to holding hands across a table withJacques.
The thought terrified her as much as it left herexhilarated.
“So, I have a question,” he said, his deep voice now a lowcaress.
“Yeah?” Her own voice was just short of asqueak.
“You told North exactly where I’d be playing the rest of this week, but I only told you about the Artmosphereshow.”
Rainey froze in horror, realizing her slip. His face lit with intrigue, and Jacques seemed to attempt to keep his smile incheck.
“Did you look meup?”
Rainey scrunched her eyes shut as though she could hide from the sting of embarrassment. And she tried to cover her face with her hands, but Jacques’s grip tightened around them. The low rumble of his laugh sounded so happy she chanced opening one eye. When she did, he squeezed her hands and leaned across the table, dropping his voice just above awhisper.
“You. Are.Adorable.”
She shut the treacherous eye with a groan. Rainey felt one of his hands release hers a moment before it settled on her leftcheek.