Page 79 of Once Smitten, Twice Shy

I throw him a teasing scowl. “How would I know if that worked for you?”

“Because it’s romantic!”

I smile. “You get that tidbit from a certain romance novel I sent you home with last week?”

He peers down at his menu, dragging a hand along his jaw. “Notjustthe romance novel. Which I do like, by the way.”

“Oh goodie! Have you gotten to the adorable grocery store meet-cute?”

He glances up, then leans in, voice quiet, “I might have just gotten to their first make-out.”

I gasp. I know that romance novel very well—I’ve reread it twice, so I know exactly when thatverysexy make-out happens and how far it is in the novel.

“You read that much already?”

“Audiobook,” he says, eyes back down on the menu. “I’ve done a mix of reading the paperback in the evenings and listening to it when I had time during the day and on the drive down—at least, when Australian Siri wasn’t telling me about this dominatrix party tonight.”

I laugh. “I’m glad you like it so far.”

He peers up again and smiles. “I do. Thanks for lending it to me.”

“That one has a great dinner date. Did that inspire tonight?”

Will glances back down at the menu. “Not exactly.” After a beat, he says, “Lady and the Trampwas my favorite movie, growing up.”

Dear God. This man is going to kill me. “Are you kidding me?”

“It’s my truth, Juliet. I won’t deny it.”

I sigh and shut my menu. “Well, now wehaveto get the pasta dish.”

—

We step out of the restaurant, where the air outside is deliciously cool on my hot cheeks, which are flushed from wine and laughing and shameless flirtation. My hand drifts instinctively to its rightful place, wrapped around Will’s biceps.

“So your sisters,” I say to him. “Helena, Celia, Imogen, Miranda. Did I get the order right?”

He nods.

“You didn’t say, where do you fall in birth order?”

“Oldest.”

“No way!” I offer him a high five. “Me, too.”

He meets it with a satisfying slap. “It’s a tough job, bossing everyone around and always being right, but someone’s gotta do it.”

A laugh jumps out of me. “A cross to bear, but we bear it nobly.”

Soft, husky laughter rolls out of him, too, and pleasure zips across my skin. I love earning his laugh.

Will stares down at me, drinking in my face. “What’s that smile for?”

I squeeze his arm. “I just like you, Will Orsino. That’s all.”

His cheeks turn pink. His gray-green eyes glitter like starlight on frosty leaves. “I like you, too, Juliet Wilmot.”

Will stops us at the valet desk outside, handing one of the valets his ticket and cash, while thanking them. Then he turns back and peers down at me, his gaze warm.

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