Page 17 of Blurred Love

She gasps. “Kill him?”

I tighten my hold on the steering wheel. “No man should talk to you like that, Poppy.”

She nods, and her cheeks turn red. “I know. Thank you, Colter. I don’t think I —“

I stop her by taking one hand off the steering wheel and wrapping it around hers. “You don’t owe me a thank you.”

“No one’s ever done anything like that for me before.”

I caress my thumb over her soft skin. We’re both lost in thought, and I think we’ve changed the subject until we pull into the parking spot at The Peddler and instead of her getting out, she turns fully toward me. I’m not sure what she is going to say, but I’m nervous about it. “Hey, you can’t fix me, Poppy. There’s no fixing me. This is who I am.”

She opens her mouth and looks at me with surprise. “You think I want to change you? There’s not one thing I’d change about you, Colter. Not one thing. The reason I even brought this all up is because I want you to know that I like you. I like everything about you, and I just wanted you to know that.”

I lean toward her. “I like everything about you too.”

We’re just staring at each other, and I’m about to lean in to kiss her when she puts a hand to my chest. “Feed me, Colter.”

I let out a breath and chuckle. “Okay, stay right there.”

I get out of the truck and walk around to open her door. As we walk into the restaurant, hand in hand, I can’t help but be thankful that I didn’t cancel this date because already I’m having a better time than I have in years.

CHAPTER9

POPPY

He’s held my hand through the whole dinner. It was interesting when I tried to cut my steak, but luckily, it was so tender I was able to cut it one-handed with a fork.

We laughed. We talked. And when our waitress sets a dessert between us, an overwhelming sadness comes over me.

He points at me. “What’s that look?”

I shrug, a little embarrassed that I’m feeling this attached after one date. I know I need to take things slowly, but I’ve never felt this way about someone, and it’s a little much for me to deal with.

He puts a piece of the chocolate cake on his spoon and brings it to my lips. He watches me as I take the bite, and his eyes never leave my mouth the whole time.

He groans and sits back, adjusting himself in his seat. “You’re so fuckin’ beautiful, Poppy.”

I roll my eyes and wave my hand in front of me. “Stop.”

He doesn’t smile, doesn’t do anything but look at me with a sincere expression. “I’m just telling you the truth. Every man in here wishes he was in my spot right now. Thank you for coming to dinner with me.”

I lift my chin and decide it’s time I show him some vulnerability of my own. “When you asked me what that look was, I was thinking of something.”

He patiently waits for my answer.

”I was thinking about how dinner was almost done, and I’m not ready for tonight to be over.” I suck in a deep breath. “I’m having a really good time with you.”

He smiles and leans across the table before pressing his lips to mine. I can hear the soft murmurs around us, and I know that tomorrow, most of Whiskey Run will have heard we went on a date tonight, but for the first time in a long time, I don’t care what people are saying about me.

When he ends the kiss and sits down in his seat, his eyes are almost black instead of brown. We eat the rest of the cake, and when we’re finished, he walks me back to his truck.

Silence fills the truck, and when he pulls back into the parking lot of my apartment building, I look out the window instead of at him. I can’t hide my disappointment. Will he ask me out again? I hope so.

Instead of getting out of the truck, he turns to me and grabs the hand closest to him and holds it between both of his. “I want you, Poppy.”

I’m about to invite him in, but he continues. “There’s no denying the chemistry between us, and even though all I want is to take you inside and show you exactly how much I want you, I think we should wait.”

”Wait?” I ask, surprised.

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