Page 19 of Conflict
I open the door and see Shane standing there in a pair of jeans, a blue button-up that makes his eyes freaking pop, and a showstopping smile that takes my breath away. The sleeves of his shirt are rolled up, revealing thick, bronzed forearms that are as mouthwatering as the rest of him.
“Hi, gorgeous.”
“Hello, honey. How was your day?” I ask, to which he grins.
“This feels rather domestic,” he says, and I bite my lower lip, hoping my joking won’t send him running for the hills.
Note to self: Don’t act like June Cleaver on the first date.
Shane’s arm hooks around my waist and he pulls me close. “I wasn’t complaining, sunshine.”
Butterflies swarm in my belly as I gaze into deep blue eyes. “I just figured that, since you’ve already gotten acquainted with me on the inside, it’d be okay to hurry things along with your becoming acquainted with me on the outside.”
“Baby, you were there last night. I’m fully acquainted withallof you.”
I lift my wrist to glance at my watch then back to him. “Wow, Shane. Two minutes in and you’re already doing a fantastic job at the whole wooing thing. Really. It’s impressive. I’m pretty much in love with you already.”
His answering grin is cocky as hell. “You were halfway there last night, sunshine.”
I shove him back and close the door behind me. He takes my hand, entwining our fingers all the way until we’re outside and he’s putting me into his Jeep. He lets my hand go only long enough to round the Jeep, hop in, and start the engine. Then it’s back to handholding. And I adore every moment of it.
“Up for a bit of a drive?” he asks, pulling out of the parking lot.
I turn to give him a wink. “Haven’t you learned I’m pretty much up for anything?”
He squeezes my hand and winks back at me. “Careful, Alyssa. I might just have to take you up on that.”
I laugh, and we settle into easy conversation. He tells me about growing up as an only child, and since he never had a sister, his mother passed on her—in his words—fantastic cooking skills to her son.
“I’m not sure I can take your word for it.”
He lifts an eyebrow just as he turns into a parking lot. He turns the car off and shifts to face me. “Oh, really? And why not?”
“Well, the only man I’ve ever seen in a kitchen is my father and I’m pretty sure he’d burn grilled cheese. If he ate grilled cheese.”
“The old man’s not a fan of grilled cheese?” he asks. “Everyone loves grilled cheese.”
I snort. “If the bread is from France and the cheese is from Switzerland, maybe he’ll give it a try. To him, it’s not about quality. It’s about money. Only the best for Father.”
“I know the type,” he says, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. “You know, there’s actually a two-hundred-dollar grilled cheese in New York City. Think he’d eat that?”
I’m too appalled at the cost to even consider if my father would eat it. Of course he would. “Who would pay for a two-hundred-dollar grilled cheese?”
Shane bites his lip and then slowly raises his hand. “Me?”
“What? Why?”
He gives a slight shrug of his shoulders. “Well, I’m a bit of a foodie, so when I read about it in a magazine, I knew the next time I went to NYC, I had to try it.” He pauses, his eyes far away, as if he remembers the experience. “Not gonna lie; it’s kind of incredible. They make the bread with Dom Perignonandtwenty-four-karat gold flakes. The cheese is from a rare-ish cow in Italy that only lactates for two months out of the year. In fact, you have to order it forty-eight hours in advance so they can fly in the ingredients.”
The desirous expression on Shane’s face makes me think he can still taste the ridiculously overpriced sandwich. Considering it’s not far from his look last night when he came, I realize it really must be true about the way to a man’s heart.
I look at him in disbelief then laugh. “Well, I guess it’s nice to know that, when you’re committed to something, you definitely follow through.”
“Stick with me, baby. I’ll always follow through.”
“I stick with you, then you’re stuck with my dad and me. Trust me, no one wants that. But, since we only have this week, you’ll never have to meet the man.” As soon as I say it, my stomach tightens. It’s only been a day and I already know it’s going to be hard to leave.
Shane must notice my change in demeanor. He uses his thumb and his forefinger to lift my chin. “Hey. A lot can happen this week. Don’t think about anything other than you and me together.”
