Page 81 of Mine Again
“Too late.”
The banter softens into easy conversation, and before I know it, we’ve cleared our plates and he’s finishing the last of his coffee.
He glances toward the open park beyond the café. “Walk with me?”
I nod. I don’t want this date to be over yet either.
“Sure, but I have to be back before five.”
He smiles like he understands more than he should. “Then let’s not waste time.”
I step onto the pavement while he pays, drawing in a slow breath. The cool air helps, but my thoughts are still racing.
This is going so well. He’s as much fun in person as he is on the phone.
He joins me a moment later, his eyes focused on me, and my stomach tumbles. I turn my face away, looking anywhere but at him.
I don’t want him to know how easily he rattles me.
We fall into step, strolling past quiet storefronts to the park. The sun filters through winter-clouded skies, warm enough to be pleasant but soft enough to remind you it’s January.
“I’m still not sure about that dessert line,” I say as we turn onto a quieter path.
He pretends to consider. “Too bold?”
“Too cheesy.”
“You say that like the two are mutually exclusive.”
I laugh, and the sound escapes before I can stop it. “You’re dangerous.”
“Because of my pastry-based pickup lines?”
“Because you make people forget they’re supposed to be cautious.”
He slows his steps, turning to me, walking backward for a few paces, eyes on mine like he’s trying to read thoughts I haven’t spoken.
“Is that what you’re doing? Being cautious?”
“I like to be prepared.”
“For what?”
“Unwanted surprises.”
His smile softens, but there’s something else in his eyes now. Something darker.
“I don’t plan on being one.”
The path narrows, the air thick with the scent of citrus from somewhere unseen. His arm brushes mine, but he doesn’t move away.
The space between us seems smaller. My breath catches, and I try to focus on anything else. The stone beneath our feet, the pale winter sun, the rustle of the breeze. But it’s Sebastian who fills my senses.
We stop near a stone archway that overlooks a quiet clearing. There’s no one around, only a pair of pigeons and an empty bench.
When I glance at Sebastian, he’s already closer. His gaze holds mine,as if he’s giving me a chance to stop him if I want to.
Surely he isn’t about to do what it looks like. That would be way too soon, wouldn’t it?
