Page 26 of Wild Rush Of Love
She frowned.
It was hard to say what was real memory and what wasn’t. For years, she’d admired the fatherly traits all the older Collins men exhibited, and maybe she’d wished enough to make up those same characteristics in her memories of her dad. She’d never know.
The only remaining link to her father was a grumpy old aunt who had turned her back on an eight-year-old orphan while screaming, “Don’t darken my door ever again”.
“Hey, you okay?” Rush brushed a finger along her jaw to get her attention. “Did we bore you with our pub talk?”
“Oh no, it’s fine.” She smiled, hoping he’d go back to talking with Mr. Collins.
Rush’s brow creased with concern. “Maybe we should go home. You look tired.”
Widening her smile, Reena forced false cheer into her voice. “No. I’m fine. Besides, we need to eat and I’ve got nothing in the house.”
“And we all know you and kitchens don’t mix well,” Caitlyn said.
“Oh?” Rush cocked an eyebrow, the corresponding side of his mouth kicking up in that sexy way of his.
She moved her gaze off his smiling lips and concentrated on the conversation, not the scandalous thoughts those lips inspired. “I’m not much of a cook. Basic things are the limit of my culinary skills.”
“Which is why I get to see your pretty face so often. Want me to tell Riley to make your favorite?” Mr. Collins asked as he stood. “I’m heading that way to grab some supper myself.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Wait up, Pop Pop.” Caitlyn downed the last of her beer. “I think I’ll eat with you tonight. I’ll get one of the waiters to bring your dinner in here, Reena, that way you won’t have to worry about switching tables or waiting. Two of your usual?”
“I—”
“Sounds perfect, Caitlyn. Thank you.” Rush held out his hand for Mr. Collins. “It was a pleasure, sir. Maybe we could chat some more while I’m here visiting Reena.”
“Oh, you can bet your britches we will, Rush Whelan. You park your behind on one of those stools at the bar before you leave Baltimore and we’ll have ourselves a nice long chat.”
“I look forward to it,” Rush said with a smile.
Reena wasn’t sure if the two of them talking more was a good thing or not.
Chapter Thirteen
Rush leaned back,one arm slung across the back of Reena’s chair, the other cradling his bulging stomach, and groaned. He had to admit he’d just eaten the best meal of his entire life. And he’d eaten at some five-star places in his time.
“Damn, that was good.”
“It always is,” Reena said before popping the last bite of Irish stew in her mouth. She closed her eyes and hummed, the sound vibrating low in his belly.
She’d been making sexy little noises throughout dinner, and he wasn’t sure how he’d kept his hands off her.
Okay, so he hadn’t kept his hands off her completely.
He’d spent a lot of the time brushing against her—his thigh, his arm, his hand, his fingers—they’d all managed to touch her at some point since their food had been set down in front of them. At least he’d kept his mouth off her.
For an innocent, she had an inherent sexuality that got his blood boiling. He expected once they got in bed, she’d be wild. He’d been with enough women to know a natural sensualist when he saw one.
She hadn’t discovered the depth of that part of herself yet. Rush couldn’t wait to be the man to help her find out how hedonistic she could be.
Maybe that was what had drawn him to Reena so quickly. She’d sat in his bar with a mug of hot cocoa and caressed it in a sensual manner. As though stroking the warm, smooth sides of the mug gave her as much pleasure as the chocolaty liquid she sipped and savored as if it were the most amazing thing she’d ever tasted.
That first night they’d eaten together he’d wanted to lean over the table and do some tasting of his own. And he’d been craving the same ever since.
No doubt about it. He needed to do some serious contemplating this week. He had six days to work out what he wanted, and if Reena wanted the same.
