Page 103 of Make Me Swoon

“No, I was an only child, although Sayler feels a bit like a sister at this point. What about you?”

“I’m an only child too, but it’s the same way with me and Rooney. Actually, all of the kids are like that. I grew up with my uncle Zeke, Nico, Mischa, and Aunt Sam. They own the Eye Candy Ink shop and all work together over at the other location. All of us kids basically lived at each other’s houses and we took family vacations and all that together.”

“Sounds like a tight-knit family,” Coraline says with a smile but I can see something in her eyes. Some kind of pain or longing.

“What about you? Did you have a big family?”

“No, just me and my parents.”

“Are they back in New York?”

“No, they’re dead,” she says flatly and I can tell that she doesn’t want to talk about them anymore.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” I murmur.

The waitress comes over and drops off our drinks and we move on to lighter topics.

“What kind of restaurant would you like to run? Would you still make your fancy comfort food?” I ask her and her smile brightens.

Her whole face lights up as she talks about menu and different food and drink combinations. I listen to her chatter about food for most of the meal and I love it. She glows when she talks about her passion, her whole body growing more animated and she somehow looks lighter.

“Sorry, I just blabbered on like that,” she says as I pay the bill and we stand from the table.

“I loved it. I’ll have to let you order for us on our next date.”

“You think there’s going to be a next date?” she asks as we step into the elevator and I crowd her against the back wall as we start to descend.

“I hope so.”

Coraline smiles, tilting her face up to me and I take her invitation, our lips meeting in a soft caress that’s over far too soon.

The elevator doors open and I step back, taking Coraline’s hand and leading her outside to my car.

“Are you nervous for your interview?” I ask her as I merge with the late-night traffic and head back toward her apartment building.

“A little. I really want it, so I feel like there’s more pressure on it. I’m interested to hear what Mr. Schultz’s vision is for the new place.”

“I wish I could tell you more, but I haven’t seen him in a few weeks. He’s been busy getting the new place set up.”

“It’s okay, I want to do this on my own,” she says, giving me a warning look and I hold up my hands.

“I told you before. I stay out of his business. When you get the job, it will be because he realizes that you’re the best chef ever.”

Coraline smiles, ducking her head but I can see her reflection in the passenger side window and I smile.

We pull up to her place a few minutes later and I open her door, helping her out of my car and up the stairs to her place.

“I had a lot of fun tonight,” she says shyly and I grin.

“Me too. Does that mean that you’ll let me take you out again?”

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

“Good,” I say, closing the space between us and sealing our lips together.

She sighs, leaning into me more and I wrap my arms around her, molding her to me. I lick along her lips and she opens for me. She moans as our tongues tangle together and I press her harder against her front door.

Coraline runs her hands up my arms and I shiver as her short nails scrape along my skin.

---