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Silence followed my words as I looked at Lukas. His gaze was fixed on my face, and for a few seconds at least, the rest of the world melted away.
“I’m going to get another drink. Let me get you one as well,” Lukas said, breaking through the haze of the moment. He got up as my cheeks flushed for the second time in about five minutes. “Anyone else want one?”
Henry shook his head, and Sarai and Richard didn’t respond, both deep in a conversation with the woman on their right. She had been handling some of the other parts of the business I wasn’t involved in and would oversee the site management onceit was complete. She would also hire the staff, get them set up, and take care of everything as it was finished.
It seemed as if she followed Sarai to each new site, leaving behind the ones that were working in other trusted hands after training up the people she needed. The business model seemed to be working well, and I was envious of how many people had come together to make this work, each brilliant at what they did. I felt as if I was the odd one out.
Before Henry could do more than bring the remaining bowls of nachos closer to us and offer some to me, Lukas was back.
“I ordered the dessert selection as well. Thought it would go down well, considering we’re all still here,” Lukas said as he slipped back into the seat beside me.
“Sorry, boss, I am going to have to bail on dessert, but I am sure you can eat mine. I’ll grab us breakfast tomorrow. I’ll get those brownies I know you like, too.” Henry got up as I smiled, understanding the exact brownie reference.
“I’ve heard a lot about these brownies, but I have yet to try them.”
“Next time we’re all on-site together, I’ll bring a whole box.” Henry waved and hurried away. I wondered how he was going to get back to where he needed to be when he had come here with Lukas, but he took the car keys with him. Lukas didn’t seem to be bothered that he wasn’t bringing them back.
I sipped the drink Lukas had just bought me, not sure what to say next. It had seemed like Henry wanted to talk to me more than Lukas did at times during the meal, and I didn’t know what to make of his enthusiasm when it was often followed by awkwardness.
“I meant what I said earlier,” Lukas spoke softly, almost whispering the words. I looked up at him, and the breath caught in my throat. He was looking at me so intensely again that I wassure he wanted to make me his dessert. Heat flushed through me, my body reacting to him.
Thoughts of what we had done together on the island came into my head, and I knew if he asked me if I wanted to do anything like that again, there would be no refusal.
“Henry can be a bit blunt and even a little over the top, but he’s a great guy, and he really does mean well. He wants to see me happy.”
I nodded, understanding exactly what he meant. “He sounds like the ideal friend. Someone who encourages us to be a little braver about how we feel. I’ve got a few friends like that.”
“Do you have much in the UK like that waiting for you to go back?”
Lukas spoke with such hope and curiosity for the answer that I knew I couldn’t give a glib response. I had to consider it carefully. I tilted my head to the side and thought about what mattered to me back home.
“I think I would miss my friends after a while, but I also don’t need to always be there with them. Same with my family. We’re all off, living our lives. I don’t think I need to always be in the UK. British chocolate, though…I already miss it. Yours just isn’t as good.”
Lukas laughed as I smiled. It helped to lighten the somber mood, and I hoped it would also reassure him that I wouldn’t just run back to the UK if he would like me to stay.
Before we could say anything else, Sarai, Richard, and the woman with them all got up as well.
“Leaving?” Lukas asked, checking his watch. “You guys are normally the last to head home.”
“We’ve got some more work to do to make sure everything is ready for tomorrow, and we promised each other that we would try and take some time together tonight.” Sarai shrugged andgave Richard’s arm a squeeze as if this wasn’t that surprising, but I felt bad for Lukas. He had ordered loads of desserts.
It also caused an avalanche as many others decided to leave for the night, citing all sorts of reasons. Although Lukas said goodbye to them all amiably enough, I knew if it had been me, I would have been upset by it. Somehow, he appeared fine. I knew that I had to stay, however.
“I hope you’re hungry,” Lukas said as the waitress came over with a massive platter of miniature desserts. Even she looked around at the now almost empty large table.
“I’m kind of hoping some of them will come back,” Lukas said as if this explained it.
“No worries if they don’t, honey. We can give you the rest in a box to take home or to the office tomorrow. They’d all keep in a fridge overnight, I’m sure.” The woman looked Lukas up and down as if she wanted to take him home, or for him to take her home at least.
He barely even looked at her as he thanked her and turned to me.
“Please tell me that you’re staying,” he said as he pulled the platter over to sit directly between us on the table.
“If you’d like me to,” I replied, smirking as I considered pretending to leave.
“Oh, there are lots of things I’d like to do with you right now, but let’s start with dessert, shall we?” He almost growled his words, the ‘hungry for something more than food’ look reappearing on his face.
I gulped, more heat rushing through me. He wanted me, and I was still very willing.
