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“We have to order salads on dates to seem like we care about our weight.”
He snorted. “I don’t care if you’re five hundred pounds. Just eat something. I’m sure you didn’t peck at crumbs around your husband.”
She bit her lip. How much did she want to tell him about her past? When she tried to meet his eyes, she couldn’t make it past the point of his chin. “I was overweight as a child. It’s something that kind of stuck with me.”
“Hey.” He brushed his fingers under her chin and tipped her face up. “Are you happy with yourself?”
No, she started to say, then realized that was wrong. “Yes,” she said, almost unable to believe the words were coming out of her mouth. “Yes, I am.”
“Then that’s all that matters.” He cupped her cheek. “Size zero is overrated and frankly scary at times. I thi
nk you’re damned sexy just the way you are, if that counts for anything.”
“It does.” More than it should. Can you see how frightened I am right now? How afraid I am that you’ll break my heart?
He smiled—that smile she didn’t see nearly often enough. “Good.” The waitress returned with their drinks. Thomas inclined his head to Brianna. “Ladies first.”
“Um.” Brianna pushed her menu away, smiling. “I’ll have the rib eye steak, medium well.”
Thomas’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “I’ll have the same. Medium.”
She sat back with her drink and watched how the light played over his hair and cast his eyes into an alluring shadow. She couldn’t help thinking about what he must have been like in high school. A soccer player, just like Zach. He’d probably been the school hottie. And if the time since his divorce was anything to go by, he’d married the head cheerleader.
“So…you were a soccer player, hmm?”
He raised a brow. “Yes.”
“Did you play in college, too?”
“Yeah,” he said, his tone hard.
When he didn’t say anything else, she fidgeted. He obviously didn’t like talking about college. What had happened? Doing some quick math, she realized that it must have something to do with his ex-wife. He definitely didn’t like talking about her. He picked up his drink, his knuckles white, his jaw clenched. Right. Subject change.
“So what about your family?”
His eyes grew wary, distant. “I have one.”
She sighed, frustration picking away at her. They couldn’t talk about college. Couldn’t talk about his ex-wife. And even family was off-limits? How was she supposed to get to know him if he refused to let her? “Is there any topic with you that isn’t forbidden?”
“No. I mean yes. I—” He rubbed his temples. “Family, friends…they’re a sensitive subject. Just give me time.”
“Time for what?”
“For me to get used to having someone in my life to talk to. I never really—”
The waitress interrupted with a sunny smile and a loaded tray. Bad timing. Brianna nearly told her to go away, but bit her tongue and waited for the girl to finish setting out their food. She kept watching Thomas, as if Brianna weren’t there. Brianna caught her eye with a pointed look. The waitress ducked her head and left quickly.
By the time she left, Thomas had already withdrawn, calm and in control again. He picked up his fork. “Look. I’ll get better at this…relationship thing. With time. Just don’t give up on me yet.” He set his fork down and captured her hand. He kissed her knuckles.
She squeezed his hand, her heart twisting. “Okay.”
He let go and cut into his steak, his head bowed. How hard must it have been for him to make that simple admission?
She cleared her throat. “I haven’t been attracted to anyone since Michael. You…you make things different. You make me different.”
“You mean I refuse to leave you alone until you snap?”
She scowled. “You really know how to ruin a moment.”
