Definitely, no chewing.
Wow!I had it all wrong.
He places the empty shell back on the plate. “A delicacy. A mouthful. Down in one go. Something you’d know if you’re a connoisseur.”
I slump back in my chair, rolling my eyes. “Well, fancy pants, not all of us are into aphrodisiacs.”
A slow smile creeps up his gorgeous face. “You think that’s why I got them?”
I shrug. “Isn’t it?”
He points to a sign over the bar.
I squint to read the small writing—World’s Best Oysters.
“Oh…” I sink into myself.
“I wanted to give you the best of everything tonight. Including the world’s best oysters.”
“Oh…” I repeat.
“You said that already,” he mocks.
“Don’t be a dick!”
He leans forward, reaching for my hand again. “Let’s start over.” He pushes the oysters aside with an exhale. “I wanna do this right.”
I link my fingers with his. The feeling of our hands being joined is strange, but it’s a good strange.
“Well, then… hi, Chase. I’m Lyric. Nice to meet you.”
“It’s terrific to meet you, too.”
Chapter Nine
LYRIC
We’ve been here for hours.
The beginning of the date may have started rocky, but the rest of it has been amazing. Sure, we’re bantering back and forth in our usual way, but there’s a method to it now.
An ease about it.
We have a rhythm.
We seem to fit together.
I love how this night has turned out.
When dinner came out, there was so much food. I ate all of mine and some of Chase’s. Dessert was a massive piece of Devil’s food cake with ice cream, cotton candy, and all kinds of sugar candy attached. Of course, I couldn’t eat it all, just as Chase had assumed I wouldn’t be able to, so we shared. It was actually kind of nice sharing dessert with him. It was far too sweet for his delicate taste buds, but he ate it anyway.
The night is slipping away, though part of me wants to dig in my heels and freeze it here forever. The fire pops and crackles, heat spilling across my skin, a steady counterpoint to the flutter in my chest. Fairy lights drape the branches above, winking like they’re in on the secret, casting the whole garden in a glow that feels almost mischievous, almost magical. The Grove doesn’t just invite you in, it wraps itself around you, whispering for you to stay.
And God, I want to.
Preferably with Chase sitting right across from me.
I swirl the last of my soda and lime before tipping it back, the crisp fizz a sobering end to the sweetness of champagne. Two glasses were all I let myself have before switching. Someonehas to drive, and responsibility has a way of cutting through romance. Chase followed suit, his glass now as plain and unassuming as mine is filled with soda water and restraint. Not exactly the stuff of love songs, but somehow it feels as intimate.
