“No, it doesn't sound silly. How about this? We go to dinner at the new bar and grill a buddy of mine opened, and then we get a few things at the grocery store. As long as you promise me you won't leave my side.”
He still hadn’t touched me, and the lack of contact was making it impossible to think clearly.
“Thatwon’t be a problem.”
“My gosh, dinner wasso good. Thank you for bringing me here!” I reached out and took his hand, our eyes lingering on each other’s, saying more than words ever could.
Rhett, the owner of the restaurant, walked up to us with a plate in his hand. “Dessert is on the house tonight. I heard you tell the waitress that dairy makes you sick, so I figured you may be one of the first people to try our new dairy-free desserts. That is, if you both don’t mind.”
“Rhett, are you trying to show off in front of my girl?” Caleb laughed as he helped Rhett make room for the dessert plates.
“No.” He let out a warm laugh. “As if I would even have a chance with the way she looks at you. Enjoy, you guys.”
My face heated at what Rhett had said, and I gave Caleb a smile. He winked at me, causing my face to feel even hotter than before.
I took a bite of the slice of cake that Rhett had given us, and it melted in my mouth. The vanilla icing was perfect. Caleb chuckled as he moved to take a bite of it as well, and I gave him a curious look. “You did it again—your happy dance you do when something tastes good.”
I took another bite of the cake, closed my eyes, and wiggled my shoulders on purpose this time. When I opened my eyes, Caleb was matching my shoulder shimmy with one of his own. Laughter bubbled up out of both of us. Caleb reached his hand across the table, and I placed mine in his without thinking. We both finished the desserts in front of us, hand in hand.
When we were done and the bill was paid, we stepped out of the restaurant, into the warm spring air. Caleb led the way down the street to the crosswalk, making sure he was walking closest to the street the entire way. When we paused at the crosswalk, he slid behind me, arms wrapping around my waist. He leaned down just enough to murmur near my ear, voice low and smooth.
“Do you want to know what my favorite part of tonight was?”
I smiled, leaning back into him. “What?”
His lips brushed lightly against my cheek, kissing it gently before answering. His voice was rich with that slow, teasing drawl that always got to me. “Getting to show you off as my girl.” He pressed a kiss just beneath my ear. “Walking with your hand in mine, getting to introduce you to my friend, kissing you in front of anyone watching...letting the whole world know you’re my girl.”
My breath caught, and he gave a knowing little grin.
“But what we do in private?” He leaned around to meet my eyes, one brow lifted. “Now that’s even better.”
He winked, and my stomach flipped.
“You don't say.” I giggled, leaning into his warm body more.
“Mhm. Getting to love you the way you deserve, having you trust me entirely with not just your heart but your body as well, it's...intoxicating.” He kissed me deeply, and a needy sound escaped my lips before I could stop it. “Let's get to the grocery store before I say we should just forget it and go home.”
I giggled and covered my face with my hand as I laughed. Loving Caleb and being loved by him was the most simple and...intoxicating thing I'd ever done, and it made me feel alive.
Caleb took my hand and led me across the street to the grocery store. It was quiet besides the sounds of the employees restocking shelves. The combination of the harsh lights and the silence gave off an eerie feeling.
“I don’t know if I have ever seen this place this quiet before,” I told Caleb, my voice low because I felt like I had to whisper.
“It’s almost 8 p.m., so I guess the rush just came and went already since they close soon.”
I nodded and continued to walk with him. We picked up the items we'd needed, including my favorite bottle of wine and apples for the horses, and began walking towards the registers.
Caleb stopped in the middle of the aisle. “One last thing. Do you want to pick out a bag of treats for Duke?” The smile I gave him was enough of an answer before he began walking to the next aisle over.
We picked out the treats for Duke and headed in the direction of the registers again. As I rounded the corner of the aisle, I felt a pin-prickling feeling on the back of my neck like I was being watched. I turned around, suddenly feeling very vulnerable and not safe like moments before. I looked at the space around me, not sure what I was looking for, but also not sure why I felt a sudden shift.
Caleb noticed the change. “Hey, what's wrong?”
I reached for his arm and looped mine around his. “Nothing, I think? I just had the weirdest feeling—” I touched the back of my neck, and a shiver ran through my body. Nothing stood out to me, so I turned back around and smiled at him.
“Let's go home, Ranger.”
