Page 79 of Slow Burn

“Tonight?” he asked.

She looked him up and down as if the answer to his neediness was somewhere on his clothes. After another minute, she spoke. “Yes, we can hang out tonight. But no more surprise visits. Text me the plan. I can meet you around seven.”

Without doing an exam, she marched out of the room, probably to see an actual patient.

Elijah didn’t mind.

He had a date to plan.

GEORGIA WAS CLEARLY a masochist.

That was the only excuse she landed on for why she was wearing a sexy black dress, blew out her hair, and was holding a bottle of wine in front of Elijah’s door. It was like she was asking for him to shatter her heart.

But none of that derailed her.

His door opened, and damn him for wearing women’s kryptonite, also known as gray sweatpants, paired with a white T-shirt. A dish towel was slung over his shoulder, and he was barefoot.

Elijah bit his lower lip.

The air was sucked out of her. He was so hot.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you wearing this dress, but I hope it happens again,” he said roughly. “You are beautiful.”

She did a quick spin at the compliment. “Thank you. Are you going to invite me in?”

“Of course.” He swung his door wide. “Come inside La Casa Elijah. I’m making spaghetti and meatballs, so the wine you brought will pair well.”

Who was this guy? Georgia giggled at all his sweetness as she walked inside, kicking her sandals off next to a few pairs of his shoes in the hallway. She followed him to his kitchen, which was large and had an island in the middle. Putting the wine on the table, she sat on a stool.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Georgia wasn’t the greatest cook, but she was sure she couldn’t ruin dinner by stirring pasta.

He looked over his shoulder after he pulled a sheet out of the oven. “Do you want to slice the garlic bread?”

“Sure!” She went to stand next to him at the kitchen counter. “Garlic bread? Does this mean kissing is off the table?”

Elijah chuckled. “I thought I was trying to prove we could be friends?” He handed her the knife to cut the bread while he dished their plates.

“You are so confusing,” she mumbled. Quickly slicing the bread, Elijah reached over her to grab the carby garlic snacks and put them in a bowl.

“Let’s eat outside,” Elijah suggested, grabbing the plates. “Can you grab the wine and bread? I have a wine opener on the patio. I have some white wine we could try too.”

Grabbing what she was instructed to bring, Georgia followed him out his back door to his outside deck. There was a table with lit candles, and Elijah stood behind a chair he had pulled out. The night sky and flickering candles, in combination with how he stared at her, made her heart race.

Pointing at the chair, he said, “You can sit here.”

This was not friend behavior, she thought as she walked to the table and set down the bread and wine. She took a seat in the chair he pulled out for her, and then he sat down next to her.

“Is this what you are like when you date someone?” Georgia blurted out, and she didn’t even have a sip of wine yet. Smooth, real smooth.

He shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s been a long time since I’ve dated.”

Okay, maybe he was trying to be friends.

“Not me.” Georgia watched him open the bottle of wine and pour her a glass. He barely had the bottle moved before she scooped up her glass and took a healthy sip.

He, not so gently, put the wine back on the table. “I’m well aware of the dates you’ve had since you came back to Landmere.”

“There is nothing wrong with dating,” she reminded him.