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Both chuckled as he pulled away from her place.

The candlelight on the table made the booth where they sat seem even more intimate. While Sully ordered wine for them, Elle wondered for the millionth time why she’d said yes to dinner. Everything was too perfect and already she found herself wondering at a second date. Dumb.

The server, a smartly dressed young man, smiled just a bit too warmly at Sully and Elle realized the guy was flirting. It was refreshing when Sully returned the smile and slid a look toward her effectively sending the signal he was not interested. The guy gave a light shrug. “I’ll be right back with your wine.”

The server moved closer to her. “More water ma’am?” He poured and left.

“He likes you,” she said, smiling in spite of the nerves tumbling in her stomach. She reached for the water, hoping he didn’t notice the slight shaking. “Your charm disarms both men and women.”

“It's a curse.” He laughed and took a healthy draw of his water. “As beautiful as you are, he should have figured there wasn’t any chance unless I was completely blind. I’m pleasantly surprised you are here with me tonight.”

You and me both, she wanted to say. Instead, she looked around the restaurant. Just west of Helena, the Italian bistro’s interior décor was a thing of magazines. With marble statues at the entrance and murals depicting archways with different Italian city themes, it was the perfect place for a date.

“I’ve never been here before. It’s beautiful.”

“I like it. Come here at least once a month.” He leaned back and looked to the wall across from where they sat. “That one is my favorite. I love Florence. Have you been?”

“No. I went to Rome with my mother and father. We visited Venice, too, but didn't make it to Florence.”

“You should go.”

“Perhaps I will one day.”

“Never say that.” His words were clipped and she jerked back to meet his gaze.

“Excuse me?”

“Make plans if you wish to see something. Assure it with ‘I will’. Don’t say ‘one day’, that usually means the statement will not come true. The day will never happen.”

So the man had interesting quirks. She smiled at him. “I will go to Florence. I will look at The David’s junk up close and personal.”

Sully relaxed and smiled. “I believe you will.”

While they ate dinner, conversation became more focused on work and the resort project. Although Sully seemed interested in talking business, Elle couldn’t help but notice he kept guiding the conversation away to more personal matters. No matter if she did find the man attractive, the last thing she needed was to turn their relationship to more than just a casual friendship.

As for the kisses, she preferred to act as if they never happened. Surely it was a ploy to get her off balance and turn her into his latest conquest. Maybe he kissed everyone. She had a male friend who kissed every woman friend in the mouth. Although now that she thought about it, said friend rarely dated, so maybe it was his way of getting kissed.

“So tell me, Sully,” Elle began, “what do you plan to do with your land? Your cousin Regina lives there, but she said you only come there every so often.”

There was slight movement at the corners of his mouth. He knew she was avoiding any personal discussion. “Do I make you nervous?”

Yes, of course he did. The man was too attractive for his own good and to make things worse, Elle couldn’t keep from staring at him.

“Dessert?” The waiter offered to which both shook their heads. He placed the bill on the table and Sully slipped money into the folder barely taking his eyes from her.

When he reached for her hand, she didn’t pull away. His blue gaze met hers as Sully lifted it and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “I was being honest when I said I want to get to know you better, Elle.”

Despite the warning bells of knowing he was a serial dater, she replied honestly. “I feel the same way.”

His mouth teased her knuckles sending waves of heat straight through her entire body. Oh boy.

Elle’s heartbeat picked up and afraid to make a fool out of herself, she pulled her hand away and excused herself to go to the restroom. It would help settled her nerves and also she left mostly to avoid pulling Sully across the table and kissing him until they were breathless.

Walking on clouds, she waltzed into the bathroom.