Page 71

“Precisely.” He could easily admit his faults. Was intimately aware of them after so many years. Even though he’d never asked to be in charge of this family, their clan as it were, it was a role he took seriously. One he had a hard time abandoning, as much as he would like to.

“Most importantly, she is fine.”

“Until she gets back to Stone Haven,” he grumbled.

Rolling her eyes, Toni brought the glass to her lips.

“You’re right,” he said. “I’m being foolish. But it bothers me that she was put in harm’s way.”

“Why? Don’t you think she’s capable of handling herself? Why do you assume you would have made the difference?”

“Such a simple question—”

“With a simple answer. One you already know.”

He supposed he did.

“Tell me more about your plans for the bar.”

Lawrence knew she was attempting to distract him. He let her do it because it was precisely why he’d sent her that text. He needed her innocence . . . her humanness.He needed a reminder of why he’d stayed. Why he should continue to stay.

He wanted this time to be different.

They talked about the bar. He hadn’t gotten too far, but he’d already secured a construction company—not Tyler’s—for the renovations. Toni’s enthusiasm for the project, and her thoughts about branding and décor, fanned his own enthusiasm. She was good at this. And he let himself think that perhaps they would do this together.

Did she think the same?

“Of all the abilities falsely attributed to my kind, mind reading is the one I wish were true,” he blurted.

“Why’s that?” Toni took a long, slow sip of her wine, eyeing him over the rim of the glass. She was deliberately goading him, and he loved it.

“If only I could just hear your internal monologue for just one day—”

“Pardon me,” the waitress said, approaching their table again. “Are you ready to order?”

He wasn’t, but they did anyway.

“You were saying?” Toni prompted as soon as they were alone again. She held his gaze, the smallest tug of her lips tantalizing him.

He stared right back, not breaking eye contact as he took the slowest sip of wine possible. Coughing, she looked down to her own glass.

A small victory.

One he planned to capitalize on.

Leaning forward, he reached under the table and found her bare knee with his hand, grazing a finger higher and higher until Toni’s lips parted. He brushed closer to her inner thigh before running his finger back down again. His intent had been to tease her, but he was just as affected.

Lawrence finally sat back in his seat, needing some distance from her lest he lose all decorum. “I was saying, I love your mind.”

He cocked his head to the side, considering his next words. “Among other things.”

Toni’s mouth opened ever so slightly, but no words came out. If he could elicit that expression from her at least once a day, Lawrence would consider it a victory.

“Tell me, Toni . . . what is one thing you think to yourself that you wouldn’t usually say out loud?”

Back in control, she placed the wine glass on the table and leaned forward, mimicking his movements. Was she doing it intentionally? The thought made him smile.

“You’re asking me to share my internal monologue. Hmmm. That’s kind of personal, don’t you think?” she teased.