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She nodded.
“Oh, and to go.”
She dashed away the tears. “Definitely to go.”
The waiter nodded and took my card. “We’ll put a rush on it.”
I tugged her up and even though my skin crawled from all the stares, the delight on her face was worth it. I kissed her in the middle of the restaurant, and the clapping faded as she melted into me.
I drew away and helped her back into her seat. I dropped into mine across from her, but didn’t let go of her hand.
“I can’t believe you did that. Were you...I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Neither was I or I would have had a ring.”
Her eyes went wide again. “You don’t have to do that.”
I resisted the urge to growl. I wanted a ring on her damn finger. I wanted everyone to know she was mine, even if she had to get used to the idea.
Surprisingly, I didn’t need to. For the first time in days, my shoulders didn’t ache and my head didn’t pound with anger and unease.
I glanced at the porch through the window beside us. Twinkle lights were still strung up on the pergola stretched across the outdoor dining area. The tables had been stored away for the upcoming winter, but there were large heaters set out on the four-seasons patio. Right now, no one was taking advantage of it. Too many singles were mingling at the bar, not to mention all the late dinners being consumed. But I wanted to be alone with her.
With my fiancée.
After a failed marriage like mine, I should have been quaking in my boots about getting tied to a woman. If you had asked me a few months ago if I wanted to get married again, I would have yelled hell no. Until this crazy redhead across from me had blown into my world.
I stood and took her hand. She gave me a quizzical look, but followed me.
I nodded to the bartender to make sure the patio wasn’t locked. Jackson Gideon flashed me a wicked grin and waved me off. He was a good guy and I’d fleeced him plenty of times at the Spinning Wheel’s pool table.
Sometimes being in a small town had its perks.
I opened the door and tugged her close.
“It’s not exactly deck weather,” she said, eyes wide.
“I’ll keep you warm.”
Kelsey flushed. “Of that I have no doubt.” Soft music filtered out from the dining room as the hum of conversation faded.
I twirled her once, then back against me. Her breasts grazed my chest as she slid her hands under my sports jacket and around my back. “Still surprises me you dance.”
“I don’t seem the type?”
She shook her head and giggled quietly. “Sure.”
“I seem to remember you have been surprised with my skills a number of times. Maybe I like to keep you on your toes.”
“You sure do.” Her other hand sneaked up to play with the closely shorn hair along the nape of my neck. I closed my eyes and swayed with her for a minute.
She rested her cheek against my chest and her soft breath teased between the buttons of my flannel shirt. I expected her to be bubbling with questions and wedding t
alk, but she seemed to need a bit of quiet too.
It wasn’t tense, or awkward.
For a moment, we were just us. Not expectant parents with a host of worries coming at us. Not near strangers willing to be tied together because of a little life we hadn’t seen coming.
