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Mack studied her. “Will you go to dinner with me tomorrow night?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
His smile made her stomach heat up.
“Big guy like the food?” their waitress asked.
“Very much. Can I get a pad thai to go? Level four heat. And another order of mango sticky rice.” He handed over a credit card. “Would you like any dessert or something else?” he asked Sariah before the woman left.
“No, thank you.” She couldn’t believe he had really ordered more food. Midnight snack? As strong as he was it probably took quite a bit of calories to maintain his muscle mass.
They chatted some more about their large families as they waited for the to-go order and then walked out to his rental. The ride back to the school parking lot passed too quickly and before she knew it, Sariah was standing outside her beat-up Civic staring up at Mack. The evening was cold but she hardly felt it as his warm gaze lingered on her.
“Thank you for an absolutely lovely dinner,” she said.
“Everything with you is a little sarcastic, isn’t it?”
“Ah,” she protested. “That was sincere through and through.” Sarcasm had protected her many a time and was pretty much the only weapon in her arsenal.
He chuckled and rested one hand against the hood of the car, leaning closer to her but not touching her. Sariah’s insides did a happy jig and she leaned a little closer as well. She doubted he’d kiss her, especially after her reaction earlier today, but he’d flown clear across the country and he’d said a man didn’t do that unless he wanted a kiss. Hopefully, that meant he’d try to pull her close again, this time without touching the right side of her face.
“Thank you for dinner,” she said breathily.
He nodded, his blue eyes giving her this beautiful smoldering look as he leaned even closer.
“Wowzers,” she mumbled.
“What?”
“I never knew real people could do that.”
“Do what?”
“That smoldering,I’m going to lean close and schmooze you with my beautiful blue eyes,like off a movie screen.” Her face got hot. She shouldn’t have said any of that, but she had to break the tension somehow.
He smiled as if he thought she was hilarious, but possibly a little unstable. “I’m guessing the smoldering look didn’t work if you’re making fun of me.”
“Oh, no, it’s working.” She gave in to the longings she’d had since the first time she’d seen him, all burly and tough in his football uniform, and placed both palms on his chest. “Whoa. Those muscles are … tantalizing.”
Mack gave her a soft chuckle. “Are you ever serious about anything?”
“No, not really.”
“Would you ever be serious about me?”
“Doubtful you’ll stay around that long.” Her heart was beating so fast. She knew this couldn’t last. Eventually he’d see her deformity and he’d be repulsed by her, or best-case scenario, pity her. Worst case, the media would catch wind of them and somehow expose her, like they had four years ago when Tyler’s other girlfriend took all those pictures and told so many lies to the media about her and Tyler, hoping to damage his political aspirations and destroy her life. Luckily it didn’t get much attention outside of Colorado but what if Mack somehow saw those pics? They were still online.
Mack bent closer and softly brushed his lips across her cheek. Sariah’s entire body heated up and all worries pushed to the background. Staying right in her space, he said, “You have no clue of the tenacity of an offensive lineman, or a Quinn brother.”
Sariah’s stomach did a happy dance. Could the man she daydreamed about truly be the man that wouldn’t give up on her?
He straightened, opened her door, and waited for her to slip inside. “Six o’clock tomorrow, here?” he said, as if he hadn’t just upended her world by the simple touch of his lips, and made it impossible for her to sleep tonight.
She nodded.
“Can’t wait.” He shut the door, gave her one more grin, and sauntered to the Cherokee.
Sariah wilted against the seat, her eyes feasting on all those muscles working in synchrony. Being this close to him was better than watching him play football, and that was really saying something.
