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It’s such a simple touch, but I feel the heat of his hand everywhere. My stomach tightens as a wave of arousal breaks over me. Good Lord, if this simple touch is affecting me so much, I can’t even imagine what it would be like to kiss him.
Ken slides his hand to my hip, curling his fingers around my flesh and tucking me into his side. Every single place we’re touching sends sparks shooting up my spine.
When we get to the table, the host pulls out my chair for me, indicating I should sit down. Before I even have a chance to thank him, Ken is right next to the man, taking over chair duty. I swear Ken even growls softly. The host raises his hands in surrender, though there’s a tiny smirk on his lips.
I’m not sure what that was all about, but I sit in my chair as Ken pushes it up to the table. He bends down, his lips brushing my ear.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous, sweet Gracie. I didn’t realize I was a caveman until I saw another man trying to take care of you. I want to be the one to do that.”
He seals his whispered secret by pressing his lips to my temple and breathing me in. I shiver at the contact, closing my eyes and tilting my head to the side. I’m barely aware I’m even doing it until Ken ghosts his lips up and down my neck, nipping my sensitive skin.
“Delicious,” he murmurs, placing one last kiss on the side of my neck before taking his seat across from me.
It takes me a moment to gather my wits about me. I know my face is flushed from all of his attention, and I have to take a few measured breaths to get my pounding heart under control.
Ken looks hungry, but not for food. He’s hungry forme. That knowledge is both exhilarating and terrifying. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I want to please him. I want more of whatever he’s offering.
He must sense my nerves, because Ken reaches across the table and takes my hand in his, holding it gently while he rubs his thumb over my knuckles.
“It’s just us,” he says softly. “You set the pace.”
I nod and swallow thickly. I appreciate that he’s giving me control, but it’s also dangerous. If I set the pace, I might sprint right into bed with him if I’m not careful.
“When did you move to Cherry Falls?” I ask, clearing my throat and looking over the menu.
“I moved here after I got out of the military. My parents and I used to go camping over here during the summers a lot when I was growing up. The small-town vibe was exactly what I was looking for when opening my practice. And the eclectic characters in Cherry Falls meant I’d never get bored. Plus, there’s no denying the beauty of this place. I always loved it here.” The way his eyes sparkle and his lips curl into a wistful smile, I know he truly loves this town. Ken’s brow furrows and a different look steals over his features. “I didn’t have any family to go back to when I got out,” he says more quietly. “My parents passed away during my last deployment. Car crash. Died on impact.”
I squeeze his hand, hoping to show my sympathy and support. Ken’s eyes meet mine and everything in me melts for the man who has lost so much and yet continues to give back to his community.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper.
“Thanks. It was unexpected and left me aimless for a bit. But I rallied and decided to use my years in medical school and my experience as an army medic to open my own practice. I couldn’t think of a better place to do it than Cherry Falls.”
“That’s incredible. I had no idea this place was so special to you.” I smile and squeeze his hand again.
“It is,” he agrees. “Though right now, I wish I weren’t in such a small town. The options for help are somewhat limited.”
“Yeah, I know you’ve been having a lot of trouble finding a nurse.”
The waiter comes to take our order, breaking up the conversation. When he leaves, Ken continues.
“I was hopeful when I first posted the job online. I had six candidates right away. Unfortunately, none of them were what I was looking for.”
“Oh?”
“I had a few no-call, no-shows, followed by a guy who could never file the paperwork correctly. We lost some important patient files that took me all day to locate,” he mutters, as if the memory annoys him. “It was always one thing or another. They couldn’t show up on time or they’d fuck up and I’d end up doing more work redoing what they had already done.”
I nod along, trying to sympathize with him. Truthfully, though, a pit forms in my stomach. I don’t know the whole story behind the nurses he’s hired in the past, but I get the sense Ken is particular when it comes to the people he wants working for him. Does that mean he’s going to nitpick everything I do, too? Will he keep a log of my wrongdoings and then give me the boot when I’ve reached my limit?
“Hey,” Ken says, breaking me out of my downward spiral. “I’m sorry, I got caught up in talking about work. That’s the opposite of what I wanted tonight to be about.” His smile is bright and genuine, like he really wants to spend time with me.
“It’s alright,” I say, swallowing down my nerves. We’re mostly done with dinner, and I’m not sure what comes next.
“Would you like to come to my place for dessert?” he asks. My anxiety spikes just thinking about the implications. “Or not,” he’s quick to say. “I thought things were going okay, but—”
“It’s not that,” I blurt out, wanting to save him from rejection. “I… I do, very much want to, um… spend time with you. I’m just… I’m not very experienced with all of this,” I murmur, gesturing all around us. I hope he understands what I mean without me having to spell it out for him.
Ken tilts his head at first, his brow furrowed. Then it clicks. His eyes go wide, but then they turn tender as he stands up and steps right in front of me, holding out both of his hands. I rest my hands in his, looking up into those espresso eyes.
