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But now, the ache is gone. I bend my knee, then kick it out. No click. “The click is gone!”
“That’s good, doll.” He jumps off the table. “I’m starving. Let’s grab lunch.”
My heart turns into a gooey, sticky mess. First the intimate sex on the couch, now this? That smirk told me everything I need to know. He’s being kind. Too kind. He’s listening to all the things I’m not saying, and that’s intimate partner stuff. This weekend is supposed to be about me learning to get back into the swing of dating. It’s not meant to be serious.
We leave the spa and head through the main lobby. I follow his lead into the parking garage where my car is still parked. Dec gave me my keys this morning, and they’re tucked in my purse. He heads for the passenger’s side and waits until I’m close enough that the key fob automatically clicks open when his hand touches the handle. He opens the door and helps me in.
“I can drive, you know?” I say.
Declan ignores me and ducks in to fasten my seatbelt. Just like the first time he did it, his fingers linger over my breasts. Just like the first time, I shiver at the intensity of his touch, at the small action that speaks volumes of his character. He puts on this act, pretends to be grumpy, pretends he’s some badass. But the way he touches me, the way he wants to make sure I’m safe, it tugs at my heartstrings.
I only open my eyes when he slams the door shut. By the time he climbs in, I’ve composed myself enough to plaster on a fake smile. “Where are we going?” I ask.
He shrugs. “I don’t know what you like, so I didn’t bother trying to find a place.”
Tapping my chin, I try to think of a place to go. “I mean, really, I’m not picky. I can find a dish I like anywhere.”
“You’re not picky? No dietary restrictions?” He asks, starting up the car.
I shake my head and he pulls into reverse. “Nope. What’s your favorite food?”
“I’m a cheap date. I like to get the value deals at Wendy’s.”
“Oh, spicy chicken nuggets with a chocolate frosty is a must-have,” I agree. “Let’s go there.”
“You sure? We could grab anything anywhere.”
I nod. “I’m totally sure.”
“Wendy’s it is.”
We fall into silence while he pulls out of the garage, and his hand settles on my thigh. It’s comfortable, easy. The same familiar feeling from earlier when we were on the couch comes back, and I inhale a sharp breath, steadying myself. Just because it’s nice to be around him, doesn’t mean feelings are developing. It means we’re finding things in common that we didn’t think we had. That doesn’t equal love. It doesn’t even mean friendship.
I bite my bottom lip and close my eyes to steel myself for the rest of the evening. Declan squeezes my leg. “Are you from Boston?” he asks.
“No,” I say. “I moved here for school. I’m from Connecticut. My parents own a farm.”
“And you loved city life so much you stayed?”
I grin, glancing out the window. Something like that. More like I fell for the city boy and got pregnant. But I’m not ready to admit that. At least not yet. I don’t know if I’ll ever want to talk about Ian with those who didn’t know him. And I especially don’t want to talk about him now with Declan.
“It’s a beautiful place,” I say, settling on a simple answer.
Declan stops at a red light. I braid our fingers together and bring them to my lips.
“You ever think about leaving the city?” I ask. “You grew up here, right?”
“Yeah. We moved here when my mom was pregnant with me.”
“Oh. From where?”
“My parents lived in Ireland.”
“That’s pretty neat. Have you ever been?”
“Nope. It’s on my list of things to do at some point in time.”
“I bet it’s beautiful there.”
