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This is the first time I’ve seen his eyes shine, and it’s mesmerizing. My skin burns where his arms hold me. The room becomes warm, and my heart thunders in my chest.
“Ember?” he says softly.
“Yeah, sorry about that. These shoes are hazardous,” I try to joke and move away gracefully.
He looks down at my shoes and then back to me, pinning me with his stare. “You here alone?”
“Right now I am. Did Raven call you?”
He nods.
Of course he’s here because of Raven. The little I know of this crowd of friends tells me how protective they are. Anyone who messes with them better watch out. This is not a normal group; they’re possessive, wild, and absolutely no-nonsense.
“He left. It was silly to bother Raven with everything she has going on. Sorry you came all the way here.” I straighten my back, trying to regain a level of professionalism.
“It was no problem.” He looks around the shop and then back to me, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Is it normal to be here alone at night?”
“Depends on the schedule, but mostly, yes. There are only four of us, so we alternate closing. However, two of the associates take night classes, so I usually pick up the shift.”
“How much longer are you open tonight?”
“About an hour and a half.”
“What are your plans for dinner?”
What? Why is he asking? I gape at him blankly and watch as his lips twitch and then turn into a full smile. My heart pitters against my chest again and my palms start to sweat. I swallow hard to try and moisten my dry lips, unable to speak.
“Ember? Dinner? Have you had dinner?”
“I brought some sushi to eat later.” My voice finally returns.
The grin disappears and is replaced with a look of disgust. He shakes his head and digs his keys out of his pocket. “That’s not dinner. You like Thai?”
“Thai?”
“Yeah, as in real, solid food. I’m hungry and don’t want you alone here for the rest of the night. And I sure as shit don’t eat sushi. So tell me what you like and I’ll bring it back.”
“Robbie, that’s not necessary. Thank you for checking on me, but it’s safe here and I’m sure you have better things to do tonight. You don’t need to feel obligated to stay,” I say softly, watching for relief to wash over him.
“Why would I feel obligated to stay?”
“Your sister’s privacy is safe. You can trust that I won’t leak anything about her wedding, the date, or the members of the wedding party. I’d already decided if you were another non-customer prying into specifics of the wedding, the shop would close for the night. So really, you don’t need to stick around—”
“You were going to close early to protect my sister’s privacy?”
“Abso
lutely.”
The grin returns as he walks toward me. When he’s less than a foot away, he stops and touches my arm softly. “Let me make something clear. My sister’s a big girl and has a fiancé that’s as pussy whipped as they come. I didn’t come to question your loyalty as a vendor. I came to make sure you were safe and throw the asshole out if he was still here. There’s no obligation. I’d like to have dinner with you. So, what do you say? Thai okay?”
He came to make sure I was safe…
The skin on my arm tingles where his fingertips lay. When our gaze meets, I get lost in the now Persian eyes that capture my own. My mouth is so dry it’s hard to form a response, so I nod.
“Any requests?”
“I don’t like curry,” I whisper. “Other than that, surprise me.”
