“I’m starting a new job on Monday, and my place won’t be ready until sometime next week. Sherry’s the only person I know up here, but I’m thinking I should have just found a hotel in town.” She must have decided what she wanted because she finally looked up at him. He’d been wrong about her eye color. They were more turquoise than blue. Gorgeous as hell.
“You two aren’t close, then?” He waved to get the waitress’s attention. She’d been watching him and headed over immediately.
“Not really. We don’t have much in common. Could I please get a mushroom burger, fries, and a Diet Coke?” She smiled at the waitress.
“Sure. And how about you? What would you like?” There was a double meaning in her question, and Annie covered her mouth to smother a laugh. Sam took it in stride.
“That sounds great.” He smiled at Annie. “I’ll have what she’s having. Thanks.” He wasn’t rude, but he made it clear he wasn’t interested in what the waitress was offering.
“I’ll be right back with your drinks.” She turned to go with a huff.
“You get that a lot?” Annie nodded to where the waitress had just been standing.
“Huh? Oh. No more than anyone else.”
“Yeah, right. So, you come here often?”
“No. My brother tricked me into coming. I thought we were going to hang out at his place and watch the game. I should have known better, but I guess it won’t kill me to get out every once in a while.”
“A homebody? I’m the same. Give me a comfortable chair, a good book, and some quiet music over this scene any day!”
They chatted until their food arrived and then dug in. “Oh, man. This is good,” Annie said reverently around a mouth full of food. Her eyes rolled in ecstasy.
Sam liked that she wasn’t self-conscious. That she didn’t mind getting her hands dirty and making a mess out of a burger so big she could hardly get her mouth around it. Most women he dated would order the most expensive thing on the menu and then pick at it while they complained about calories and fat grams. Not this one.
Of course, he wasn’t technically dating this woman. She didn’t even know who he was. What a freeing feeling that was.
She finished half the burger and most of the fries before she gave in. “I can’t do it. Too much food.” She groaned. “You want the rest?”
“Oh, no. I barely finished mine. Good call, though. That was a good burger.”
The waitress returned to ask if they wanted refills on their Cokes. “No, thanks,” Annie said and then looked at Sam, who was shaking his head. “Looks like we’re done. Could I get the check for the drinks my friend and I ordered over at that table? And I’ll take the check for our meals too.”
“What? You don’t have to do that. I’ll get the check.” Sam was as surprised as he was appalled. He wasn’t sure he’d ever had a woman offer to buy him dinner, but he was damn sure he wouldn’t allow it if she had. Maybe it was old school, but he’d asked her to dinner, so he should pay.
“It’s the least I can do. You’re helping me out of a real jam.”
“Be right back.” The waitress spun on her heels and left before they could hash it out.
Just as Sam was about to protest, his phone vibrated. “Maybe that’s Jake,” he said, pulling the phone out of his pocket. “Ah-hah!” he exclaimed, glancing at the text. “An address. We’re in business. You want me to call the cab now?”
“Woo-hoo! Yes, please. You’re a lifesaver, Sam.”
As he called, the waitress came back with the bill. Sam and Annie both grabbed for it.
“You are not buying dinner,” he said.
“Oh yes I am,” she replied.
“Oh no you’re not.” They sounded like five-year-olds.
“Oh yeah? Watch me.” She snatched the portable card scanner from the waitress and swiped before Sam could do anything. Short of wrestling it out of her hands, she didn’t leave him a choice but to concede. By the time they’d settled up and finished their Cokes, the cab was waiting outside.
“Mind if I drop you and then take the cab home?” Sam asked.
“Of course not.” They climbed in and gave the driver the address. In the darkness, the air grew thick. Her hand lay inches from his, and he got the vibe that maybe she was a little interested. Hoping he was reading the situation right, he reached over and took her hand. She tensed for a second but didn’t say anything and didn’t pull away.
Her hand felt good in his. Soft and cool. It had been a long time since he’d just held hands with a woman. He laid his head back and closed his eyes, absent-mindedly stroking her thumb with his.
The tension grew with each passing minute. She was stroking him back, and their grip tightened in unspoken longing. Finally, they arrived.
“Can I walk you up?” Sam asked. This was not normal behavior for him. He never moved this quickly, but he’d been drawn to her from the moment he first saw her at the bar. He felt reckless.
“Oh, sure. I guess so?” She bit her lip.
Sam asked the driver to wait as they got out. No outside lights were on, so they walked cautiously to the door and then stood in the dark.
“Sherry probably won’t be back for a while,” Sam speculated.
“Thank goodness I thought to ask for a spare key,” Annie said, fishing it out of her purse and fumbling to get the door open. Her hair was shimmering in the moonlight, and when she looked up, his groin tightened with want.
“I know this wasn’t officially a date, but I sort of feel like it was. Do you mind if I kiss you good night?”
“I, um, well, no.
