He was back against her in a millisecond. His big body pressed hard against her front and the tree against her back.
He cupped her face, and his fierce gaze was so wild and desperate, she couldn’t tell if he was mad or terrified.
“This is the last time.” He kissed her bottom lip. “The last opportunity.” Kiss. “Chloe, will you have dinner with me?”
She leaned back enough to meet his eyes once more. Gage McGraw, the man who issued orders and expected to have them followed, just asked her.
All the venom she’d built up, the wily exchange of wills, all fell between them. The only thing left was Gage gazing at her like he really saw her. And she couldn’t deny him.
“Please.”
That was her undoing.
“Okay,” she whispered.
A huge smile split his face, and he kissed her. Once hard and fast, the next soft, then small, light brushes of his lips, until finally he took her mouth completely.
“I promise romance isn’t as bad as you think,” he said.
Chloe somehow doubted it. Especially because she had no idea what she was doing. But she was sure of two things. One, she was getting in way over her head. Two, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself.
Chapter Five
Gage’s phone pinged with a text message from Chloe.
What’s your favorite dessert?
He stopped rolling the cuffs on his blue button-up and responded easily with the truth.
You.
Funnily enough, he was a bit nervous. While part of him had been confident he could eventually get Chloe to cave and go on a date with him, another part of him thought it’d never happen. But it was happening. Tonight.
After their little escapade in the woods, he’d replayed in his mind over and over the one word she’d said when he’d asked her again for just one date.
Okay.
She’d said okay. Now it was his shot to show her how much more they could be. And why he wanted to keep coming back to this town and to her.
His phone pinged again.
By the way, don’t worry about picking me up. I’ll meet you at the restaurant.
He almost protested, because walking to her door and getting her was part of the date. Granted, he’d never been strictly traditional, but with Chloe, he wanted to do things right—take her hand as she got out of the car, open the restaurant door for her, pull her seat out. But he was walking on thin ice with a date in the first place, and he didn’t want to push his luck. If she wanted to meet him at the restaurant, he wouldn’t push the issue.
Assuming this wasn’t some elaborate ruse.
If you stand me up, sweetheart, we’re going to have words.
A few seconds passed, and then she wrote back.
Please, God, no more talking.
He chuckled while responding.
Yep. Don’t think I don’t know how to punish you.
Her response came within seconds: You wouldn’t dare.
Gage grinned from ear to ear as he typed out his reply.
I’ll talk to you all night. Then again in the morning. I’ll talk to you so hard and so much you won’t be able to handle another conversation for weeks.
And send.
He called to double-check the reservation he’d made at Le Coeur’s—a fancy French restaurant in town. At first, Chloe had asked why she’d eat somewhere other than her own restaurant, but she’d seemed to melt with relief when he’d suggested that maybe she needed a night off from everything.
He thanked the hostess for confirming his reservation, then hung up and saw he had another text from Chloe.
Your threat is noted, and I believe you. I’m showing up tonight so we can finally get down to the good stuff. But I swear to God, if I buy you surf and turf and you don’t put out at the end of the evening, then I’ll be the one having words with you.
He laughed again. God, he liked her. So much. She was funny, strong-willed, and so damn sexy it made his head spin. Their little game was reversed in a lot of ways, but when it came down to it, they both played their part well. And his part was to keep a hold of Chloe and pleasure her until she couldn’t entertain the idea of anything—or anyone—else.
I see we understand each other then. See you soon, sweetheart.
His phone pinged once more.
Yes, you will.
Chloe had no idea what she was doing. It’d taken her all day and more research than she’d care to admit to prepare for tonight’s date. The cute little restaurant was on the waterfront, and Gage sat at a table nestled in the corner with a single candle in the middle. She hadn’t meant to be late, but she was.
Now he probably thought she was standing him up. Well, maybe that’d make him all the more eager when she finally went over. Assuming he didn’t walk out.
She shook her head and banished the thought. He wouldn’t walk out. And she shouldn’t care if he did.
She stood near the bar and watched the strong, capable search and rescuer sitting alone. Waiting for her.