She laughed at the mock hurt expression on his face and slid onto the soft leather of the passenger seat. Ryan got in and took the wheel. She had no idea where they were headed, but she had a feeling that if he’d gone to this much trouble, she wouldn’t be disappointed in his choice of restaurant.
Michigan Avenue, aka the Magnificent Mile, had no shortage of places to dine. Every type of cuisine could be found on the main road or down the side streets. When he pulled up in front of a turn-of-the-century brownstone, she almost gasped.
She’d eaten at the award-winning restaurant once and had fallen in love with the chef’s ability to create flavorful dishes from seasonal choices. The prix-fixe menu only offered four-or five-course meal options and it wasn’t cheap.
Shawna swung her gaze to Ryan.
He grinned, as if he knew he’d done good. “Still making a good impression?”
“Definitely.”
Inside, large floral arrangements bursting with summer flowers adorned the dining room. Knock-offs of impressionist paintings and abstracts from local artists hung on the walls. A hostess escorted them to a table where they immediately ordered a four-course meal and a bottle of wine.
The time passed quickly, thanks to Ryan’s sense of humor. By the time the cheese course arrived—a plated assortment of mild to sharp cheeses, accompanied by a baguette, sliced figs, dried apricots, and nuts—Shawna found herself laughing at everything he said. She didn’t know if it was because he was so funny or because of the almost empty bottle on the table between them.
She rested her chin in one hand and swirled a glass of white wine in the other. “Okay, truth time. You’re not unattractive so I can’t figure out why you feel the need to follow women around and try to seduce them with expensive meals at French restaurants.”
She sipped from the glass, eyeing him through her lashes over the rim. Oh boy, she was full-on flirting now. Maybe she needed to slow down. She set the glass on the table.
Leaning back in the chair, Ryan watched her with an amused expression. He tended to smile a lot, which was nice. It made his blue eyes sparkle like the sun bouncing off ocean waves.
“Is it working?”
“Yes, but you can’t seriously tell me you don’t have a girlfriend somewhere.”
His smile wobbled before slipping back into place. “I don’t.”
For the first time since she’d sat down to dinner, she wondered if he had someone in his life, and the thought disturbed her enough that she lowered her gaze to the cheese plate and picked up a couple of walnuts. During that millisecond of time, envy filled her and the desire to make him hers overcame her.
Brushing aside the disquieting thoughts, Shawna continued the light-hearted banter they’d engaged in since the beginning of the meal. “Likes and dislikes,” she said. “I love watching action movies, but none of my girlfriends like them, and I always end up going to the movies alone.”
“Where have you been all my life?” Ryan folded his arms on the table and leaned forward, flexing his biceps oh so nicely. “Every woman I’ve ever dated hates action flicks. In the summer, I buy a movie package so I can see all the blockbusters at a discounted rate.”
“Me, too!”
He reached for a nut at the same time she did, and their fingers brushed. They both pulled back quickly, and the unexpected jolt to Shawna’s system stunned her. She lowered her eyes from Ryan’s gaze and inhaled to slow the rate of her beating heart. What had just happened?
Scraping his hand through his hair, Ryan cleared his throat. He couldn’t ever remember being this nervous around a woman before. The simple act of brushing their fingertips against each other almost made him leap out of the chair.
“So, um . . . tell me about your trip to France.” She’d mentioned earlier that she’d traveled to France while in college.
A wistful expression came over her features as she reflected on the fond memories. “I spent an amazing summer there after my freshman year.” She had a nice voice. Low but feminine. He’d been asking her questions all night to hear her talk.
“I went only a few years ago but it seems much longer.” She laughed. “I’d love to go back.”