Damn it! My cheeks flushed, and I fidgeted with my fingers.
“I got you a grilled chicken sandwich with fries, and a strawberry salad. If you’re a good girl, I’ll even let you have some of this Crumbs cupcake.” He dipped his hand into the bag and raised it, exposing a mouthwatering hazelnut cupcake propped inside a clear shell. I licked my lips as he turned the tantalizing package. Crumbs was my weakness and hazelnut was my favorite flavor.
Eye on the prize, I determinedly stalked toward him, lifted the plastic heaven-containing package from his fingers, and placed it on the counter out of harm’s way. That baby was all mine. I reached up to extract two glasses from the cabinet when a familiar warmth overtook my whole back side. I was beginning to recognize the feel of his gaze on me. Turning, I caught him while his line of vision was still glued to the lower half of my body.
Unlike me, he didn’t try to make it seem as though he wasn’t looking, but rather let his sights linger there just a little longer before he painfully, slowly sent them traveling up the length of me. He patted the stool next to him.
“Come, I’m starved.”
I had the distinct feeling he wasn’t talking about the chicken.
Or the salad . . .
Or the cupcake . . .
Everything smelled delicious and my stomach rumbled. My eyes went wide as I tore into the packages, shoveling French fries in my mouth while I unwrapped my sandwich and forked through my salad. “Thanks, I’m starving. I was on my way to get something when you sent me that text.”
His eyes twinkled as he stared at me with a huge smile.
I stopped chewing, cheeks full, fingers dripping with grease. “What?”
He stared a moment longer. “You’re cute when you’re hungry. You’re like a little lion. I like it.”
Crinkling my nose, I growled at him and we both laughed. I wiped my hands and started eating my salad one calm mouthful at a time.
“So how’d it go with your boyfriend yesterday?” Blake asked pointedly. “Did you tell him you have a new BFF?”
I coughed, almost choking on my food, then cleared my throat. “No.” I looked away.
“Tsk, tsk, Angel. I’m disappointed in you. Don’t you know all relationships are built on honesty and trust?” He raised his eyebrows, accentuating his dissatisfaction.
The chicken felt like cement scraping down my throat. Suddenly, I wasn’t so hungry. I did, however, have a good topic change. “Speaking of BFF . . . that was a nice little touch in my phone.”
He beamed a satisfied smile that seemed to take up most of his face. “You like how I did that, right? Ten more points?”
“Twenty.” I couldn’t help but smile.
I stabbed a forkful of salad and chomped down, searching for my napkin before runaway dressing could slide off my chin, when I heard the distinct click of a picture being taken. My head snapped up as Blake was lowering a very fancy looking camera. Straight faced, he examined the image he’d just captured of me.
“You could warn a person before you do that.” I glowered. “Do you regularly take pictures of people with lettuce hanging off their face?” I dropped my fork and wiped my lips.
Eyes still on the viewfinder, he murmured, “Don’t worry. You look perfect.” And then he ran his thumb over the screen and looked up at me with a half-smile. Our eyes lingered on each other a heartbeat longer than necessary. He raised his hands and, without looking at the screen or deviating from my stare, he clicked the camera in my direction once more.
I blinked rapidly, thrown out of my trance. “Stop it! What’s wrong with you?”
Blake looked down and examined the image, a satisfied grin on his face. “Got it. I’ve been waiting to get that look since I met you.”
“Look? What look?”
“This look.” He turned the camera in my direction, and I saw a girl with her eyes locked adoringly, staring in awe, features soft, cheeks flushed, lips full and parted.
Oh. That look.
“Now I’ll have it forever. Even if you run away from me.” He slowly lowered the camera and placed it protectively in the crook of his arm, tapping it twice.
“So what’re your plans for today?” I tried to lighten the mood.
“You’re looking at it.” He smiled, a toothy grin.
“Seriously? It doesn’t take all day to feed me. I’m not really malnourished.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Oh, I don’t know about that. I still have to show you the proper way to eat a cupcake. That could take some time.” His eyes shimmered with mischief, and my belly did a flip flop. I could only imagine what he considered proper. In fact, I was certain it would be anything but proper.