Love on the Lake (Lakeside #2)(48)

“You didn’t have one of these, though.” He points at the biscuit. “You gotta eat one. They’re amazing.”

I take one from the plate and cut it in half, then slather one side in strawberry jam. I break it apart, checking to see how flaky they are. I didn’t have a pastry blender, so I had to make do with forks, but they still turned out delicious.

“You sleep okay?” he asks between bites of food.

“I woke up a little early. You?”

“Like the dead.”

“You were out literally two seconds after you said good night.”

“Yeah. It’s a blessing and a curse. I can fall asleep whenever and wherever, and it pretty much takes a bulldozer to wake me up.” His gaze shifts away, and he looks out the window, toward the lake.

The sun is rising above the tree line, pink and yellow rays reflecting on the water.

“You have a beautiful view.” I prop my chin on my fist and watch as the sun slowly rises over the treetops in the distance. “Does it ever stop being magical?”

“I don’t think so. I’ve lived here most of my life, and I never stop thinking it’s stunning.”

“Where did you go to college again?”

“Indiana.”

“Right. And you studied structural engineering?”

“Yeah, but I prefer working with my hands than sitting behind a desk.”

He said that last time I brought it up, and I have to wonder if it’s his script when someone asks him these things. “So that’s why you didn’t finish your degree? Because it wasn’t what you wanted to do?”

“Something like that. Yeah.” He jams another forkful of eggs into his mouth and pushes away from the table, and his chair scrapes shrilly across the floor. “I should probably get ready and take you back to your car. It won’t take long to change out the tire, but I know you still need to head home and get changed for work.”

“Yeah. Yes. Of course.” I push back my chair, trying to understand what I did or said to shift his mood so abruptly. He opens the cupboard under the sink and scrapes what little is left on his plate into the garbage.

As if he can read my thoughts, he grabs me by the wrist and pulls me into him. “Thank you for making breakfast. I don’t think anyone has cooked for me like that since . . . I don’t know. It was amazing, and it’s gonna make me want you to sleep over all the damn time now.” He plants a chaste, lingering kiss on my lips. “And I like you in my shirt. I also wish I had time to get you out of it before we have to leave.”

I look at the clock over the stove. It’s six thirty. “How long will it take to change the tire?”

“Maybe twenty minutes or so.”

“And when do you have to be at work?”

“Usually I’m there around seven thirty, but I’m not officially on the clock until eight.”

“That should be lots of time, don’t you think?” I grab the hem of his shirt and pull it over my head, tossing it on the floor.

Apparently, that’s all it takes to convince Aaron that we do indeed have enough time.





CHAPTER 14


DATE NIGHT


Teagan

On Saturday evening Aaron comes knocking on my door at six for our dinner date. I check my reflection in the mirror one last time and glance over my shoulder to make sure my dress looks good from all angles before I open the door.

“Oh, wow.” I exhale on a low whistle. “You clean up nice.”

He’s wearing a pair of black dress pants, a light-gray button-down, and a slate-gray tie. His hair, which is often covered with a baseball cap, is styled neatly, and if I had to guess, I’d say it’s been cut recently.

“You look damn well amazing.” Aaron’s gaze moves over me in a hot sweep.

“Do you want to come in for a minute?” I step back to make room for him to enter.

“I do, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.” He brings his finger to his lips and taps it twice.

I frown. “Why not?”

“Because if I come inside, I’m going to find a reason not to leave again, and I want to take you out for dinner, especially with you looking like my favorite dessert.”

“Oh my gosh.” I swat his chest. “That was a terrible line!”

“That wasn’t a line, that was the truth and a promise.” He grabs my hand and pulls me up against him. “I’m going to treat you like an all-you-can-eat buffet later. You got an overnight bag with you, right?”

“I do.”

“Go get it, and let’s get out of here before I get inside you.”

“The worst lines ever, Aaron.”

“It’s not a line if it’s the truth.” He raises both hands and takes a step backward so he’s on the landing rather than inside the loft.

I grab my clutch and my overnight bag and lock the door behind me before following Aaron down the stairs. He gives me his arm as we cross the pebbled driveway. I hesitate a step when I realize it’s not his work truck in the driveway but a white sports car.

“Is this yours?”

“Uh . . .” He rubs the back of his neck. “It’s not.”

“You know, you didn’t have to commit a felony for our date. My car is sitting right there.”