One Insatiable(49)

“You wouldn’t?”

“Not the part about you and me.” He gives me a squeeze. “The rest of it—”

Stopping, I turn and face him on the sidewalk. “We won’t talk about it any more. Tonight is our first date. We only talk about us.”

He does a little nod. “Deal. Do you want to go back and change clothes?”

Looking down at my long black pants, yoga top, and jacket, I fasten the zipper and smooth my hands down the front. “Where did you want to go?”

“There’s a Duck place ahead.” He points up the sidewalk in the direction we’re headed.

“Pond and Duck?” I think they’ll let me in like this.

“You’re beautiful in anything.”

I shake my head. “You’re very good at the boyfriend lines.”

“It’s not a line.” His strong arm is around my shoulders again. “I’ve thought you were beautiful since the first night I saw you.”

“Naked in the moonlight?”

“Your birthday suit is by far my favorite outifit.”

I don’t know how, but he makes me smile. For a flicker of time, I feel light. We’re at the restaurant in the center of town, and he holds the heavy wooden door for me to enter. The hostess looks about my age. She’s dressed in all black with her red hair in a ponytail.

“Table for two?” She asks brightly, and I nod. “Inside or out?”

Glancing up at Koa, he quickly answers. “Inside.”

She nods and takes off toward the back of the restaurant. “I’m surprised. I thought you’d say out,” I whisper.

“Normally, I would, but I don’t want the moon to bring us down.”

My hand goes up. “Good idea, and that’s the last we’ll say about it.”

A sad little grin lifts the corner of his mouth. I have to look away fast before my heart breaks.

“Here you go!” The hostess stands beside a tall, wood-paneled booth. “Your server will be right with you.”

We’re just sliding across the slick leather benches into the cozy nook when a young man appears. “Water will be right out. Would you like anything to drink?”

Koa blinks at me a moment before looking up at the guy. “It’s our first date. I think we should start with champagne.”

“Congratulations! I’ll have it right out for you.”

“Really?” My nose wrinkles when the server disappears. “I’m not sure we should be celebrating.”

This time Koa holds up his hand. “You said tonight was about us.”

Pressing my lips together, I let my eyes travel over his beautiful face. His dark brow lowers over his green eyes, and his black hair is pushed back. He’s so powerful. I want to hide in his strong arms forever, forget the consequences.

“I would hold you forever if I could.”

My cheeks pink, and I look down. “I forgot you sense my feelings.”

Reaching across the table, he extends his hand. I place my smaller one in it, and his fingers close. “So tell me, what got you interested in pottery?”

Focusing on our connection, I let my mind travel back to that winter three years ago. “I was bored. The winter was terrible. It never stopped snowing. I thought I’d go crazy if I had to sit in that mansion one more day.”

“Still, pottery? Why not the silversmith?”

“I walked into town, and this little pottery studio had just opened. Mercedes, the owner, was in the back throwing a bowl. I asked if she’d let me watch her work, and she said yes. The rest is history.”

“She taught you?”

The waiter returns with two slim flutes of bubbling gold wine. Koa winks at me, and holds his glass to mine. “To first dates.”

Hopefully not the last, I think as I sip the crisp beverage.

The waiter takes our orders — I can’t resist ordering the wild nettle pancakes, but Koa gets the roasted duck confit. When we’re again alone, the handsome panther across from me grins.

“Pancakes?”

“I’ve never had wild nettles.”

“Don’t get stung.”

“Besides, I was hoping you might share your duck.”

That gets me a groan, and I actually laugh. Lifting the sparkling wine, I take another sip. “Thank you for this.”

Our hands are joined again in the center of the table. “I had to get us out of that apartment. It was either this or shift and run all over the countryside.”

“We might never come back if we did that.”

His eyes hold a look, and I know what he’s thinking. Would that be so bad?

“No,” I answer quietly. “If only…”

“Back to your story. You said Mercedes taught you to spin bowls.”

“The technical term is throwing, and she did teach me. After repeatedly saying she wouldn’t. Every day I went back. The snow cut into her business, and I offered to pay. It wasn’t long before she caved.”

“You’re really good.”

“It’s a craft, so the more you do it, the better you get.” A server puts small plates of salad in front of us and a basket of sourdough bread with anchovy spread in the center. I lift my fork and take a bite of the bitter greens cut by balsamic vinaigrette while Koa samples the bread.