One King's Way (On Dublin Street #6.5)(25)

Her eyes had widened at the sight of him standing in her doorway wearing the suit his mum had insisted on buying him for Christmas last year. She said every man should own a suit. This was his first time wearing the tailored three-piece suit. It was a dark gray and a slim-cut fit.

Rain’s chocolate eyes had darkened to almost black. “You look sexy as hell.”

Craig had taken in the dark red, fitted dress that was similar in style to most of the dresses he’d seen her in. This one, however, was cut lower in the neckline and she was wearing a silver locket that was nestled in her cleavage. He was going to have to try hard not to become fixated on that damn necklace for the rest of the evening.

“You look stunning,” he’d said. “But then, you always do.”

“Where are we going that you’re all fancied up? And am I dressy enough?”

“You always are. And it’s a surprise.”

Now Rain was sitting across from him at their cozy table in La Cour, smiling curiously at him as the waiter poured them each a glass of champagne. He didn’t really drink champagne, although he didn’t mind the taste of it. He was more of a whisky guy, but again he wanted Rain to feel special, and an eighty-pound bottle of champagne should hopefully help do that.

When the waiter left Rain gave him a wry smile. “La Cour? I thought you had to make a reservation weeks in advance.”

“Joss’s boyfriend, Braden, owns it.”

“Ah.” She nodded. “Connections.”

“You’ve never eaten here, then?”

“Nope. You?”

“Nope.”

The curiosity shone in her eyes. “Then why are we here?”

He leaned across the table and covered her hand with his. “Because I wanted this to be a special night.”

“This is lovely,” she said, her expression turning serious, “but you do know that you don’t have to spend loads of money on me to make me feel special?”

“Rain—”

She turned her hand so she could clasp his in it. “Craig, I just wanted to go on a date with you. Fish and chips and a stroll down by the waterfront would have been just as amazing. I need you to know that.”

“I do now.” He felt a moment of worry that he’d perhaps done this all wrong. He felt a little out of his depth with this whole serious-dating stuff. “Is this too much?”

She smiled and like always he felt something shift in his chest when she did it. “No. No one’s ever thought enough of me to take me somewhere like this. It’s a magical first date.”

The tension left him. “Good. I’m glad.”

They shared an intimate smile before checking out the menu.

“Although I’m not sure what half of the stuff on the menu is,” she muttered.

“Thank f*ck,” he muttered back. “Because neither do I.”

*

Dinner was finished and although they’d been wary of what they were ordering, the food turned out to be as delicious as Braden had assured. They were waiting on dessert, and Rain seemed to have a nice buzz going from the champagne. In all honesty she was the most relaxed Craig had ever seen her.

He decided to at least set something straight while she was in a good mood and not readying herself to run for the door.

“To me this is a relationship,” he said. “I want this to be a real relationship. Monogamy and all.”

He saw her shoulders tense a little. “Craig . . . we should take this slow.”

“Of course,” he agreed, even though he already had visions of them playing house. “As long as we agree that we’re taking it slow with the understanding that we are taking it somewhere serious. I can’t promise what will happen in the future; no one can. But I can promise that I want to be with you.”

Her eyes shone in the candlelight. “Okay. Me too. But we’re taking it slow.”

He grinned triumphantly. “We’re taking it slow.”

*

“The best I’ve ever had. I promise you that.”

Rain’s words hadn’t stopped echoing in Craig’s head for the last week. He hated having to leave her to go to work, and that was a first. The truth was he’d had to physically drag himself away from her. And while his body was at work, his head was still in bed with Rain. Jo slyly commented on his absentmindedness, as if she knew the cause, and he was pretty sure that gossip would make its way to Joss’s ears and he’d never hear the end of it.

But he didn’t care. All he could think about was Rain’s mouth, her skin, the feel of her hair sliding through his fingers, her perfume, and how goddamn amazing it felt to be inside of her.

He was quite possibly addicted to this woman.

When customers flirted with him at work he automatically flirted back for tips, but it lacked his usual sincerity because there was only one woman in the world he found truly f*cking beautiful, and none of these women were Rain.

The thought of going home to his empty bed in his flat filled him with dread. Salvation from the strange and unusual loneliness he felt at the thought came when his phone vibrated in his pocket an hour before closing.

I’m still up if you want to come to mine after your shift. Rain xo

Craig grinned at the text, filled with anticipation just at the thought.

I’ll be there, darlin’. Can’t wait to see you.