The Magnolia Chronicles: Adventures in Modern Dating(67)

"So weird."

"Okay, okay." I scooted closer to him. That champagne and those fishtail thoughts, they stole all my caution, my care. "I think there's a weird element we've ignored up until this point. I think it's time we address it."

He swung my legs onto his lap, wrapped his arm around my torso. His hand slipped between my legs but the position we'd contorted ourselves into kept it chaste. As chaste as two drunk people in the back of a town car could be. "Is it complete and total lack of pigs-in-a-blanket at that party? I don't care where it's taking place, you need mini hot dogs."

"No, but now I'm hungry."

"Food. Yes. Let's do that." Right on cue, his stomach sent up a thunderous rumble. "We'll go home, get Gronk, and then walk over to that place on Boylston. The one with the dog-friendly patio."

"You want to get burgers and shakes in a tux, Russo? Is that what you're saying?"

"I want to take my contacts out before I scratch my corneas off," he answered. "But otherwise, yes. I promised to flaunt you tonight."

Rob in a tuxedo was bad enough. Add his sexy nerd glasses with the thick, horn-rimmed frames to the equation and it didn't get much worse.

By worse, I definitely meant perfect. He was perfect.

And he wanted to feed me burgers and milkshakes, and bring my dog along too.

Perfect.

"I'm changing into flip-flops for the next portion of this flaunting. I really must get all the mileage out of this dress that I can. It's not like I can wear it to work."

Rob studied the neckline, traced it with his finger. "I would pay to see that."

"That can be arranged since your terrace is still a concrete wasteland."

He dipped his chin, sent me a stare that bit at my cheeks until I was flushed and grinning. "Send me a bill, love."

My lips parted as a gravelly breath sputtered out and that would've been confession enough, but then my belly gurgled. It was loud and vaguely odd—a product of organ rearrangement via Spanx—and it told Rob everything else he needed to know.

I was starving. For food, for him, for us.

And I couldn't hide it any longer.

He smiled, allowed me an exit from speaking the words crystalizing between us. "What have I ignored, Magnolia? Was it how Eddie gave Miranda the exact same ring I'd picked out for her? Or the swan ice sculpture, because that thing was unusual. I've already mentioned this but I think the mini hot dog issue is worth revisiting. I know for a fact that both of those motherfuckers love mini hot dogs."

"Those are valid concerns but the weirdest part is those motherfuckers invited you." Rob turned his attention back to my dress, now busy pushing the skirt over my knees. "Why would they do that?"

He traced the ball of my kneecap. "I don't know." He paused, lightly tracing an almost-healed scrape. "I think—maybe—they saw the gesture as an olive branch. A twisted olive branch from a fucked-up tree, but an olive branch. They probably thought they were earning some absolution in the process. Whatever their reasoning, I don't think they expected me to show up and show up with the most incredible woman in this city."

"They didn't expect to see you, no. They didn't hide their surprise too well." I dropped my head to his shoulder as another round of loose, silly giggles rolled through me. "I think we might've taken over their party. I haven't danced that much, ever."

"It's their fault. They hired a kick-ass band and your body was meant to move and—"

"—and you loved stealing some of their spotlight," I interrupted.

His expression softened, sobered. "I liked stealing it with you."

I reached for the open collar of his shirt, tugged his face closer to mine. "I liked it too."

Rob sucked in a breath. "I already love you. Stop making it worse."

I brought his lips to mine, offering a quick brush before pulling him in, demanding more. He tasted new, different. As long as I lived, I'd swear it wasn't champagne but the flavor of beginnings. It was hypnotic, like orange blossoms a minute before they bloomed.





Chapter Twenty-Nine





Ben: Hey, pretty girl.

Ben: I'm working nights every day this week so I won't see much of you unless you set something on fire. If you do that, stay away from the gas. You really need to know what you're doing to do it right.

Magnolia: Firefighter humor is…dark.

Ben: You don't know the half of it.

Magnolia: Does that concern you?

Ben: What do you mean?

Magnolia: I mean, I don't know much about you or your work. Does that concern you?

Ben: There's an emergency, I show up. There's a fire, I put it out. Not that complicated.

Magnolia: Okay, yeah, I get that but…we could still talk about it. We don't talk about a lot of things. You know?

Ben: Hadn't really thought about it.

Magnolia: No worries. It was just a random thought.

Ben: Yeah. It's all good.

Ben: Hey look I gotta go. Talk later.

Magnolia: Take care.





*



Rob: Hi, love. I'm just getting home but I hope you're in bed already.