have to tell you something.”
“I’m listening.”
The others were engaged in their own conversations, which gave Katie the opportunity to speak privately to him. “I… I want you to know…”
“What do you want me to know?”
At that moment she was glad she couldn’t see his face. Rather, she watched his father come into the restaurant holding Betsy’s hand, which he released only to hug his brothers before reclaiming his woman. The two of them were smiling and fairly glowing with happiness that only bolstered her courage.
“Katie? What do you want me to know?”
“This is the first date I’ve ever been on.”
Chapter 10
Shane’s entire body seemed to go still behind her as he absorbed what she’d said. “Like, ever?”
“Like, ever.”
“ Why? ”
“Because…”
“Because of your dad, right?”
“Partially.”
He spoke softly to her, ensuring their conversation couldn’t be overheard. “I would never, could never, ever , raise a hand to you to cause you anything other than pleasure.” As he spoke, he ran his fingertip down her bare arm, setting off a series of reactions that had her squirming in her chair. “Do you believe me?”
“I want to.”
“Katie…”
Encouraged by his kind response to her confession, she turned so she could see his face, which was tight with tension.
“We’ll talk more later,” he said. “When we’re alone.”
His low, intimate tone as well as the thought of being alone with him later set off another set of tremors inside her, all of them seeming to land in a tight knot of need between her legs. He continued to stroke her arm, and Katie wanted to purr from the sweet pleasure of such a simple caress. It had her wondering what else might be possible with him.
Being around his family, hearing the stories of how his cousins had fallen in love as well as his heartfelt pledge had Katie relaxing in a way she never would’ve expected she could with a man.
And then Stephanie announced dinner was served, and the little bubble around them burst as everyone began getting up to head for the buffet Stephanie and her chef had set out at the counter where customers placed their orders during regular hours.
“This is amazing, Steph!” Maddie proclaimed as she checked out the spread that included the grilled tuna along with two kinds of potatoes, several types of vegetables, a huge Caesar salad and rolls.
“Don’t be too impressed,” Stephanie replied. “A lot of it is left over from the wedding last night.”
“I’m very impressed,” Maddie said, “mostly because it looks fantastic, and I didn’t have to cook it.”
“Hear, hear,” Grace said.
With Shane behind her, Katie filled her plate and returned to their table. She didn’t want to confess that she’d never had tuna, except for the kind that came in a can, so she wasn’t sure she’d like it. Before Shane joined her, she took a quick bite to try it and was pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted.
“How is it?” he asked when he had taken the seat next to her.
“Excellent. I’ve never had it before, but I really like it.”
“You might find that to be true of a lot of things,” he said with a playful smile and the suggestive waggle of his brows.
Katie stared at him, incredulous and amused at the same time. “Did you really just say that?”
“I really did, and I really mean it.”
Katie found it difficult to swallow her food with him sitting so close to her and obviously thinking about other things he wanted to introduce her to. How did she feel about being introduced to those things by him?
“Stop thinking so much,” he whispered. “Nothing will happen between us unless you want it to.”
Buoyed by his reassurances, she said, “You don’t think I’m weird because I’ve never been on a date before?”
“No, Katie. I don’t think you’re weird at all, because you had a good reason to keep your distance from men. I think you’re sweet and beautiful and kind,
“I’m listening.”
The others were engaged in their own conversations, which gave Katie the opportunity to speak privately to him. “I… I want you to know…”
“What do you want me to know?”
At that moment she was glad she couldn’t see his face. Rather, she watched his father come into the restaurant holding Betsy’s hand, which he released only to hug his brothers before reclaiming his woman. The two of them were smiling and fairly glowing with happiness that only bolstered her courage.
“Katie? What do you want me to know?”
“This is the first date I’ve ever been on.”
Chapter 10
Shane’s entire body seemed to go still behind her as he absorbed what she’d said. “Like, ever?”
“Like, ever.”
“ Why? ”
“Because…”
“Because of your dad, right?”
“Partially.”
He spoke softly to her, ensuring their conversation couldn’t be overheard. “I would never, could never, ever , raise a hand to you to cause you anything other than pleasure.” As he spoke, he ran his fingertip down her bare arm, setting off a series of reactions that had her squirming in her chair. “Do you believe me?”
“I want to.”
“Katie…”
Encouraged by his kind response to her confession, she turned so she could see his face, which was tight with tension.
“We’ll talk more later,” he said. “When we’re alone.”
His low, intimate tone as well as the thought of being alone with him later set off another set of tremors inside her, all of them seeming to land in a tight knot of need between her legs. He continued to stroke her arm, and Katie wanted to purr from the sweet pleasure of such a simple caress. It had her wondering what else might be possible with him.
Being around his family, hearing the stories of how his cousins had fallen in love as well as his heartfelt pledge had Katie relaxing in a way she never would’ve expected she could with a man.
And then Stephanie announced dinner was served, and the little bubble around them burst as everyone began getting up to head for the buffet Stephanie and her chef had set out at the counter where customers placed their orders during regular hours.
“This is amazing, Steph!” Maddie proclaimed as she checked out the spread that included the grilled tuna along with two kinds of potatoes, several types of vegetables, a huge Caesar salad and rolls.
“Don’t be too impressed,” Stephanie replied. “A lot of it is left over from the wedding last night.”
“I’m very impressed,” Maddie said, “mostly because it looks fantastic, and I didn’t have to cook it.”
“Hear, hear,” Grace said.
With Shane behind her, Katie filled her plate and returned to their table. She didn’t want to confess that she’d never had tuna, except for the kind that came in a can, so she wasn’t sure she’d like it. Before Shane joined her, she took a quick bite to try it and was pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted.
“How is it?” he asked when he had taken the seat next to her.
“Excellent. I’ve never had it before, but I really like it.”
“You might find that to be true of a lot of things,” he said with a playful smile and the suggestive waggle of his brows.
Katie stared at him, incredulous and amused at the same time. “Did you really just say that?”
“I really did, and I really mean it.”
Katie found it difficult to swallow her food with him sitting so close to her and obviously thinking about other things he wanted to introduce her to. How did she feel about being introduced to those things by him?
“Stop thinking so much,” he whispered. “Nothing will happen between us unless you want it to.”
Buoyed by his reassurances, she said, “You don’t think I’m weird because I’ve never been on a date before?”
“No, Katie. I don’t think you’re weird at all, because you had a good reason to keep your distance from men. I think you’re sweet and beautiful and kind,
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