he placed another bread basket and a tray with a little loaf of pâté on the table. Adam picked up the knife and began slicing pâté, laying it on bread and piling tiny gherkins on top before he glanced up at her. “When would you like to come to The Aerie?”
“Er, I’m waiting for a special occasion,” Hannah said.
“There’s no need to wait. You can come again for the special occasion.”
Hannah snagged one of the pâté tidbits and stuffed it in her mouth, chewing to give herself time to think. She swallowed. “Next month.” She didn’t pick a day, hoping the time would pass by and he would forget. She was sure he was too busy to notice whether she showed up for a free meal or not.
“Why don’t you—” He stopped with a little shake of his head and nudged the serving tray toward her. “Have another.”
As she enjoyed another morsel, she remembered the additional piece of information she wanted to share with Adam. “There’s something else you might want to do with Matt.”
He went still, his gaze fixed on her with the message that she had his full attention.
“Take him to Disney World to swim with dolphins,” she said.
“Disney World?” His head jerked back a fraction of an inch. “Isn’t he too old for that?”
Now that she had to explain her suggestion, she realized what a minefield she’d strayed into. Would mentioning Matt’s mother upset Adam? She had no idea what the dynamic had been between the two parents and whether he would be mourning his dead lover too. “He went to Disney World with his mother and interacted with dolphins from a platform. She promised to take him back when he was old enough to swim with them. It means something to him.”
He began twisting the stem of his glass with one hand. When he raised his eyes to hers, they were filled with regret. “I don’t think he’d want to go with me.”
She couldn’t help herself; she reached across the small table and laid her palm over the back of his hand, willing comfort into her touch. “Ask him.”
His gaze dropped to their hands and an odd smile tugged at the corner of his lips. She didn’t know how to get herself out of this position, so she froze. His smile twisted before he said, “I suppose the worst he can do is say no.”
He turned his hand under hers so their palms met and wrapped his fingers around hers. “No wonder Trace lets you touch him.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and released it, reaching for the cheese knife.
She pulled her hand back and seized her glass, gulping the wine to wash away the flare of response his comment had evoked deep in her gut. Instead of dousing it, the wine spread the heat through her body.
Adam fell back on the only thing that seemed to relax the jumpy veterinarian: food. He arranged more cheese and pâté on her plate. It was something he did well. For some reason she seemed very resistant to the idea of coming to his restaurant. That pricked his pride.
It also left him feeling in her debt. She’d found out more about Matt in eight hours than he had in four months.
She plowed through a few more bites of bread and pâté, looking as though she might flee for the door at any moment if he spoke again, so he just gave her an encouraging smile.
She returned it briefly, tossing a few stray strands of that silky, flaxen hair behind her shoulder. The gold hoops gleaming in her earlobes drew his eye to the tender skin of her neck and he wondered what she would taste like there. She said something and he yanked his thoughts away from their inappropriate path. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I missed that.”
“I need to go home and let my dogs out,” she repeated. “The dog walker had to do her afternoon visit early today. It’s been an education eating with you though.” She fumbled with her purse.
“This is my treat,” he said, not sure whether to be insulted or amused. “You took the time to talk with me about my son.”
“Well, if you’re sure.” She
“Er, I’m waiting for a special occasion,” Hannah said.
“There’s no need to wait. You can come again for the special occasion.”
Hannah snagged one of the pâté tidbits and stuffed it in her mouth, chewing to give herself time to think. She swallowed. “Next month.” She didn’t pick a day, hoping the time would pass by and he would forget. She was sure he was too busy to notice whether she showed up for a free meal or not.
“Why don’t you—” He stopped with a little shake of his head and nudged the serving tray toward her. “Have another.”
As she enjoyed another morsel, she remembered the additional piece of information she wanted to share with Adam. “There’s something else you might want to do with Matt.”
He went still, his gaze fixed on her with the message that she had his full attention.
“Take him to Disney World to swim with dolphins,” she said.
“Disney World?” His head jerked back a fraction of an inch. “Isn’t he too old for that?”
Now that she had to explain her suggestion, she realized what a minefield she’d strayed into. Would mentioning Matt’s mother upset Adam? She had no idea what the dynamic had been between the two parents and whether he would be mourning his dead lover too. “He went to Disney World with his mother and interacted with dolphins from a platform. She promised to take him back when he was old enough to swim with them. It means something to him.”
He began twisting the stem of his glass with one hand. When he raised his eyes to hers, they were filled with regret. “I don’t think he’d want to go with me.”
She couldn’t help herself; she reached across the small table and laid her palm over the back of his hand, willing comfort into her touch. “Ask him.”
His gaze dropped to their hands and an odd smile tugged at the corner of his lips. She didn’t know how to get herself out of this position, so she froze. His smile twisted before he said, “I suppose the worst he can do is say no.”
He turned his hand under hers so their palms met and wrapped his fingers around hers. “No wonder Trace lets you touch him.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and released it, reaching for the cheese knife.
She pulled her hand back and seized her glass, gulping the wine to wash away the flare of response his comment had evoked deep in her gut. Instead of dousing it, the wine spread the heat through her body.
Adam fell back on the only thing that seemed to relax the jumpy veterinarian: food. He arranged more cheese and pâté on her plate. It was something he did well. For some reason she seemed very resistant to the idea of coming to his restaurant. That pricked his pride.
It also left him feeling in her debt. She’d found out more about Matt in eight hours than he had in four months.
She plowed through a few more bites of bread and pâté, looking as though she might flee for the door at any moment if he spoke again, so he just gave her an encouraging smile.
She returned it briefly, tossing a few stray strands of that silky, flaxen hair behind her shoulder. The gold hoops gleaming in her earlobes drew his eye to the tender skin of her neck and he wondered what she would taste like there. She said something and he yanked his thoughts away from their inappropriate path. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I missed that.”
“I need to go home and let my dogs out,” she repeated. “The dog walker had to do her afternoon visit early today. It’s been an education eating with you though.” She fumbled with her purse.
“This is my treat,” he said, not sure whether to be insulted or amused. “You took the time to talk with me about my son.”
“Well, if you’re sure.” She
Similar Books
