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“Then I guess we should place that order, shouldn’t we?”

There was that smile again, and hell if it didn’t make me weak in the knees. “I’m thinking Maggie’s.”

“Not Ferdinand’s?” I teased, already knowing why she picked it.

“Maggie’s is closer and way more acceptable for a night in.

I wouldn’t feel right eating anything from Ferdinand’s in here.”

I nodded at that. Eating a nice steak off of a paper plate really didn’t sound that attractive. Besides, the meal didn’t matter. It was what happened after our meal that did.

“I want to stay up all night,” I said, grabbing a menu from behind the register even though we both already knew what we wanted to order. “I want us to do what old girlfriends would.”

“Spreading rumors about the popular girl at school?”

Cassidy said, tilting her head to the side.

“That, but also just staying up, telling stories, laughing…

you know, the light stuff.” And the kind of stuff I would’ve enjoyed if I heard it from her. There was so much about Cassidy I didn’t know, so many things I’d love to hear if she gave me the chance.

“Breakfast for dinner sound okay to you?” She took out her cell, pulling up Maggie’s number a moment later.

“That would be amazing.”

Eating in the lower level of the shop felt weird at first, and as much as I wanted to introduce Cassidy to Charlie and the new and improved tower, I managed just fine. Cassidy, on the other hand, kept checking her phone, releasing a sigh of relief whenever she realized David hadn’t called.

“You should talk to him,” I said once our meal was through.

“If he’s causing you this much anxiety just for having a night out, you need to tell him.”

She forced a smile and set her phone to the side, glancing at it when she thought I wasn’t looking. “Old habits die hard.”

“Just let it go for one night,” I said, leaning in to kiss her on the lips.

The sweet taste of maple syrup danced across my tongue as she deepened our kiss, her arms tight around me. Knowing her manager would always be at the back of her mind, I set work aside and lost myself in that one kiss. In the way she held me with one hand at the nape of my neck and the other on my hip.

At how she breathed, her exhale of breath as shaky as my own.

And how, every time her tongue swept over mine, it sent a spark all the way down my spine.

I would’ve stayed there all night if I could, but as with most things, our kiss came to an end much too soon, leaving us bo

th breathless as I fell into her arms.

“Why don’t we move this upstairs?” she asked, her voice barely audible over the pounding of my own heart.

I smiled, joined her in a lazy kiss, then took her hand in mine so we could head into the tower. Once she grabbed her overnight bag, I stood with her at the base of the stairs, smiling when her eyes lit up at what she saw.

The tiny white lights I usually used out front around the holidays were the perfect way to guide our path. As soon as we reached the top of the steps, Cassidy’s voice caught, her hand tensing in mine.

“Evie, this is… it’s beautiful.” She looked back at me with a huge smile on her face.

“I would’ve lit the candles before we came up, but…” I shrugged and left it at that, letting our hands drop to our sides as we walked single file into the room. “The dragon’s name is Charlie. You can thank my sister for that.”

“She made him?” She looked at me with disbelief.

“I might tease her when it comes to her choice in boyfriends, but she’s amazing with her hands. Very crafty.”


Tags: Natalie Brunwick Romance