He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to lose himself in her lips. He wanted to hear her laugh as he slowly undressed her, exploring each new inch of her exposed flesh with his lips and tongue and teeth.
He wanted to—
“Can I take you to the zoo after we eat,” he said abruptly, cutting the thought short. If he didn’t, things would…pop up that really shouldn’t in the middle of the day in the middle of his restaurant.
Her little catch of breath made him catch his own.
An eternity hung between, a fraction of a second where everything he thought he wanted in his life somehow…pivoted.
“To hug a koala,” he finished.
“I’d like that,” she said, her smile as soft as her voice.
Yes.
“Oi,” Owen said. “Can we come to the zoo as— Oow, Bri. Why’d you kick… Oh.”
Angus didn’t look at his best mate. Didn’t want to look anywhere but at Elisa.
She laughed, no doubt aware of what had just happened on the other side of the table.
He bit the inside of his mouth to stop himself leaning forward and kissing her. His blood roared in his ears.
Elisa looked at him, her teeth catching her bottom lip.
“The omelet,” Cassie’s voice slid between them. He blinked, realizing how close to Elisa he’d been leaning, and sat straight in his chair, casting Cassie a smile as she placed Elisa’s meal in front of her.
“Oh my God, that looks incredible,” Elisa proclaimed.
He gave the dish a critical eye. Kara’s hands were all over it. His sous chef had stepped up and done what he said he was going to do, and done it well.
“I’ll make it for you myself next time,” he said.
Elisa flashed him a grin, both mischievous and shy at once. “I’ll hold you to that.”
A hot, thick pressure pulsed through his body. He truly did like the idea of being bound to Elisa, even for something as simple as a meal.
He liked the idea even more of making her breakfast in his own kitchen in his home, after they’d spent the night learning everything they could about each other.
Liked the idea a lot.
The rest of the table’s meals arrived. He couldn’t stop himself inspecting each one with what he hoped were surreptitious glances.
“Stop stressing, boss.” Kara placed a large platter of freshly cut fruit in the middle of the table. “The kitchen crew did good.”
Okay, clearly not surreptitious enough.
“Bloody oath,” Owen approved around a mouthful of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. “My compliments to the chef.” He threw Angus an evil grin. “Not you, Daniels. All you did was hang out here making goo-goo eyes at your fiancée.”
“Oi,’ Angus protested with a chuckle.
Elisa bit her lip and smiled.
“Fiancée,” Bria said. “That’s still—” She looked at Elisa. “Does Mom and Dad—”
“Angus is taking me to the zoo after breakfast,” Elisa declared, her voice louder than needed.
A prickling sensation crawled up the back of Angus’s neck and he shot a quick glance over his shoulder. Yep, Nora was watching them from table three.