Page 23 of Ethan

He caught me staring.

I licked my lips, keeping my eyes focused on his. "I like what I see."

Daniel collected my hand in his. "What do you see?"

"Mm … a man who has love in his life. Both accepted and given. A man who knows what's important. A man who might be ready to open his heart even further."

Daniel released a shuddering breath.

Maybe I'd pushed too hard. But it's what I saw when I looked at him.

"Can we take our time?" Daniel asked.

My heart spoke. "As long as I'm taking that time with you."

Daniel pulled us out of the escalating sentimental words. He was right to. After this date, we'd both need time to analyze everything that had been said already.

"So, did you get out to see Phantom this week?"

I pulled back as the salads were delivered. "Worked on some vertical jumps with him." I took a small amount of each salad and put it on my plate. "Emma has been using the oxer with him."

Daniel tucked his napkin into the front of his shirt.

"Oxer?"

God … tucking the napkin beneath his chin. I could put Daniel on a spoon and eat him.

"It's a wider jump."

"What else do you do with him?"

I stabbed a beet. "Trail rides for fun. And I've started doing dressage with him."

"Explain that to me."

It took me a second. "It's like dancing. You direct the horse to execute intricate patterns and transitions from one gait to another. Sometimes I set what we're doing to music."

"I'd like to see that."

"Maybe someday." That would require Daniel to come out to my parents'. I had my concerns when it came to the possibility of someday introducing Daniel to them and my sisters. My date was likely only ten years younger than my parents. I'd need to be sure of our relationship.

We were nowhere near that yet.

This was our first date.

"What do you do for fun?" I asked.

"You're going to laugh."

"Why?"

"It makes me sound really old."

"So, like what … shuffleboard?"

Daniel laughed. "Okay, not that bad. I'm on a bowling team."

I pictured him in a bowling league shirt and leather bowling shoes and couldn't contain my smile. I'm sure he would look adorable. "I haven't been bowling since I was a kid."

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