“I did. I’m chivalrous like that.”

“Really? Since when?”

“Since now, so sit your ass down and enjoy your birthday dinner, you sexy fucker.”

A laugh sputtered out of me, but I sat down and let him push it in. Not long ago, I would’ve expected the chair to break on me, like some kind of evil prank to watch me fall on my ass, and now all this?

I glanced around the room again, soaking in the time and effort this must’ve taken to put together, then looked across the table, where Travis had taken his seat.

“Okay, spill. Where’s the real Travis? What have you done with him?”

Travis’s lips tugged up at one corner. “I stripped and tied him to your bed. He wasn’t upset about it at all.”

I grinned at his ridiculousness, but still looked past his shoulder to the hall that led to my room. “That a request for later?”

Travis’s blue eyes darkened as they lowered to my mouth. “If that’s what you want. Tonight’s about you, remember, not me.”

I chuckled and leaned back in my chair, stroking the white tablecloth. “Now Iknowyou’re an imposter. Last time I checked, everything was about you.”

“Well, maybe I’ve changed.”

Our chef stopped by the table then with a glass of beer for me and a wine for Travis, and after thanking her, I eyed his glass.

“So sophisticated.”

“I told you, I’ve changed.” He held up his glass to clink against mine, and while I knew he was joking about “changing,” something about the statement made my stomach twist.

I didn’t want Travis to change. Not for me. The whole reason I was drawn to him was because of who he was—the outrageous flirt who did and said whatever was on his mind—but it seemed he was working a different angle today. One I didn’t even think he realized he was doing. That of the attentive boyfriend.

A role he’d no doubt run screaming from if I even dared to mention it, because Travis didn’tdoboyfriends. Didn’t docommitment. So to see him like this, putting in such an effort for me, had completely thrown me for a loop.

“You’re being quiet.”

I looked back across the table to see him studying me over the top of his glass, and I took a quick sip of my beer to gather my thoughts.

“I’m just wondering when you had the time to put all of this together. We’ve practically been joined at the?—”

“Dick?”

Andtherewas the Travis I knew. “Yeah, something like that.”

“Well, you know, I occasionally let you go to shower and eat…food. I was stealthy.”

“Yes, you were.” I nodded and looked over my shoulder to where the chef was plating our food. “Oh shit, is that lobster?”

“Surf and turf,” Travis said, grinning. “If I remember right, that’s?—”

“Myfavorite. You get the best of both worlds.”

“Exactly. And who wouldn’t want that?”

“Wow.” I couldn’t remember the last time anyone had gone to such trouble to make me feel special, and my heart did all kinds of trippy things in my chest. I hooked my foot around his ankle, needing to connect us in some way. “You really thought of everything.”

Travis shrugged. “I know you.”

That much was clear. In fact, I was starting to think he knew me better than I knew myself. But that had always been the way with Travis. He was intuitive like that, drawing me out of my shell when I’d usually hide away. Showing me what life was like through his lens instead of mine. All bold colors, outlandish acts, and extravagant gestures…apparently.

The candlelight flickered between us, casting shadows on his gorgeous face. When he brought his glass to his lips, I couldn’t help but lick mine.