Page 53 of Tangled

“Yes…”

“Well, the closest sushi place is about forty-five minutes away.”

“Kane, you didn’t have to drive all this way just to get me sushi,” I scold him. Hell, I would have been fine with just a steak dinner at Outback.

“I know I didn’t, but I wanted to. And since I’ve never had it, I thought, what the heck?” He shoots me a crooked smile and a wink before focusing back on the road.

“Thank you, then. I’ve actually been craving it.”

“Perfect.”

While Kane drives we talk about music and he drills me with more questions—basic things about my likes and dislikes.

Favorite season?Spring.

Favorite sport?Football.

Favorite holiday?Thanksgiving.

The drive passes so quickly that before we know it, we arrive at the restaurant. Kane guides me inside and offers his name for the reservation he made. The hostess leads us through the restaurant that is actually a teppan-style dining establishment complete with a sushi bar. The walls are painted a deep red with bamboo accents throughout. Enormous hoods hang from the ceiling above the tables that accommodate ten people at a time. Chatter fills the room as families gather to celebrate birthdays and the cries of little children filter in and out of the noise created by food sizzling on the heated steel of the table tops.

“This is much fancier than just sushi, Kane,” I state while following him, hand in hand, to our teppan table. Once the hostess hands us our menus and explains the ordering process, she leaves as we await our server for drinks.

“It is our first date, so that calls for something special. I’ve heard great things about this place, but never had a reason to come here… until now.” His eyes sparkle from the overhead lights and the flicker of flames coming off of the tables nearby where chefs are busy preparing meals. His answer makes my pulse quicken, each glimpse of honesty from him making me fall just a little more.

“Thank you for bringing me here then,” I smile at him, reaching for his hand. He grabs mine and brings it to his mouth, pressing the softest caress of his lips against my skin, making my nipples harden from his touch. I feel my entire body warm and anticipate even more hints of his lips on my body later.

“Let’s figure out what to eat.” I shake off the moment, opening the menu in perusal of our options. Kane decides on the steak and shrimp dinner and I opt for chicken and calamari, deciding we’ll share our plates so we can sample everything. He urges me to choose a few sushi rolls to share before dinner is served, and we place our order once the server arrives. The rest of our table fills up in a matter of minutes. Two more couples join us and a family of four celebrating the oldest son’s birthday.

Even though it’s not an intimate setting, I’m situated so close to Kane to accommodate all the people at the table, I don’t feel a lack of affection from him.

Taking a sip of my wine, I turn to Kane while we wait for our food. “So, have any more questions for me tonight?”

Kane tips up the corner of his mouth while he drinks his beer. “You should know by now I come fully stocked with a list of questions.”

“Bring it on then,” I tease while placing my wine glass back down so I can give him my full attention.

Kane reaches for his phone from his coat pocket on the back of his chair, lighting up the screen and searching out his list from before. “Okay,” he clears his throat, which makes me chuckle. “If you could live anywhere, where would that be?”

“Hmmm. That’s a good one. I think I’d have to say somewhere tropical. I’m not a fan of the cold weather, and there is nothing more peaceful to me than turquoise blue water. Belize. Tahiti. Hawaii. I’m not picky, just somewhere where I can see straight down to the bottom of the ocean and live in a bikini all year round.”

Kane’s eyes are filled with lust when he hears my answer. “I think if you’re wearing a bikini every day, I’d want to live there too.” I swat him playfully in the chest before he grabs my hand and caresses my fingers with his.

“Okay, what about you?”

“I’d probably stay in Emerson Falls, if I’m being honest. I don’t mind the cold, and Oregon is home. I love the trees and hiking. I enjoy living in the wilderness, far enough away from people, but close enough not to be off the grid. After spending years in a desert in that heat, I don’t know that’s something I would want to deal with every day.”

“That’s fair. So where is your house exactly?”

“I live about thirty minutes out of town, north of Emerson Falls. I bought a cabin style home up there three years ago and have slowly been making it my own.”

“I’d love to see it one day.”

Kane kisses my hand before opening his phone again. “Don’t worry. You will. Next question—who is your hero and why?”

“You have to answer first this time,” I remind him of our rules the other night.

“I know, I know. I guess, I don’t have any one person in particular, but would say any man or woman in the armed forces. I spent so much time with men and women who sacrificed their lives and time away from their families to serve their country. It made me realize that there are so many things people take for granted every day. Any person who can be that selfless for the safety of others is a hero in my book,” Kane finishes while reaching for his beer. I study his face as he looks away, the sharp lines of his jaw barely hidden by the short scruff of his beard, the lines around his eyes that show his age, but in a sexy way. He looks back at me, catching my perusal before flashing me a grin.

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