Page 38 of When the Woods Go Silent

“Nope. I’m more interested in you than your restaurant. Or your family.” The moment sizzles as we simply stare at each other, the heat between us ratcheting with each second that ticks by.

“Good,” he says, his voice dropping to something hoarse and scratchy and delicious. His head tilts down, his lips just inches from mine as we breathe the same intoxicating air.

I raise my heels just a little, getting ready for the kiss that feels so inevitable, but he only smirks and lets me go. Sliding a step sideways, he palms the tray and saunters back through the kitchen, leaving me to follow in a haze of heady need.

Ugh, he was so right. Why did I ever involve Rose and Arlo, when I could have had Torrence all to myself? I’m suddenly no longer hungry for dinner. Instead, I’m already scheming about how to pull him away early, and what we could be doing instead of talking.

No. I told myself I’d take this slow. And I will. Damn it.

When I settle back in my seat, Arlo and Rose are comparing dating lives. I suppress a groan, masking it by filling my mouth with vegetable tart. The crust is flaky and buttery, and so much more interesting than dredging up the past.

“Tor here never makes time for things like this,” Arlo says, giving me a little smirk and gesturing to Rose and me, as though we’re a thing, a “this.” Gross. I don’t love his entitled attitude, and I’m beginning to agree with Rose that he’s not worth her time.

“So we should feel special, blah blah blah,” Rose challenges, raising her eyebrow. He snickers.

“You? No. I always make time for a sexy woman. Or man,” he adds, upping the ante in their sparring.

“Interesting. It’s only fitting, of course. I told you last time that you shouldn’t feel special, either.” Rose leans back in her chair, and I can’t help but giggle. They’re pretty well matched, actually. Whatever they decide to do together will probably flame hot and bright, but burn out quickly, leaving nothing to bother cleaning up after.

Sometimes I wish I could find it so easy to let go.

Rose cares too little for the men she gets tangled up with. Me? I care too freaking much, getting attached way too soon, and it always seems to get me in trouble.

“Have you dated anyone else in Clearwater?”

I tilt my head at Arlo, wondering why he cares about me, but the answer is no. “I haven’t had time to date in months. Getting everything ready to buy the bookshop, and knowing I was moving to a new place? Didn’t leave me much reason to start anything.”

“Good answer,” Torrence says quietly, his eyes flashing at me. “Though, it could be fun to have an ex-boyfriend to threaten.” I give him a nervous little smile as my stomach churns a little. Possessiveness is fun in the bedroom, but not so much in regular life. Am I stepping right into another problematic man’s sights?

“Well, what about you?” I shoot back at my date. “Any former girlfriends around here that I need to know about?” I keep my tone light and teasing, ignoring the snicker that comes from Arlo. This question is a litmus test, though, and I know Rose is listening, too. Men who call their exes crazy are probably going to call you that one day, too.

“I keep busy, too. So, no.” The last word seems like an afterthought, as if his busyness was the real answer. I’m beginning to read between the lines, guessing Torrence pretty much always puts work first.

I’m okay with that, I think. If we make it past dinner and onto a few more dates, having someone who puts their business first will be good for me. The bookshop is my one true love right now. I promised myself I’d give it anything it needed to thrive, so probably dating someone who feels the same about their own business would be a great match.

Of course, if Rose could hear my internal debate, she would point out that I’m already too close to jumping in deep, if I’m imagining all of this. But even though it might seem on the outside like I leap before I look, I do actually think about things. A lot.

What usually trips me up is that, no matter how much logic I put in, the hope for love always seems to win.

Or in this case, maybe lust.

I slide my eyes to Rose, checking in with her silently, and she gives me a playful wink that tells me the game is on. Arlo doesn’t have a chance, and I love that for me, because it means Torrence will be all mine very soon.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

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