Page 51 of My December Darling

“And you remembered? I’m flattered by your attention to detail.”

She rolls her eyes. “Are you always this exasperating?”

“Depends on if I’m in the presence of a beautiful woman like you or not.”

She looks down while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“So…this Saturday?” I ask.

“Aren’t you working?”

“I can get my shift covered.”

“All right. If you insist?—”

“I do.”

She fights a smile and loses. “I’ll text you the info once my mom sends it to me.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Her face contorts before she sneezes, the high-pitched sound making me laugh.

“Ugh.” She drops her head back against the booth. “If I get sick…”

“Ididoffer to pick you up.”Way to rub it in, Luke.

“I was being stubborn, but I learned my lesson the hard way.” She sinks deeper into my side with a sigh.

Giving her any more grief about her decision to decline my ride feels pointless, since the end result led to her pressed against me, so I decide to let it go with one last request.

“Next time, save yourself the pneumonia and call me.”

She tilts her head back and smirks. “Who said there’ll be a next time?”

“Oh. I have no doubt in my mind.”

Her eyes narrow. “Confident much?”

“With you? Never.”

A server comes over, and we both order drinks.

“Have you worked on your speech at all since yesterday?” I ask.

“No.”

Perfect. I had hoped as much since I want to stall the speech-writing process for as long as humanly possible until she calls me out on it.

Catalina’s hands shake as she pulls the notebook from the inner pocket of her coat. I pluck it from her grasp, drop it on the table, and trap her hands between mine to warm them up faster.

“Now you’re just finding reasons to keep touching me.”

The soft, contented sigh she lets out goes to my head and other places that have no business being turned on right now.

“Am I that obvious?”

“I don’t think you have a single subtle bone in your body.”

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