Page 21 of Take the Bait

“Well, surely there’s more to you than burping, spilling coffee on cranky old men, and getting penises drawn on your face,” he said with a smirk.

“Tragically, that’s all remarkably on brand for me,” she responded. “I was home-schooled. Awkward things happen to me more often than not.”

“Based on my limited experience, that certainly seems to be the case.”

“You’ve barely even scratched the surface.”

Instant regret washed through her when he looked at her with intrigue.

“I’m from a small town in North Alabama,” she said, changing the subject. “It’s basically in Tennessee. I grew up on a modest farm and was homeschooled with my sister, Bella. Went to Auburn, became a kindergarten teacher, and here I am.”

Tucker smiled. “There’s more to you than that.”

“I think you’ve gotten enough of my awkward stories to last you a lifetime.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

She felt her cheeks grow hot. Silence hung between them, and Hanna knew if he didn’t say anything soon, she’d start rambling again.

Say something. Please. For the love of God, so I don’t spill all my secrets.

The desire to fill the space bubbled up inside her.

“I mean, I guess there is more. I moved out here because I wanted to be adventurous, try something new. Most people stay in my small town forever. My sister, Bella, and her wife help my parents run the farm in their spare time, but sometimes I wonder why they stayed there. Still, it’s pretty standard for where I’m from. But I wanted to be different, so I came here. And it’s been way harder than I thought. I have, like, no friends here.” Her hand almost knocked over her drink, but she caughtherself just in time. “Whoops. I’m a klutz, but you know that. Anyway, I mean, I don’t really have that many friends to begin with,” she shrugged. “Just my sister and her wife, Madi. We were best friends before she confessed her undying love for Bella. And now I’m trying to decide if I should just call it quits and move home or try to make it work out here a little longer. And I met you, so?—”

Hanna cut herself off before she said anything else damning.

“Sorry, I ramble when I get nervous.” So much for cutting herself off.Shut up.“And I just talk a lot in general. Madi calls me a certified yapper. Probably why I don’t have that many friends. Can’t seem to shut up.”

Tucker smirked, leaning back in his chair and linking his hands behind his head.

“If you don’t interrupt me, I’ll never stop yapping,” Hanna said, and Tucker’s smile grew though he stayed quiet. “Please put me out of my misery.”

“But I enjoy your yapping.”

“That’d make you the first.”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing we’re on a date.”

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. He…likedher yapping enough that he was still happy they were on a date?

Hanna felt her jaw drop. “But…”

Tucker’s eyes drifted over her shoulder as a waitress dropped a plate of oysters in front of them.

“Thanks, Sheila,” Tucker said. “You were saying, Hanna?”

Her face was flaming. “Oysters? Aren’t they, like, an aphrodisiac?”

He lifted a single brow, his eyes heating. “Do you want them to be?”

Could she burst into flames on the spot? Her whole body was hot from embarrassment and—dare she say—a smidge of horniness.

“Do you serve these to all the girls?”

“You’re the only girl I’ve brought on a date here.”

She sputtered. “But?—”

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