Page 23 of Choosing You

“Nah, I get it. But I’m pretty much hungry all the time,” he said with a laugh. “It makes my coworkers crazy because I’m always asking who has a snack or who wants to go on a coffee and muffin run.” Another laugh. “And always to Books & Beans.”

“Well, they are the best place in town for that sort of thing. Billie’s amazing! Everything she makes is just fantastic.”

“You know Billie?”

And there were those wide eyes again.

“I…I’ve just been in there so many times, and her baking skills are kind of legendary.”

That was true, so he supposed it was possible.

Nodding, he picked up his menu and began scanning it. “So, what are you in the mood for?”

Their gazes met and held and from the fire in her eyes, he knew she was thinking all the same naughty things he’d been thinking earlier.

Swallowing hard, he fought not to mention how close they were to the registration desk and how they could realistically be up in a room in less than ten minutes. But instead, he averted his gaze and went back to looking at the menu.

“They have great sandwiches here, if that’s your thing, but I am going to have the bacon cheeseburger with fries and a Coke. What are you thinking?” He was certain she was going to order a salad. That’s what most of the women he went out with did. And then she’d pick at it and claim she wasn’t really hungry and blame the coffee and muffin she had earlier and…

“I think…hmm…after talking about them earlier, I have to get the nachos,” she announced with a smile. Then she glanced back at the menu. “Aaannddd…a milkshake. Chocolate.” She winked. “Go big or go home, right?”

He stared at her in wide-eyed wonder as she repeated her order to their server. And once she walked away, he still continued to stare.

“What?” she asked after a minute.

He shook his head and laughed. “You. I…I kind of like that you keep surprising me.”

“You mean other than not jumping out of your truck after we kissed earlier?”

Now he laughed even harder. “Well, there was that…”

“Or off the ski lift?”

“Well that would have been crazy.”

She smiled and laughed with him. “Okay, here’s something you need to know about me—I like food. All food. I suck at cooking, but I love to eat. I’m not a stick figure and I’m never going to be a bikini model, and I’m okay with it.”

Was she kidding? “I think you’d look spectacular in a bikini…”

He loved watching her blush. “Stop…”

“I’m serious! Sloane, I got serious neck-kink watching you walk away all those times and when I saw you this morning? Without a booth between us?” He paused and gave her a playfully lecherous grin. “Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it.”

She shook her head even as she giggled. “Okay, seriously. Just stop.”

“Uh-uh. No way. I’ll just have to prove you wrong.”

Her green eyes went a little wide. “Oh really? And how are you going to do that?”

“You’ll just have to put on a bikini for me. Then we’ll see if you know what you’re talking about.”

“Will, I’m not putting on a bikini for you. Besides the fact that I don’t wear them…”

“Skinny dipping?” he asked hopefully, imagining her naked, moonlit body in the river.

Her hearty laugh and smile were infectious. “You’re killing me,” she teased. “No, I was saying that I don’t normally wear a bikini—I normally wear a fairly conservative one-piece…”

“Spoilsport.”

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