Page 93 of The Bodyguard

“Sure,” he agreed. After the waitress had asked about wine pairings and left, Sawyer stood. “Can you please come with me?”

“We’re leaving?”

“No.” He nodded his head out of the dining room. “Come on.”

She clutched his extended hand. It took a mere moment to find a quiet place in a dimly lit hallway catty-corner from the hall for the bathrooms.

“What are we doing, Sawyer?”

He backed into the corner and, with his hands on her hips, possessively pulled her close. “I fucked up your night.”

Her eyelashes fluttered, and he didn’t know if that was a prelude to tears, a threat of anger, or him overreading the moment.

“And I need my hands on you when I apologize.” He squeezed her waist. “I’m the idiot. I fucked up. I need you to forgive me.”

She smiled, and this time, it reached her eyes. “Only because you’re good in bed.”

He laughed. Relief flooded his soul. She wasn’t upset if she could make jokes.

Her head tipped back. “I’m going to need you to kiss me.”

Slowly, a smile curled onto his lips. “And I’ll be forgiven?”

“I don’t know. You haven’t kissed me yet.”

Sawyer nipped on her bottom lip. An instantaneous fire lit between them. Her tongue slid into his mouth, and he held her tight. The kiss promised everything would be as it was earlier in the night. The possibility thrilled him, but he didn’t know what Angela would think. “What’s the verdict?”

Her arms wrapped around his neck. “You definitely have a way with me.” She gave him a peck on the cheek. “And we’re going to have a great night.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

The restaurant deserved all its stars and ratings. The tasting menu was more than Angela imagined, and she had to give Sawyer credit. After they’d worked through their drama, he dined on tiny portions of skillfully considered cuisine without complaint. His eyebrows might’ve risen when he was presented with a single squash blossom drizzled with pureed garlic and pine nuts, and he might’ve swallowed the brioche Wellington with foie gras and tenderloin in a solitary bite. Still, he did so without taking away from her experience.

The meal, the wine, and everything about the night were too good to be true. She floated on air in her gorgeous dress as they walked into the warm summer night. Unlike their time during the walk to the restaurant, he tucked her protectively under his arm, raining attention on her as though she were the center of the universe. Between that kind of focus and the wine, Angela glowed from the inside out.

“Back to the hotel, or do you want to explore?” he asked.

Not many people were walking on the brick sidewalk. Gas streetlamps flickered over the street. Cute shops and closed storefronts lined their path. “Let’s see what there is to see.”

It wasn’t that she wanted to window shop. She just wasn’t ready for the night to end.

They made their way onto a busy street. A more vibrant nightlife beckoned as they neared the town hall. Horse-drawn carts waited to give rides to tourists. A woman surrounded by drums held a few people’s attention as she sang and danced. Food trucks lined the street across from a square centered around lighted fountains. Mouthwatering aromas floated in the air. If those scents called to her, then Sawyer was probably dying. “Are you hungry?”

He chortled. “I mean, how could I be after twelve plates of food?”

She laughed.

“There wasn’t even a breadbasket. Did you notice that?” He kissed the top of her head. “Would it be rude to grab a burger and fries?”

“Not unless you didn’t get me a hot dog too.”

Sawyer scoured the area for where to sit. The many options she saw didn’t pass his muster. One she declined because it would involve her somehow climbing up a stone wall in her evening gown and heels. Finally, he parked her on a granite bench that backed to a stone building and had a decent view of the fountains. In short order, he returned with his food, a hot dog for her, and fries to share.

The twelve tiny plates had been a nice appetizer. She ate the hot dog carefully as he polished off the burger and fries.

There was something comfortable about how they could transition from high-roller dining to fast food and the unhurried life unfolding around them. “Have you ever lived someplace like this?”

“Yup,” he said. “You?”

---