Page 47 of Three Rules I'd Never Break

We road along in silence, the comfortable, blissful silence shared by friends.

I gasped when he parked outside the restaurant at the winery.

Eli swung his door open. “I’ll be half a sec.”

“Okay.”

As soon as the door closed, I shot off a text to Tessa. She was probably still awake.Tonight has been AMAZING. I’ll tell you all about it in the morning.

Tessa texted:Yay! So happy he finally started talking.

Eli opened the door and handed over a bag. “Two lavender crème brûlées to go.”

This date just kept getting better and better.

* * *

After hours of dancing,we strolled to my back door well past midnight.

Eli backed me against the door. “I’ve never had such a good time on a date.”

“I was about to say the same thing.”

“My shift starts early, so I need to go, but I’ll call you after work.” Instead of walking away, he inched closer. “But first, this.”

His lips pressed to mine, and his fingers threaded into my hair. Just like on the dance floor, he took the lead, and I enjoyed every second. Kisses that began with explosive passion ended with an alluring gentleness.

Enjoying the tingle of his stubble, I ran my hand down the front of his shirt. “Thisis my new favorite word.”

He chuckled. “Night, Delaney.” As he stepped back, he pulled me to his chest, then opened the door. “Once the door is locked, I’ll go. I really need to go.”

Feeling a smile tugging at my cheeks, I slipped inside and locked the door.

With my back pressed to it, I sighed. “Wow.” Good things did come to those who waited.

Chapter 16

Bright and early, I stuffed napkin holders and made coffee, helping Tessa get ready to open her shop. “I knew Eli was good-looking, and I guessed he was a little charming. But he has upped the charm all week, and yesterday’s date blew me away.”

She grinned. “I’m happy for you. He really is a great guy.”

“He remembered that I loved one of the desserts at that fancy place up the road and called in an order. Or texted because I never saw him on the phone. Then we went to his house to eat.”

“You went to his place?” She lifted an eyebrow, but her smirk gave away the teasing.

“Don’t give me that look. When we were there, Eli wouldn’t come within five feet of me.” I thought back to the night I’d unloaded on him about men with one thing on their mind.

“And that sounds like the Eli I know.” Tessa bit her bottom lip, which she did when she was tempted to do something she shouldn’t.

I leaned on the counter. “Tell me.”

“He took a date to prom. I think he let someone set him up on a double date. They danced once, and you could’ve fit the entire band between them when they were dancing. Eli had his arms almost straight.” She tapped a finger to her lips. “Please don’t tell him I told you that story.”

“Well, he didn’t dance that way last night.”

Tessa looked at her phone. “Eli is on his way. You want to write a note on his napkin?”

“From your tone, I get that you are trying to be funny, but yes. I do want to write a note on a napkin for him.” I snagged a pen off the counter beside the register and drew a large heart on a napkin. Inside the heart, I wroteI really enjoyed last night.

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