Page 85 of Five Alarm Love
What he wanted was to hold Lou’s hand.To maintain a physical connection with her and show everyone how proud he was to be here with her.But he knew that she didn’t want public displays of affection.Or attention from others.
It was enough that they were on a date in public.That was a huge step for her.
He nodded at a few diners who walked by their table.He and Lou were Yukon Valley official by now.
At least there were no fire calls.He patted the phone secured in his vest pocket.Felt weird not to have it out so he could respond to comments and other content.
“Hey, how’s Gordy after yesterday’s fall?”he asked.
“A little sore, I think, but none the worse for wear.That guy is tough.”
“I’ll say.He gets it from his sister.”
“Hmm.”A crimson blush climbed her neck.
Tuli fought a wave of desire.He needed to drop kisses on that redness to see if the skin was as heated and smooth as it appeared.
He needed more than that.
Oh boy, he was in trouble.
Planting his hands on the table, palms down, he focused on the conversation.“What about his tablet?”
Her eyes narrowed.“It’s off to get fixed.Hopefully, we’ll have a new one in a week or so.”
“Good.Anything about those guys who were with Hunter?”he asked.
“No information.Dad didn’t know.”
“That’s strange.It’s small enough of a town that gossip about anyone new gets broadcast within a minute of arrival.”He tapped a fingertip on the laminated wood surface.“The fact that we have no information on them is weird in and of itself.I poked around online but came up with nothing.”
“Think it has to do with Hunter taking on the mine development duties?”
They paused as their food arrived, the steamy, delicious aromas wafting over them.
He cut into the baked salmon.“Maybe.”
“Dad said Hunter has experience managing a mine, so the local working group has asked Hunter to help out.”
He chewed thoughtfully.“They asked him, or he volunteered himself?”
“Second one.I’m questioning what mine management experience he really has.He’s a year younger than we are.”She shrugged and took a bite of meatloaf.
He followed the movement of her lips around the fork and the line of her throat as she swallowed.How had he not noticed how pretty her lips were until today?
Oh, he’d noticed all right.He had just not been brave enough to risk acknowledging it.
“He said he has training, right?”
“He says.Folks in town know Hunter from when he lived here before,” she said.
“Knowing someone isn’t for the same as a line on the ol’ resumé.”
“You really don’t like him, do you?”
“I know he’s your cousin, Lou.But I don’t know him that well.What I do know hasn’t impressed me.At least not his character.How about you?”That was a question Tuli didn’t want to ask.He took a risk being perceived as attacking Lou’s family, legitimate reason or not.He reminded himself to tread carefully.
“He’s a known quantity in our family.Likes hanging out with Dad.”She paused and took a sip of water.A drop rested on her lower lip, torturing Tuli.“He seemed to want to help Gordy yesterday.”
