Page 28 of The Plan
Chapter Six
“That was incredible,”I say, licking the fork clean of the salted caramel cheesecake I just devoured. I look up to find Blake’s spoon halfway to his mouth and his eyes locked on my lips.
“Never would have guessed from the noises you were making,” Aunt Addy says, making Sinead laugh around her mouthful of ice cream.
As expected, the meal was out of this world. All of us polished off every scrap of food, along with a bottle of Chardonnay for the adults.
“Can we have the bill, please?” Aunt Addy asks when the waiter comes to clear our plates.
“You’re not paying for all this,” I say as I imagine how much it’s going to cost.
“It’s your birthday present.”
“You already bought me presents and paid for lunch. This is too much.”
“I’m making up for all the ones I missed,” she explains, making me feel guilty for staying away so much after we moved.
After an argument Blake gets involved with by saying he’ll pay, they eventually settle on a happy medium and pay half each after refusing to let me contribute.
The waiter assists Aunt Addy into her coat while Blake helps me. I want to say that the hand he runs up my arm’s an accident, but I’m pretty sure it isn’t.
“Right, Sinead and I are going home. You two are going to enjoy your night,” Aunt Addy announces as she opens the passenger door for Sinead to jump in.
“But—” I go to argue.
“No buts, Addison Kennedy. You two go and do whatever it is you young’uns do these days and enjoy yourselves. You both deserve it.”
“Let’s go then,” Blake says, grabbing my forearm and making me step away from the car. “There’s a wine bar just down here.”
We say goodbye and once Aunt Addy’s pulled away from the kerb, Blake slides his hand into mine and tugs. I fall into step beside him, trying to ignore the electric sparks shooting up my arm.
“Wow, this place is flash,” I say as I get ushered on to a high bar stool at a table for two. I look around at the black and cream decoration and can’t help thinking that this isn’t the sort of place I would have put Blake in. I had him down for a more local pub kind of man.
“I know how to treat a lady,” he says in my ear, sounding affronted before pouring us both a glass of wine from the bottle he just bought. His breath skates across my skin, making me shiver. I look over at him. His hair’s pulled back into a bun; it’s the first time I’ve seen him without it hanging around his face. If you’d have asked me what I thought about man buns a few weeks ago, I would have told you they were the worst thing ever invented, but sitting here looking at how chiselled it makes his cheek bones, and how it makes his lips look even fuller, I can’t help thinking they’re pretty awesome. Okay, so maybe it’s just Blake with a man bun that I like so much. He’s wearing a fitted white long sleeved shirt. I’ve no idea how the buttons are staying on, because they’re straining across his wide chest. That shirt is then tucked into a pair of black trousers that hug his arse in the most insane way. It’s come to my attention that I’m not the only one who’s noticed, either. When he excused himself to the bathroom in the restaurant earlier, there were at least five sets of female eyes on his behind.
“I didn’t doubt it. I’m just surprised by this place, that’s all.”
“Addy said to enjoy ourselves so I’m at your service to make sure you have the best birthday night ever.”
I swallow and try to banish any inappropriate thoughts his words muster up in my head. I don’t think that was the kind of thing Aunt Addy meant when she told us to enjoy ourselves.
“What’re you thinking about? You’re blushing.”
“No…nothing,” I stutter.
“It can’t be any worse than the things I’m thinking,” he admits, before swallowing down a mouthful of wine. I watch as the muscles in his neck flex and my mouth waters as I think about running my tongue along his skin. “You need to stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” I whisper.
“Like you want to do all the things I’m imagining.”
We stare at each other, the tension crackling around us—so much so I almost suggest leaving. Thankfully, Blake drags me from those thoughts by changing the subject.
“Did you see Cara earlier?”
“Yes, she came around just before you did. How did you know?”
“I bumped into her and she said she’d done some stuff for you.”
