Page 47 of Tender Heart
He shakes his head. “Dinner.”
I rest a hand on his chest and breathe, “Dinner.”
His hand closes over mine, and he turns, leading me through the door behind the counter. The space is more than just a kitchen. It opens into a large living room. The dining table sits by the back bay window, now littered with candles. Celebratory decorations in navy and silver. Iris sits by Emmett.
Callum drops my hand and pulls out a chair.
I drop into it, opposite Iris, and heat flushes my cheeks as Emmett winks at me.
Good lord.
Callum drops into his place to my left.
“Right. Before we eat, wine?” Iris says, pulling a bottle of white from an ice-filled bucket.
“Fancy! And yes, please,” I say.
I slide my glass toward her, and she fills it up. Emmett uncaps two beers and hands one to Callum.
When he tips it back toward his friend, he says, “Happy birthday, buddy.”
“Thanks, Cal.”
Iris beams at them both before tracking her attention back to Emmett. “Happy birthday, Em. Get anything good this year?”
She sips her wine, beautiful green eyes looking up at him under long lashes. He chokes on his beer, and Callum takes a long swig of his.
I’m absolutely fascinated.
She’s flirting with him on purpose. And I’m not sure if it’s because she knows how he feels or because it pisses her brother off. My gut tells me it’s the latter.
The dynamic is thrilling.
I truly hope I’m still here when she finally realizes what’s right in front of her.
“Nope. Just the usual,” Emmett finally says.
“Well, dig in.” Iris plucks up a dish and serves everyone before selecting the next dish and loading it onto our plates. Everything smells amazing. The chatter and eating continue until our plates are wiped clean and the wine is gone. The men regale me with stories of each other’s most embarrassing moments.
We laugh.
Iris doubles over, leaning on Emmett’s shoulder when the Suzie Hamlin story finally slips out. And the adoration lining his eyes with her touch almost floors me.
I’m tucking that little moment away for a scene, most definitely.
As the conversation slows, bellies full and drowsy from the heat of the warmer night and alcohol, Emmett yawns, laying an arm behind Iris’s chair.Smooth.
She simply lays her head back on his arm and smiles up at him.
Callum grunts at the same time that Emmett’s phone pings.
“Shit, sorry, guys.” He plucks it from his pocket and taps the screen. “Damn. Lucky you brought the overnighter, Cal. Front rolling in fast.”
What?
“We can’t go back?” I ask.
“Sorry, Evie. Mother Nature doesn’t consider our plans,” Cal says, absentmindedly tracing a finger over the label on his beer bottle.
