Page 99 of Stick Side
“I don’t think I’ve had a steak this good at an actual steakhouse,” he praised without embellishment.
He couldn’t be sure, but he would bet good money she’d just danced her feet against the floor in excitement over his praise.
“Don’t let me stop you from eating it then,” she said, gesturing to his plate with her wineglass.
She didn’t have to tell him twice.
Conversation was light as they both dug into their meals. The entire plate was delicious, but he was sure it was all the more enjoyable for the phenomenal company. Even when they weren’t speaking, there was a silent communication that flowed between them. The curve of her smile. The gentle crinkling of skin at the corners of her eyes. The way she angled her head while thinking about something. Melody was quintessentially herself and he just couldn’t get enough of it or her.
Melody finished eating before he did. Her plate wasn’t fully empty, but she’d certainly given it a solid effort.
Despite his plate having been fuller, Ben was determined to clear his plate. Not only did he burn an obscene number of calories during the season, the food was simply too good to waste.
Melody didn’t try to initiate conversation as he finished his meal. She took small sips of her wine and seemed to relax into the moment, looking just as happy to be in his company as he was to be in hers.
Chapter 48
Melody
Melodysavoredthecompanionablesilence that stretched between her and Ben as she swirled the last few ounces of Syrah around her wineglass and waited for Ben to finish his meal. She couldn’t help but grin when he gave a periodic moan of enjoyment or looked at his food as though he was trying to figure out what made it taste so good.
If someone had asked her a few months ago what a perfect evening might look like to her, she imagined she might have said something along the lines of a low-key night out with friends, a family dinner with her parents, a night out at the theater, or maybe even just a quiet night curled up on her couch with a good book. As she sat, not wanting to be anywhere other than where she was, she realized she’d forgotten a choice scenario. Namely, spending an intimate evening with a man for whom she was coming to care for deeply.
She’d spent so much time worrying about not being experienced enough for Ben, but maybe it didn’t matter that she hadn’t dated a lot. Maybe she was one of the lucky ones who met her Prince Charming early on. After all, who said the only wayto find one’s prince was by kissing a whole bunch of frogs first? Someone had to get lucky. Why not her?
“Dare I hope I have something to do with that pretty smile lighting up your face?” Ben asked as he placed his knife and fork side by side on his plate, tines up and blade in, in the standard “I’m finished” position.
Melody didn’t even try to deny it. “You certainly do.”
Ben’s eyes smiled into hers. “I’m glad.”
“Me, too,” she returned, content to just spend a few moments smiling at each other and holding eye contact.
“Can I get you anything else?” she asked, indicating his empty plate. “There’s more of everything other than the steak if you’re still hungry.”
Ben groaned theatrically. “As much as I’d love to keep eating, I think I might have already edged close enough to the ‘pushing my luck’ line.” He laid his hands over top of his stomach. “This food baby should last me for a good long while.”
Melody arched a dubious eyebrow. She didn’t doubt that he was full, but his stomach looked as flat as ever. He would have to pack away far more than one large dinner plate before he risked losing those incredible washboard abs that had starred in more than a few of her fantasies since she’d first seen them.
Ben shrugged good-naturedly. “Okay, so maybe I won’t have to spend extra time in the gym if I want to keep fitting into my pants.”
“No, I don’t imagine so,” she agreed good-naturedly. “Would you like to move into the living room?” she asked, inclining her head in that direction. “The couches are more comfortable than these chairs are.”
Ben looked at her as though she’d just granted him an unspoken wish. “Is the wine okay to come into the living room?”
“Absolutely,” she answered as she picked up her own nearly empty glass, as well as the rest of the bottle, and carried both into the living room.
Melody placed her glass on the table, holding it at the stem, and poured herself another half glass. “Can I offer you a top-up?” she asked as he sat down on the sofa. It looked like he still had a half glass left, but one never knew.
“I’m good for now. Thanks,” he stated, angling his body to fully face her. “My stomach only has so much real estate and mine is presently full to the gills with steak.”
Gratified by his answer, Melody picked up her wineglass and made herself comfortable on the couch.
“Are you going to sit all the way over there?” Ben asked in a way that was both flirtatious and tremendously masculine.
“I don’t have to,” Melody said, sidling closer. “I just didn’t want to lie against you and press upon what sounds like a very full belly.”
Ben grimaced ever so subtly. “That is an unfortunately good point,” he conceded with a frown.
