Page 58 of Hidden Shadows
All she could do was hope that he was caught soon, and that she’d never see or hear from him again afterward.
She posted her clips on all her platforms, and even posted a longer fifteen-minute YouTube video on her channel. The second they were up, her followers began interacting with the content.
The old her was always excited about that interaction. Sometimes she’d even just sit and watch the comments roll in, completely in awe that it washercontent people were loving. But now, like the fair, this guy had tainted that. Made her scared of every new subscriber and follower. And all she could do was wait for him to say something to make her skin crawl.
Heat suddenly pressed to her side, then lips to her neck. “You ready for me to take you out to dinner now?”
Immediately, the tension uncoiled from her belly as she leaned into him. “I am. On one condition.”
“A condition?” Nixon nipped her skin and she shuddered. “And what condition would that be?”
“You have to try the eggnog.”
He groaned, shaking his head. “I don’t do eggnog.”
She turned, pleading with him with her eyes. “Just a small sip of mine? Please? I guarantee you’ll love it.”
“I tried it when I was a kid. I did not love it. But if they have eggnog, I’ll taste it.”
“It’s Christmas Eve…they’ll have eggnog. And I think your adult tastebuds will be pleasantly surprised.”
“One sip.” Then his head lowered, and he kissed her again.
* * *
“So…whatdo you think? Good, huh?”
He swallowed the thick, sweet drink, letting the nutmeg and cinnamon sit heavily in his gut. “It tastes like melted ice cream.”
Her eyes lit up. “Yes, it does!”
She said it like that was a good thing. Did people actually want to drink melted ice cream?
He handed back her drink.
“I can order you one if you want.” The words were barely out of her mouth before she was looking for a waiter.
“I’m fine with my beer.” Not that he’d be drinking much of it. He’d made the dinner reservation earlier today, because even though he didn’t like Christmas, she did. And fuck, he wanted to make her happy. He damn well lived for the little rises of the corners of her lips. The small laughs that fell from her mouth.
She sipped her eggnog, gaze shifting around the restaurant. “This place is fancy.”
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
She lifted a shoulder. “I like it. But I’m not a girl who needs to be wined and dined. A burger and fries works just as well for me as a piece of salmon.”
The truth was, he’d booked here because they had live music and dancing. And watching Finley move on the dance floor, holding her in his arms, was what he needed tonight.
The waitress set their meals onto the table. Finley took a bite of her salmon, her eyes closed, and a groan slipped from her lips. The sound was so fucking sexy that his damn dick twitched.
“Okay, I take it back,” she said, eyes still closed. “I do need fancy in my life. Because this is to die for.”
She put some more on her fork and held it out for him. He opened his mouth and ate it, but his eyes never left hers.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” she asked excitedly.
“Yeah. Amazing.” But he wasn’t talking about the salmon.
She beamed, turning back to her food. As they ate, they didn’t talk much. But then, they didn’t need to. With Finley, the silence was comfortable. He was happy to sit and just be with Finley.
