Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 15525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 78(@200wpm)___ 62(@250wpm)___ 52(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 78(@200wpm)___ 62(@250wpm)___ 52(@300wpm)
Maybe it was both. It probably doesn't matter, in the end. From what I’ve gathered, between last night chatter and this morning messages from town gossip, Bennet sold a startup company for a decent penny and flew home for a family event but decided to stay.
Whether or not that’s true though is something I aim to ask tonight. A quick kiss in the back of the bar was one thing, a date another.
I open it to reveal Bennet, who's dressed up from his bartending clothes. He wears slacks and a white button-down with the sleeves pulled up to his elbow, and I can't take it. He did that on purpose… showing off his forearms. How am I supposed to look at him all evening when he's this hot? It's hardly fair.
Bennet bites his lip, looking at me like he's thinking the same thing.
"Hi," I say.
In response he pulls a bouquet out from behind his back. Peonies. “Oh my gosh,” I let out with genuine surprise. The bouquet paper crinkles as I happily accept the flowers. I inhale deeply, loving the fragrance.
“I love them,” I tell him and then catch myself. My heart races. I try to keep it casual as I invite him in so I can at least put the flowers in water. “They’re beautiful, thank you,” I tell him and keep it lighter. Lauren gave me one rule and it was not to use the “L” word. I’ve already blown it.
“I’m glad you like them,” he says as I look up from the mason jar and find him staring down at me in my kitchen. My mind races and I can just imagine all the dirty things we could do on this very clean countertop.
As if reading my mind, he shakes his head, a grin lighting up his face. "Ready to go?"
"I am." I swallow thickly and let him lead the way.
Bennet waits while I lock up, then offers me his arm and escorts me to the truck. With my hand wrapped around his forearm, skin against skin, more of last night comes back to me. The stolen glances and blush that came to his cheeks when he saw me across the bar.
It’s almost too good to be true. He reaches ahead of us to open the door for me. I hold his hand tight as I climb into the truck. Again there’s this shock and pull and the idea that all of this must be a dream.
"What a gentleman," I say, holding his hand for a few seconds longer.
"I'm trying," he says, then squeezes my hand and lets go. The truck jostles slightly as he closes the door.
"You're doing a good job, in my book," I tell him through the open window and he grins before jogging around the truck and climbing behind the wheel.
“The flowers especially. Brownie points,” I tell him with a grin although I can’t look him in the eyes as I do.
Bennet flashes another smile at me, and my heart skips a beat. "I'll keep it up, then."
He drives us to a little restaurant downtown. There aren't many upscale places in a town this size, and this one's known as the ‘date’ restaurant.
"Oooh, you’re going all out tonight," I remark and Bennet laughs.
“It’s the least I can do to say thank you for what you’re doing for Steve,” he tells me and I wonder if that’s really what he thinks this is.
"Don’t forget,” I tell him, “we're here to be seen." As if this date is only for Steve.
"You're right," he agrees, then hops out and comes around to my side of the truck to help me back out. “I will definitely be playing it up for the crowd,” he says with an uncontained smile.
“I guess I’ll play along too then,” I tell him before biting down on my smile to keep it from being a bit too much. It feels almost like a dare. Almost like the rules don’t matter.
Bennet threads his fingers through mine on the way to the front door, giving me a wink as we go. The hostess looks between us, her eyebrows going up for a fraction of a second. I smile at her like I have no idea what's going on.
"Reservation for Thompson," Bennet says.
"Right this way." The hostess smiles even wider, then leads us to a table in the front windows of the restaurant. We're surrounded by glass on three sides. Anybody walking past can see that we're here on a date.
Bennet pulls my chair out for me. "This okay?" he murmurs.
"More than okay. This is the whole point, right?"
"Mmm," he says. That's not a yes. My heart speeds up again as he takes his seat across from me and spreads his napkin over his lap. "Now. A lot’s changed since high school… mind catching me up."