“I figured, since it was the right size and all.”

The waitress came up then, and after ordering a highly recommended Merlot, they put in for an appetizer before a silence fell over them. “I haven’t been here before.”

“I haven’t either, but Jensen says it good,” he said, pressing his thumbs together. He was still nervous.

“Cool.”

“Yeah.” Letting out a breath, he smiled before he met her gaze. She looked so amazing. Perfect, even. “I’m nervous.”

Her face broke into a bright grin. “Really? I didn’t think you got nervous.”

“I didn’t either until I met you.”

The smile stayed in place as she brushed her hair behind her ear. “Flirting ruthlessly, I see?”

He scoffed. “Oh, baby, I haven’t even started.”

She chuckled softly. “I guess I should be scared then because I already can’t catch my breath. It’s probably this fancy suit, and, look, you have your hair all in your eyes. The way I love.”

His face flushed with color as she reached up, moving his hair along his forehead, the movement setting everything on fire. Pointing to his face, he grinned. “And I didn’t shave.”

“Wow, pulling out all the stops.”

“I am. Are they working?”

“Maybe.” She flashed him a sneaky little grin, and his heart, it almost couldn’t take it.

“So you liked everything?”

“I love it all. I was blown away, really.”

“Awesome,” he said, a grin pulling at his lips. “What was your favorite?”

“The flowers. I probably would have come to dinner just from those.”

He snapped his fingers playfully. “Man, I could have saved some money.”

She leaned into him as they both laughed softly. “Yeah, but I have to say, the pizza was magical. I’ve never seen sausage so perfectly placed.”

He laughed. “Yeah, Jensen did a lot for the pizza and threw a lot of money at it.”

“Crap, I’ll have to actually eat it, then.”

He smiled. “You didn’t eat it?”

“No! It was too pretty!”

That had them both laughing as the waitress came back with the appetizer and the bottle of wine. After pouring them each a glass and getting their order, she left them as they both dug in. “I told you, you can’t buy me.”

“I wasn’t trying to.”

“You weren’t?”

“No, I wanted to…I guess, woo you? I don’t know, I’m a little rusty.”

Her face broke into a grin. “Well, you brushed that rust off quick because I was surprised, to say the least.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, I’ve never been given flowers before.”

His brows drew in. “Really? A pretty girl like you?”

“Really. It was special, and I didn’t know you had that in you.”

“Cool, that’s what I wanted. Honestly, I was just thinking that I didn’t even recognize myself as I rushed around getting everything done.”

“What made you do it all?”

He didn’t hesitate. “You.”

“Me?” she asked, surprised. “Just me? Not the mind-blowing sex?”

He laughed. “That too, but mostly you. I didn’t think twice; I just did. Because I have to have you.”

As her eyes burned into his, they held everything he had hoped for. Promise, lust, and something else he didn’t want to name at that moment, but he felt it. The shift. And if he’d had hesitations about what he was doing, they were gone.

All because of her eyes.

“I thought you were letting me walk away.”

He shook his head. “If I know anything about you, I know when you need your space. And I needed the time to figure out how to make you mine.”

“And you think you’ve succeeded?”

He shrugged, his lips quirked up at one side. “You tell me.”

“I don’t know. I mean, I want to believe everything you have said, but are you sure you want me—for more than just sex? A relationship?”

He didn’t even falter. “Yes.”

She looked breathless as she stared into his eyes. “But how do I know?”

As his gaze burned into hers, he remembered that she had said his words weren’t enough, and that his actions didn’t line up. He had spent more time thinking out something special for her than he had for anyone else in his whole life. He had gone out of his way to give her a reason to come to dinner, to give him a chance. And as she sat there asking how she could know, all he could think was—why were they talking?

They were way better at doing.

Taking her face in his hands, he pulled her to him as she gasped, their lips meeting. Just like that, everything went still. The world tilted. Firecrackers, bombs, World War 100 was going off around them, but all he wanted was to kiss her as his stomach went nuts with butterflies. She did this to him. She drove him silly, and he’d never wanted anyone the way he wanted her.

Ever.

Not even Hazel had made him feel this way.

When he pulled back, he didn’t go far, his lips still clinging to hers as his eyes stayed closed. “You just know.”

She drew in a breath, melting against him as her hands covered his, her eyes closing softly. “I do.”

“Because I do. I know that this…this is real.”

“I think I knew the moment I walked in here.”

“You did.”

“Vaughn.”

“Yeah?”

“Kiss me again.”

His lips pressed to hers, drinking in the sweetness that was her. When her fingers laced with his, she brought them down from his face to her lap before she pulled back, her eyes so full of emotion they took his breath away. “Vaughn.”

“Yeah, baby.”

“I’m not wearing panties.”

His eyes shot open. “Are you wet?”

“You know I am,” she said with a gleam in her eyes. When his hand snaked between her legs, he found she was dripping with desire.

For him.

Hissing in a breath, he shook his head. “That’s mean. Torture.”

“I know, let’s go.”

Just at that moment, the waitress set down their plates, but he shook his head, his lips moving against Brie’s. “Can you box those up, please? Something came up.”