Page 24 of Doctor Holliday
“The Harbourview okay?” he asked. “I’ll make a reservation.”
“Perfect.”
She watched him polish off his beer, intrigued by his mouth on the lip of the bottle. His throat as he swallowed. He wore a black t-shirt under the flannel. Lucy could only see enough to assume the shirt clung to his broad shoulders and chest. Deciding she would definitely like to see more, she wondered how he felt about relaxing in a bathtub with a glass of wine and a few pieces of chocolate.
Didn’t matter.
If his guilty pleasure was a cold beer by a bonfire, bundled up in a thick flannel and hiking boots, she would find him sexy.
When the waitress came back to check on them, Keaton asked for the bill. Lucy finished her wine as he paid, adding a generous tip.
“I’ll walk you out.”
She nodded, butterflies in her belly as he pulled her chair out for her. He tugged a Carhartt coat on over his flannel as she grabbed her purse.
“No coat?” he asked as they crossed the room to the door.
“In the car.”
“You should be wearing it.”
She should, but she hated dealing with coats—especially long wool coats—in bars and restaurants. Besides, if she was wearing it now, she wouldn’t feel the gentle pressure of his hand on her lower back as he ushered her through the door.
Not to mention the heat his touch generated made the coat unnecessary.
“Can I pick you up for dinner?”
“I’ll text you my address,” she answered with a nod.
“I’m looking forward to Friday.”
He knew her SUV, since he had driven her back to the strip mall the other night. They walked side by side through the parking lot under a starry sky. Lucy shivered, though she couldn’t say if she was cold or anticipating a goodnight kiss.
“Goodnight, Lucy Holliday.”
She stared up at him as he turned to face her. For a moment, the rest of the world disappeared, and she and Keaton were the only two people on earth. Eyes locked, they simply took each other in. Heat rumbled through her, but it wasn’t embarrassment that lit her face, her body, on fire.
He moved slowly, giving her time to step away, to say no. But she only lifted her chin when his fingers brushed her face. Recognizing the invitation for what it was, Keaton leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.
Closed-mouthed, dry, and achingly sweet.
Lucy wanted more.
Instead of asking, she simply lifted her hand to cover his over her cheek and parted her lips under his. He swept his mouth over hers, his breath warm. Lucy tipped her head to find more of him, flicked her tongue over his lips, and moaned softly when he rewarded her with a long, slow stroke of his tongue over hers.
“Goodnight, Lucy.”
Proud of herself for not whimpering when he broke the kiss, she panted softly and met his eyes.
“Friday can’t get here soon enough.” His gruff whisper chased a shiver up her spine. With a nod, she stole another kiss and finally made herself step away.
“Goodnight, Keaton.”
Chapter 12
Thursday,December 14th
Keaton