his early bravado apparently forgotten.
As expected , Ginger gave his whole face a lick. His laughter rang out in the parking lot. A strange warmth filled Sam to see Ian interacting with the boys. Sitting back on his haunches, reassuring Evan that it was okay to approach Ginger.
Dishes clattered on the table, startling Sam. She turned in time to see Candy glance over her shoulder in fear. Guilt gnawed at Sam. She really should apologize for scaring the poor woman. But maybe next time she would think before she flirted with someone's boyfriend.
Ian slid into the booth, snapping her out of her musings.
“Is something wrong?” he asked , following the direction of her gaze.
“No , everything's fine,” she smiled. “Starving is all.”
Sam turned her attention to her plate and felt tears sting her eyes. Burger, onion rings, three pickles and extra mayo on the side. He remembered what she liked. She didn't even realize he'd placed their order.
Blinking away the moisture, she cleared her throat before looking up to see him watching her, his eyebrows arched in question.
“Do you want to order something else? I figured you must be hungry and thought a burger would be just the thing to fill you up. You were a little distracted when she came to take our order.”
“This is fine. Thank you. I just didn't expect you to remember how I liked it.”
"Why wouldn't I remember? When we would go to Kelly's you would always order the same thing. You always made sure that I got fries, so we could share.”
Sam smiled as the memory washed over her, but just as quickly she shoved it back. She needed to keep her distance.
Ian picked up a fry and held it to her mouth. There was something intimate about the gesture that caused her heart to race. So much for distance. She opened her mouth as he popped the fry inside, brushing her lip with his finger. She stifled a moan at the contact, but not soon enough. Ian's eyes widened. Even his nostril s flared a little.
Oh dear God… She'd never be able to look at another French fry the same way again.
“So. What about you? Will your boyfriend be upset that you just packed up and left with me?”
Was that jealousy in his tone? There was no reason for him to be jealous.
“I don't have a boyfriend.” Well , not yet. That was supposed to change tonight. Scott! She forgot to call him. He should have arrived at her house by now. With her car still in the driveway he must think the worst.
Ian's frown slowly turned into a smile. “Good. I wouldn't want to cause a problem in your relationship.”
Sam felt her cheeks burn. Ian's flirting unhinged her. She needed to get away before she did something she would regret.
“I'll be right back, I want to freshen up.” Sam excused herself as she walked to the restrooms. The trucker at the counter tipped his hat and winked as she passed. Sam quickly averted her eyes, embarrassed at the unwanted attention.
Once in the bathroom, she turned the water on, splashing lukewarm water on her face. She hoped it would soothe the flush that covered her cheeks. The way Ian had looked at her across the table, it was as if he wanted to take her right there in the booth and to hell with who saw. She groaned, wondering if she could guard her heart against him.
She patted her face dry with a paper towel as rough as sandpaper and took a deep breath. When Ian was around, she had a hard time controlling her emotions. He was like the static balls at the novelty shops in the mall. Electricity shot out of him every time they made contact.
Forcing the thoughts from her mind, she pulled a tube of lip gloss out of her pocket and applied it to her lips. Smoothing her hair, she yanked open the bathroom door and let out a gasp as she came face to face with one of the college guys.
“Oh you scared me!” she exclaimed , fidgeting nervously with the cord on her sweatshirt.
“I apologize, I just wanted to come over and say hi.” The smile on his face didn't mirror the
As expected , Ginger gave his whole face a lick. His laughter rang out in the parking lot. A strange warmth filled Sam to see Ian interacting with the boys. Sitting back on his haunches, reassuring Evan that it was okay to approach Ginger.
Dishes clattered on the table, startling Sam. She turned in time to see Candy glance over her shoulder in fear. Guilt gnawed at Sam. She really should apologize for scaring the poor woman. But maybe next time she would think before she flirted with someone's boyfriend.
Ian slid into the booth, snapping her out of her musings.
“Is something wrong?” he asked , following the direction of her gaze.
“No , everything's fine,” she smiled. “Starving is all.”
Sam turned her attention to her plate and felt tears sting her eyes. Burger, onion rings, three pickles and extra mayo on the side. He remembered what she liked. She didn't even realize he'd placed their order.
Blinking away the moisture, she cleared her throat before looking up to see him watching her, his eyebrows arched in question.
“Do you want to order something else? I figured you must be hungry and thought a burger would be just the thing to fill you up. You were a little distracted when she came to take our order.”
“This is fine. Thank you. I just didn't expect you to remember how I liked it.”
"Why wouldn't I remember? When we would go to Kelly's you would always order the same thing. You always made sure that I got fries, so we could share.”
Sam smiled as the memory washed over her, but just as quickly she shoved it back. She needed to keep her distance.
Ian picked up a fry and held it to her mouth. There was something intimate about the gesture that caused her heart to race. So much for distance. She opened her mouth as he popped the fry inside, brushing her lip with his finger. She stifled a moan at the contact, but not soon enough. Ian's eyes widened. Even his nostril s flared a little.
Oh dear God… She'd never be able to look at another French fry the same way again.
“So. What about you? Will your boyfriend be upset that you just packed up and left with me?”
Was that jealousy in his tone? There was no reason for him to be jealous.
“I don't have a boyfriend.” Well , not yet. That was supposed to change tonight. Scott! She forgot to call him. He should have arrived at her house by now. With her car still in the driveway he must think the worst.
Ian's frown slowly turned into a smile. “Good. I wouldn't want to cause a problem in your relationship.”
Sam felt her cheeks burn. Ian's flirting unhinged her. She needed to get away before she did something she would regret.
“I'll be right back, I want to freshen up.” Sam excused herself as she walked to the restrooms. The trucker at the counter tipped his hat and winked as she passed. Sam quickly averted her eyes, embarrassed at the unwanted attention.
Once in the bathroom, she turned the water on, splashing lukewarm water on her face. She hoped it would soothe the flush that covered her cheeks. The way Ian had looked at her across the table, it was as if he wanted to take her right there in the booth and to hell with who saw. She groaned, wondering if she could guard her heart against him.
She patted her face dry with a paper towel as rough as sandpaper and took a deep breath. When Ian was around, she had a hard time controlling her emotions. He was like the static balls at the novelty shops in the mall. Electricity shot out of him every time they made contact.
Forcing the thoughts from her mind, she pulled a tube of lip gloss out of her pocket and applied it to her lips. Smoothing her hair, she yanked open the bathroom door and let out a gasp as she came face to face with one of the college guys.
“Oh you scared me!” she exclaimed , fidgeting nervously with the cord on her sweatshirt.
“I apologize, I just wanted to come over and say hi.” The smile on his face didn't mirror the
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