Page 81 of Too Good to Be True

They exchanged a look that might have made anyone watching assume they were in love. In love? Already? No way.

Then the waitress reappeared and set down their drinks. “Ready to order?”

Nick ordered for them both.

After the waitress left, he glanced side to side and then reached across the table for her hand. Since he’d exercised due diligence, she let him take it, enjoying the reassuring warmth.

“I really like spending time with you,” he said sweetly.

“Me too.”

“I agree that we shouldn’t flaunt our relationship at work, but it’s going to be hard to hide how I feel.”

Uh-oh. Are we already talking feelings?

“Before, I could only imagine what it would be like to be with you. Now, when we meet in your office, I’m going to want to lock the door and…” He glanced at the elderly couple at the next table and whispered, “Well, you know.”

She laughed. “I’ve got a pretty good idea.”

Then they switched to more neutral topics, like what he had left to unpack and errands he needed to run, including grocery shopping.

“Fran bought me a few things, but if I’m going to have company, I need to stock up,” he said.

The implication was clear. He didn’t consider this to be a weekend fling, and now neither did she. She might feel safer if they met at her house, though, since it was further away from the office and they’d be less likely to run into someone they knew. For now, she kept that to herself and decided to simply enjoy the rest of their time together.

By the time the waitress appeared with their orders, Stacy was ravenous. They attacked their food with gusto, finishing every morsel on their plates. Sex really did fuel the appetite. If they kept this up, she’d end up consuming more calories than she usually did. She might have to take up running, like Wendy. On second thought, she hated running.

After they’d finished, she insisted on paying the bill since he’d provided dinner last night. Well, technically, Fran had, but still. As a modern working woman, she didn’t mind footing the bill and was pleased when he didn’t argue.

“I’ll get the next one,” he said on their way out.

As they were walking to his car, she felt full and happy. When he reached for her hand this time, she gladly accepted it and saw her happiness reflected in his eyes. He opened the passenger door, and she slid inside, realizing she was in that blissful stage of a new relationship. This hadn’t happened in so long that it made her feel slightly off-kilter.

If her head hadn’t been floating in the clouds, she might have noticed the woman watching them leave the restaurant together. That same woman had spotted them holding hands in the restaurant too.

As they drove away, Stacy was still in that peaceful, unknowing state. When they arrived at his apartment complex, she’d come to a decision, though.

“I think I should go home and let you finish what you need to do,” she said.

“Oh. I was hoping you’d hang out with me.”

“I’ve been wearing these clothes since yesterday, and I’m feeling a little grungy.”

“Even after we showered?”

“I’m not wearing any underwear.”

It was a weak excuse and had the opposite effect than she’d hoped for.

“I haven’t forgotten,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

They were sitting in his car, in front of his building, and it struck her that Fran could show up unexpectedly like she had last night. What excuse would Stacy have for sitting in a parked car with him? Aside from that, she needed some time alone. This was all happening so fast, and her head was spinning. A break would probably do her good.

Nick reached over and cupped her cheek. “Okay. I won’t beg you to stay, even though I want to.”

She smiled.

“But I will ask for a goodbye kiss.”