Page 20 of Devoured By the Forbidden Mountain Man

Case picked up the linens I had just folded. “I have an expressive face. I’m going to put these where your impressively quiet friend wanted them.”

He walked away before Georgia could stop him. I watched him go, then looked down at her. She looked like she was trying not to laugh.

“You thought Case was my boyfriend.”

“I didn’t know what he was. I knew he was your best friend, but that didn’t tell me the rest.”

“And now you know he’s gay.” Georgia tilted her head. “You got awfully quiet when he kissed me.”

There was no accusation in her voice. She sounded curious and pleased in equal measure.

I could have denied it, but I didn’t see the point.

“I didn’t like it.”

Her smile faded into something warmer. “Good. I’d be a little disappointed if you kissed me like that last night and felt completely neutral watching somebody else do it this morning.”

I stepped closer. The dining room remained active around us—glassware knocking behind the bar, kitchen doors swinging, chairs scraping as someone shifted a table—but my attention narrowed to Georgia.

“I wasn’t neutral.”

She didn’t make a joke out of it. She simply held my gaze, her cheeks faintly flushed from the warm restaurant and whatever was happening between us.

My hand settled briefly at her waist as I moved past her to clear another chair from the service lane. The touch lasted only a second, but it was enough to make Georgia draw in a quieter breath.

When I looked back, she was watching me.

Case called her name from across the room before either of us acted on it.

She turned with a smile that told me she didn’t mind the interruption nearly as much as I did.

The event problem took another hour to untangle.

Georgia checked the server schedule with the owner, adjusted the first-rush staffing plan, and made sure the vendor change wouldn’t create a new problem at the front door. I moved furniture, carried boxes, and stayed useful without inserting myself into decisions that were hers to make.

Around noon, Case put two plates on a corner table before Georgia could claim she wasn’t hungry.

“You are eating,” he told her. “I watched you forget lunch twice last month.” Case glanced at me. “Please tell me she ate an actual breakfast and not coffee while standing.”

Georgia gave him an exasperated look as she sat down. “I ate breakfast.”

“She ate eggs, toast, and fruit.”

His expression turned approving.

Georgia pointed at both of us. “This alliance is unnecessary.”

“It formed naturally,” Case said. “I can’t interfere with nature.”

He left before she could answer.

I sat across from her and unwrapped my sandwich.

“I like him better now because he feeds you.”

Her laugh came out low and surprised. “That’s a very practical reason to like him.”

“It’s also true.”