“Something wrong?” Heather asked.
“I guess I’m out of practice with this.”
“What?”
“I wanted to…” He lifted his chin. “Will you consider going out with me?”
Her grin grew wider. “We’re not out now?”
“No, this is not the date I was counting on. I’m thinking about dinner. Me bringing you flowers and—”
“You’ve thought about this I see.”
“For a while now.”
She tilted her head to the side. “I can’t go out on a date with this on my leg.” She pointed to her knee brace.
Allen chuckled.
“I’m serious. This does not go with my wardrobe.”
“Would you risk it for me?” he asked. His eye contact with her was firm.
“You cook?” She swallowed to relieve her dry mouth. Would he always have that effect on her?
“I can make a mean lasagna.”
She laughed. “For the record, I didn’t cook that. I didn’t hear the timer.”
“We were distracted.” He leaned in closer.
“We were?” Her voice was only a breath now. This time she touched his face and closed her eyes. She wouldn’t run from him. She couldn’t literally, but even if she could, she didn’t want to. She was falling hard for this man. One of his hands came around her waist, causing hair to raise on her arms.
“Can I help you?” A worker in the antique shop asked.
Heather turned her face as she dipped her chin.
“No thanks, we’re okay,” Allen said.
A few moments of silence passed.
“You can look up,” he said.
“Sorry, that caught me off guard.” She patted his hand. “Shall we find what you’re looking for?”
He helped her stand on her feet. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“To…?” She couldn’t help but tease him.
“Go out with me?”
It was now or never.
***
Allen sucked in a breath. She said yes. Where would he take her? That was another thing to figure out. He was out of practice.
She enjoyed dancing, but that wasn’t possible with her knee. She liked ice cream, so perhaps he could include that into their night together. Why not during the day?