One to Love (One to Hold 4)

He laughed. “You’re hungry.”

Placing everything on the side table, he climbed onto the bed, and I sat up with the sheet clutched under my arms. Glancing at my predicament, he hopped up again. “Not that I’m happy about this or anything, but I have one clean shirt left you can wear.”

Biting my bottom lip, I smiled as he returned with another white tank. Taking it from him, I slipped it over my head, letting the sheet fall to my lap in the process.

He breathed an Mmm, at the brief glimpse I knew he got of my naked torso, and a little thrill moved through my stomach.

“You are the model of traveling light,” I said, teasing him.

“If you ever lose everything, which I don’t recommend, you’ll find there’s very little you actually need.”

Curiosity gnawed at me. I had so many questions for him. I wanted to know everything about him.

“Mariska would be very pleased with your ‘mental maturity’ as she likes to call it.” He cut a small square of steak and held it on the fork in front of my lips. I quickly leaned forward and ate it. The savory velvety texture of good steak filled my mouth, and I let out a little groan. “Delicious.”

He smiled, looking back to the plate and cutting another piece. “I like Mariska. She’s funny.”

“She says you’re a biter.”

His brow creased. “Biting’s illegal. You can lose your license for that.”

“I’m pretty sure she meant outside the ring.”

“In that case, it depends on the bitee. You’re pretty tasty.”

Covering my mouth, I laughed. “She’s also my best friend.”

On the plate were asparagus spears and mixed vegetables. He stabbed a large forkful of them and shoved it in his mouth. Watching his square jaw move, I couldn’t help wanting to touch it.

Leaning forward, he poured us each a glass of red wine. “How’d you two meet? At the gym?”

“Actually...” I started before pausing to eat the new bite of steak he held out to me. “We met in art class. At Ocean County College.”

His eyebrows rose briefly before he shoved another large forkful of vegetables into his mouth.

I couldn’t take it any more. “Are you a vegetarian? Vegan?”

“Why would you think that?” His brow lined, and I realized what he was doing. He was giving me all of the steak.

Another giant wave of emotion hit me, but I tried to cover, grabbing the fork from his hand. “Stop hogging the vegetables! The rest are mine. You eat the steak.”

His eyes caught, and I knew he understood. I’d busted him. I also wondered how much he had spent on this special dinner we’d almost ruined making out on the beach.

I shoved a huge forkful of vegetables into my mouth before continuing. “Those flowers on the table are so beautiful. I almost wish we were eating out there.”

“Thought you’d like those,” he said, taking a big bite of steak off the fork I now held to his lips.

“You were wrong. I love them.”

We were at the end of dinner, and I scraped the last of the vegetables together with the last bite of steak and held it to his mouth.

“You have it,” he said with a smile.

“No way!” I cried. “I don’t have half the muscle mass you do. I’ll look like a pig on Monday.”

He breathed a laugh and took the bite. My nose wrinkled as I leaned forward to kiss his full mouth.

“Have dinner with me tomorrow night,” I said. “My place. I want to cook for you now.”