“This is nice,” Shannon commented, looking around the room. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
Crash reached across the table and brushed the tops of her fingers. “You’re welcome.” Then he reached in his pocket and pulled out a black velvet jewelry box and slid it across the table. “Happy birthday, Shannon.”
Her eyes fell to the box. “Crash! You didn’t have to do that.”
“Open it.”
She picked it up and flipped up the hinged cover. Inside, nestled in a white satin lining was a pendant necklace with her birthstone, a light blue, round aquamarine framed by diamonds set in 18k white gold with a matching cable chain.
“Oh, Crash.”
“They told me that’s this month’s birthstone.”
She nodded. “It is. Oh, Crash, it’s beautiful.” Her fingers trailed over it.
“Here.” He held his hand out. “Let me put it on you.” She handed it over to him, and he removed the necklace from the case. Stepping around the table he undid the clasp. She pulled her hair up, and he fastened it around her neck, then took his seat again.
She looked up at him, her fingers trailing over the chain. “How does it look?”
“Beautiful. The stone matches your eyes.”
She smiled brightly at him. “Thank you. I love it.”
After their meal, the waiter brought a piece of decadent chocolate cake with a candle stuck in it. Her eyes lit up again before she blushed. “I swear, if you start singing, I’m going to crawl under this table.”
Crash chuckled. “Well, darlin’, you end up under the table, I can think of something you can do while you’re down there.”
She rolled her eyes. “Get your mind out of the gutter.” She blew out the candle and picked up her fork. Scooping up a bite, she slid it into her mouth and moaned. “Oh, my God. This is to die for.”
“Maybe you could share.” His brows rose.
She gave him a sly grin. “Maybe I could.” She forked up another bite and held it just out of his reach. “I don’t know. Do you deserve it?”
“I don’t know. You were upstairs in that bed with me earlier. Do I?”
She grinned. “Open for me.”
Just then his cell went off. He grabbed her wrist and forced the bite into his mouth. Smiling around the bite, he reached for his phone. Glancing down at it, he saw the caller. Cole.
“Yeah.”
“We’re in the bar. Quit fucking, and get your ass down here.”
“We’re in the restaurant.”
“Oh, so you’re right next door. Hurry up, the fight’s about to start.” Cole disconnected.
Crash shoved his phone back in his hip pocket. “That was Cole. The guys are in the bar. We don’t have to go, if you don’t want to.”
“No. Let’s go. It’ll be fun.”
Crash grinned back at her and waived the waiter over for their check.
*****
“Damn, that girl sure was fine,” Green said, taking a sip off his beer and leaning against the bar.