He laughed, and the deep rumble of it made her smile. “I’ve been known to enjoy dessert now and again.”
Was it just her or did that sound like he was talking about something besides a sugary treat at the end of a meal? “Have you now?”
He turned on his stool toward her, and his knee pressed against her thigh. “Just what is it you’re tempting me to share with you now?”
Heat slinked through her blood, the arousing sensation originating from where they touched. “The monster ice cream sundae,” she said, hoping he didn’t pick up on the breathiness suddenly coloring her voice.
One side of his mouth quirked up. “Define monster.”
“Three scoops of chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Chocolate and caramel sauces. Chocolate chips, whipped cream, and a cherry. All on top of a warm chocolate chip cookie. I can never order it by myself because it’s too big so you’d be doing me a huge favor.”
His arched an eyebrow, his expression seriously sexy. “Is that right?”
“Mmhmm.”
A crooked smile broke through his smirk. “Okay, then. Sounds great. Consider me tempted, Tara.” The flirtation in his words was mirrored by the amusement playing around his mouth and an intriguing intensity in his eyes.
She turned toward where Matt stood wiping down menus. “Give us the sundae, please?”
“You got it,” the bartender said.
Tara looked back to Jesse. “I hope you think it’s as great as it sounds.”
His gaze ran over her face again, a slow, purposeful perusal that trailed heat low into her belly. “I’m sure it will be. This has already been one of my best meals in a long damn time.”
“Murphy’s is fantastic, isn’t it?”
He nodded. “From what I’ve tried so far, it seems like it is. But I was talking more about the company than the food.”
The directness of his words nearly stole her breath. “Wow. I, uh, I have to agree,” she managed, smiling even as her head spun with the chemistry zinging between them. She had no idea where it might lead, but the longer they hung out, the more she hoped this meal wouldn’t be the last she saw of this man.
Chapter 2
Jesse Anderson wasn’t sure what the hell he was doing, but he was having fun doing it, and that was better than most of how he’d felt lately. So he was rolling with it.
After sharing appetizers with Tara, they’d polished off their sundae, too. “I’m really glad you didn’t say it was too cold for ice cream,” she said, a soft waterfall of brown waves framing her pretty face as she peered over at him. “I don’t think we could’ve stayed friends if you had.”
“That would’ve been a damn shame.” He smirked teasingly, thoroughly enjoying their banter, her sense of humor, and the unusual feeling of possibility he felt just being in her presence. When had he last enjoyed someone’s company so much? He couldn’t pinpoint it. Not surprising given he’d spent so much of the last year since he’d left the navy alone. But it all just made him want more of how she was making him feel. “Besides, nobody needs that kind of negativity in their life,” he said, loving the sound of her ready laughter. She was just easy to talk to and be with.
“Right? I completely agree.” Her blue eyes danced with amusement.
The bartender gestured to the now-empty dish. “All done here?” When they agreed, he asked, “How do you want to do the check?”
“I’ll get it,” Jesse said.
“Give it to me,” Tara said at the same time.
They looked at each other and laughed.
“You have to let me get it.” She arched a brow at him. “The nachos were mine anyway. And I talked you into the sundae.”
Jesse squashed the reflex born of his upbringing to debate it and grasped onto a potential opportunity instead. “My treat next time then?”
Her eyebrows lifted as if he’d surprised her, and then the sexiest smile brightened her face. “Deal.”
A warm satisfaction filled his gut, and Jesse held up his hands. “Give it to the lady.” Matt nodded, took Tara’s card, and moved down to the computer terminal. And then Jesse made something crystal clear. “But for the record, you didn’t really need to talk me into anything. I was willing all the way.”
Pink bloomed over her cheeks, and Jesse found himself enjoying all the different reactions he’d managed to pull out of her over the course of their meal. “Good to know,” she said, tucking a long wave of hair behind her ear. “Excuse me for a minute. Restroom.”