“Okay. Where are you taking me?”
“I have a few surprises in store.”
Like his sisters, Ryker didn’t do anything half-heartedly. The restaurant he’d brought us to was on a ship on the Hudson river. Twinkling lights adorned the metal railing outside. The restaurant’s walls were made out of floor-to-ceiling glass. We had an excellent view of the city.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re out to impress me,” I teased.
“I am. Want to sit outside?”
“Sure.”
It was a bit chilly here on the river, but they had gas heaters next to every table. Unfortunately, the heat was reflected from above, so my legs were cold within minutes. As if realizing that, Ryker asked for a blanket, placing it on my legs, tucking it in at the sides.
“So careful,” I murmured.
“Just making sure my girl’s taken care of. Don’t want to give her a reason to say no to the next date.”
My stomach flipped. “Already planning the next date?”
“Planning much more than that, but let’s start small.”
Well, what could I say to that?
There were only two set menus to choose from, each boasting five courses. Everything sounded delicious. We ended up choosing different menus, so we could taste what each had to offer. Despite being hungry, I was too captivated by Ryker to properly pay attention to the food.
“So, let’s see if I got this straight,” I said. “Tess is pretty balls to the wall when she’s after something. And Skye is subtle—”
Ryker held up a finger. “Sort of. I mean, Skye is more laid-back than Tess, except in crisis situations. Then she goes from relaxed to... dragon.”
I laughed, trying to picture Skye upset. “Yeah, I can totally see that. Let’s talk about Cole. What is there to know about him? He made an impression at the gala.”
“Did he now?” He cocked a brow.
I batted my eyelashes. “Oh, yeah. Your family is easy to like. I mean, your sisters just volunteered to spend time with Avery.”
“They like Avery.”
“Plus, they like torturing you.”
“That too.”
“I think they’re very brave, just going for what they want.”
“Yeah, they are. But I also think they’re taking on a lot.”
My heart squeezed at the way he genuinely wo
rried for their well-being. Seeing all the Winchester siblings together made me think how great it would be for Avery to have a sister or a brother. I hadn’t considered that before, but now I could imagine a toddler with dark blond hair and blue eyes.
Wow, I’d basically described Ryker. Holy shit, how had my mind jumped there?
“What are you thinking about?” Ryker asked.
I felt my cheeks heat up. Usually, I loved not filtering my thoughts around Ryker, but it was best not to voice this one. Way to send him running.
“Just... how nice it is to have a large family and all live in the same place.”
“Where are your parents?”