The waiter arrives with the food, and damn the aromas are killing me. I ordered roasted chicken salad with sweet potato fries, and Daniel ordered a steak. Sighing, I dig into my sweet potato fries, and we spend the next fifteen minutes or so in companionable silence as we wolf down our food. When my plate is empty, I still feel like voicing one more thought. I didn’t say anything today to Dad or Niall because I didn’t want to make them sad, but I need to say it out loud.
“I miss Mom so much.”
“Tough thing, losing your mom. Lucky you’ve got mine, who fusses over you just like my sisters. She was all over me this week. ‘Don’t forget to call her. Buy her a nice present. Cheer her up. It’s her first birthday without her mom.’” He mimics his mother’s tone, and I can’t help but laugh.
“Ah, so that’s why you bought me presents,” I say playfully, touched at Jenna’s thoughtfulness.
He wiggles his eyebrows. “The lingerie was all my idea.”
“I bet.” I shift a little in my chair, feeling heat heading low in my body like an arrow. Suddenly, the table feels tiny. Is there really less than a foot between us?
Under the table, Daniel cradles my legs between his. There are two layers of fabric between us—his pants and my pantyhose—but the contact electrifies me as if it were skin-on-skin.
I change the subject before we head into dangerous territory, turning the tables on him.
“How are you doing?” I inquire. “Troubles at work? You looked worried when I arrived.”
“You got that?”
“Yeah.” A gust of wind rustles the trees around us, and I retrieve the flimsy jacket from my purse, shrugging into it. Doesn’t help much, unfortunately.
“You’re the birthday girl, so no talking about me.”
“Not fair. I can’t go on talking about me the entire night.”
“Oh, this is going to be an all-night event?” He flashes me his best grin, the one that sends my senses into overdrive.
“Not what I meant. Came out wrong.”
His grin becomes even wider. “Freudian slip?”
“Daniel!”
As another gust of wind rushes past us, I shudder. My flimsy jacket is useless. I run my hands up and down my arms to warm myself up, but it’s not working. Then Daniel rises from his seat, draping his own jacket over my shoulders.
“It’s not so chilly,” I protest, but oh boy, is the jacket cozy. Smells like him too, which is a bonus.
“It is, and you’re cold,” Daniel says in a tone that allows no argument. “You still don’t know how to dress weather-appropriate, I see.”
As my gaze meets his, I am certain he’s rehashing the same memory I am. Our first night together, the walk home where he gave me his jacket and his socks. The hot shower, the even hotter sex.
“Don’t worry. I won’t invite myself into your shower. Unless you want me to.”
I let out a nervous laugh, averting my gaze. “This escalated quickly.” My own fault, I suppose, for thinking we could keep this platonic. Squaring my shoulders, I gather my wits around me and look straight at him. “I’m the birthday girl, remember? You’re not allowed to make me uncomfortable.”
“Whatever the birthday girl wishes.” A smile is playing on his lips, and I instantly become suspicious. He’s letting me off the hook too easily, but I’m not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Since neither of us wants dessert and the walk to the edge of the park will take a while, we decide to call it a night.
“I’m walking you home,” Daniel announces as we reach the exit of the Presidio. Maybe not the best idea, but I’m not ready to say good night yet.
“It’s seven blocks away. We can walk or take a cab. Unless you came with your car?”
“Nah, cab. Let’s take one.”
On the way home, I talk his ear off about the neighborhood, then point out my school, which is halfway between the park and my apartment. By the time we climb out of the cab in front of my building, I’m still not ready to say good night. But it’s the smart thing to do.
I shrug out of his jacket, hand it back to him.