Sweet Hill Temptation (Sweet Hill 0.50)

Luke nodded. “Yep. Annabelle Thompson, to be exact.”

His grandfather leaned back in his chair. “The Thompson young lady.”

Luke nodded slowly.

“Good luck with that, son.”

“Everyone is staring,” Annie said from across the small table. She took a sip of her wine, and Luke couldn’t help staring as her lips closed around the rim—

Shit, he had to stop thinking that way or else he really wouldn’t make it through dinner without taking her—in public or not.

“They’re staring because you’re hot.”

“Or they’re worried I’ll slug you again.”

He shrugged and smiled. “That too.”

She looked around and fidgeted. Marco’s House of Meatballs wasn’t exactly extravagant, but it was the nicest restaurant in town, and keeping their date in town was his goal. He knew Annie struggled, trying to rise out of the shadows of her mother. He also knew that she fit here, even if she didn’t believe it yet.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look?”

“Yes, thank you.” Pink stained her cheeks, and she gave a little smile, which was adorable because Annie rarely blushed. He was catching glimpses of the softer side he’d seen in the past and this afternoon in the orchard. He liked it. Just as much as he liked her ball-buster side.

“You look pretty good too,” she said. “But I have to admit, I prefer you in dirty jeans and shirtless.”

He grinned. There was his girl. The one who wasn’t shy about anything, especially what she wanted.

“Well, I prefer you naked. But silk and leather is a close second.”

That made her really blush, and damn it, Luke wanted to take her home and see just how much of that creamy skin he could heat.

There was definitely more than the brass side of Annabelle Thompson. He just wished more people saw that. For Luke, it had always been easy with her. He liked that she could dish back but he could still make her smile.

“I was hoping you would come stay with me tonight,” Luke said.

She eyed him for a long moment. “Like the whole night?”

He nodded.

“I don’t know. I work pretty early.”

“Perfect. So do I.” He gave his best smile, the one reserved for when he really wanted something, but this time Annie didn’t budge.

“Is this some kind of game, Lucas?”

“No.”

She crossed her arms and stared at him. “Because I don’t need your charity. Parading me around just so everyone can see that the great Luke Jacobs spends some of his precious time with a Thompson. It’s not going to make everyone magically like me.”

“A lot of people already like you.”

“A lot of them don’t.”

“Well, then that’s their problem. I want to spend time with you because I like you. Charitable is the furthest thing I feel for you, Annabelle.”

Something in her eyes softened. He’d seen this before. It was like she really wanted to believe him. Lifting her chin in that stubborn way he recognized, she looked at the nightly specials page and coolly said, “I can’t stay at your place tonight.” She glanced over the menu. “But you can stay at mine if you’d like.”

A sense of victory instantly settled over him. It was either that or the way her foot was snaking up his calf under the table. Oh yeah, he was wearing her down.