I chortle. “She did not.”
“She so did. Is she descended from the Torquemadas?”
“Ha!” With a great deal of reluctance, I pull away from him. “All right. Let’s get you fed.” I cast one more glance over my shoulder at the beautiful view. It seems cruel to have to leave this paradise when we just arrived.
“Great idea.” He grins, not at all perturbed by the fact that we’re about to go. Then, instead of opening the driver’s door, he pops the trunk and drags out a cooler and basket.
“Ta-da!” He spreads his arms and bows like a magician.
I laugh. “When did you prepare all this?”
“I had Gail pack us something before I went to pick you up. And before you get jealous, she’s my housekeeper and she’s in her sixties.”
I punch him lightly in the bicep. He wraps an arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer. “Don’t pout. I think it’s adorable when you’re possessive.”
“Do you now?”
“Yes. It means you think I’m worth keeping.”
My heart shatters a little. I don’t understand what made him think that he isn’t worthy, but if I ever find out who did this to him, I will beat them to death with my bare fists. “You’re definitely worth keeping, Lucas. You don’t know how much I’ve regretted the last two years.”
He gives me a lopsided grin, boyishly beautiful in its openness. Pulling me even closer, he kisses the top of my head.
We stroll over to the lake and pick a spot under a spreading oak. I help him lay out the blanket and take a quick peek into the basket and cooler. I assumed they would mostly contain breakfast stuff, but no. There’s a bottle of wine, thinly sliced roast beef, a few pieces of fried chicken, cheese, bread, some Caesar salad, cut fruit…
“You were planning on a picnic all along,” I say, pulling out the items and laying them on the blanket.
“Yes. I didn’t have you with me last night, so I was determined to have you with me today.”
Quietly, we eat. To be more precise, we feed each other. Every time he takes a bite from my hand, he licks my fingertips, making my muscles clench. I do the same to him and enjoy the way his nostrils flare.
I sip the excellent California rosé and run my tongue along my lips.
“Keep doing that and we may not finish eating.”
“You’re still hungry?” He’s already polished off most of the beef and half the chicken.
His gaze drops to my wine-moist lips. “I’m always hungry around you.”
“Then let’s clean up.”
I start putting stuff away. He helps too until the only things left are the bottle of wine and our glasses.
I pat the blanket. “Lie down.”
His eyebrow arched, he does.
I take his arm and stretch it out, then lay my head on the bicep. It makes a very comfortable pillow as I snuggle next to him. “You know what I realized?”
“What?”
“That we didn’t take any photos when we were together. I mean, of us. As a couple.”
An odd look crosses his face. “No, we didn’t.”
“This time we should.” I take out my phone and position it over us. “We should capture every happy moment together so we never forget what we have.”
The reflective screen shows us lying on the blanket, my face relaxed and his tight. I lower the phone. “You don’t want to?”