“I know,” Josh said. “And while I’m willing to bet I can hold my own seeing as I grew up with two big brothers, we’re on the same page. I won’t push her. But I also won’t treat her as if she’s broken. She went through hell and she doesn’t need you, me, or your sidekick”—he nodded to Dominic—“acting like it defines her. She deserves to be wined and dined away from curious stares so I took her to my favorite vineyard for a sunset picnic on Monday. And we watched a movie my brother recommended on Tuesday. If you want to know more than that, you’ll have to ask her yourself.”
The door to the back room swung open and Caroline marched in. She spotted the three men gathered around the bakery box and ground to a halt five paces from the bar.
Josh sat back on his stool and took another bite of his roll while he admired the view. She’d traded the borrowed boots for her preferred footwear. The I’ll-kick-your-ass combat boots matched with her don’t-mess-with-me expression, but not so much with her fitted jeans and long-sleeve Big Buck shirt. This top hugged her curves compared to the oversized work shirts she usually wore.
“Ask me what?” Caroline demanded.
“The down-and-dirty details from our date,” Josh said.
Her gaze honed in on the pseudo-interrogators behind the bar. Sure, they’d been looking out for her. And Josh appreciated that fact. The more people on Team Caroline the better. But he also hoped she gave them a little hell for crossing the line.
“I missed the locker room chat?” she asked.
“It wasn’t like that,” Noah said.
“He’s right. Nothing like that, sweetheart,” Josh drawled. “These boys are more of the bonbons and brunch type.”
“And here I thought they’d promised to stay out of my business,” she said with a sharp look at Noah.
“Don’t worry, I’m making sure they remain true to their word,” Josh said.
She walked over to his stool and rested one hand on his thigh. He glanced down at her fingers resting on his jeans. As a rule, she didn’t invite physical contact in public. He’d learned to respect that barrier. Hell, he’d kept his hands to himself during their picnic. He’d been granted a good-night kiss before she climbed out of his truck, but even then he hadn’t dared touch her. And he’d waited for her to make the first move after the movie. He wasn’t in this for the score, and he sure as shit didn’t want her hopping into bed with him to banish bad memories. He needed her to desire him.
But none of that changed the fact that he welcomed her hand on his leg right now. And he didn’t give a damn about the former state champion athletes standing on the other side of the bar.
“So you didn’t tell them about the hot tub?” she asked.
“Nope.” He shook his head and fought back a grin. “They don’t need to know how you earned your rose, my sweet. Some things should remain private, you know?”
Including any and all references to my Magical post-movie performance, he thought.
“So true,” she murmured as she withdrew her hand. “But I think it’s fair to tell your buddies here how much you enjoyed the theme of the movie, right?” She glanced over the bar at Dominic and Noah.
Josh nodded and tried to match her solemn expression.
“Josh really took it to heart,” she added. “He was rooting for the hero in the end.”
This woman’s wry wit might push me over the edge.
He liked her. He’d been damn clear about that. But this could snowball fast with emotions piling up before their third date.
Without warning, she placed one foot on the metal base of his stool and climbed onto his lap. His arms went around her slim waist and held tight. Across the bar, Josh caught Noah’s wide-eyed stare and knew he was just as surprised by her move.
“Relax, Noah,” she said. “I learned the three date rule in high school.” And she reached into the box and pulled out one of the rolls he’d made just for her.
“You might need to clarify that one for Noah. He didn’t exactly play by the rules when he started courting Josie,” Josh said before Noah could jump back into the conversation.
“No, he didn’t,” Caroline said.
Noah shook his head and muttered something about opening up for paying customers as he walked away. His sidekick took one more roll from the box and turned to the half-empty tray of clean pint glassware. With his back to them, Dominic stacked the glasses.
“I should get to work,” Caroline murmured.
“Finish your breakfast first,” Josh said. Even though prolonged contact with her perfect backside would probably leave him with a hard-on that would linger and leave him aching.
“Mmm,” she murmured as she took another bite. She leaned back against him and that’s when it hit him. She’d playfully sparred with Noah and shocked them all when she’d climbed onto his lap, but she wasn’t playing defense. She felt relaxed in his arms.
“Caroline?” he said in a low voice.