Chapter 5
Dahlia couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such a good time on a date. Dutton was interesting to talk to and definitely easy on the eyes. The man was the definition of gorgeous. Tall, dark, and handsome, with bright blue eyes and a dimple she couldn’t help but want to lick.
It wasn’t fair. The man made her want things she had no business wanting. Not after a first date anyway.
“How’s the crème br?lée?” he asked before forking in a bite of his chocolate tart.
“Sinful.” She held up a bite of the delicious dessert.
“Try it.” She watched as he wrapped his lips around her fork, and she felt her insides turn to goo.
She wanted to be the one he was tasting.
A vision of her dragging him out of the restaurant and into the nearby inn flashed in her mind.
If she were another type of person entirely, she might even be brave enough to try it.
Instead, she took her fork back and waited patiently for his assessment.
“That is delicious. Great texture and not too sweet. I think you ordered the winner this round,” he said as he took a sip of his coffee.
“That makes me the overall winner then, doesn’t it? My French onion soup and dessert to your seared tuna. Do I get a prize?” The truth was, they’d both had amazing meals, but she loved teasing him.
“Sure,” he said, his voice suddenly husky as he reached out and caressed her cheek. “But it might be indecent to give it to you right now.”
Dahlia’s cheeks flushed with warmth as she leaned into his palm, desperately wanting to crawl over the table and take him up on whatever he was offering.
But they were in the middle of a restaurant, and she really needed to get her libido under control.
Leaning back, she picked up her cappuccino and tried to pretend that he hadn’t affected her. “Not on a first date.”
“A second one?” he asked with a wink.
“Don’t you wish?” she shot back, thoroughly enjoying herself.
She knew they were acting like hormonal teenagers, but she didn’t care.
Dutton was fun. And when was the last time she’d let herself really enjoy a man’s company?
She had no idea. Long before she’d left her fiancé at the altar; that was for sure.
Once Dutton paid the bill, he held his arm out to her. “Do you have time for a stroll down by the river?”
“Look at you, taking that old spirit’s advice. I like it.” Dahlia glanced at the time and said, “Sure, but just a short one. I need to get back to Strawberry Shortcake. I don’t want to leave her alone too long.”
“Understood.” As they walked out of the restaurant, Dutton placed his hand on the small of her back.
Warmth spread through her limbs, and just having him touch her like that made her entire body tingle as if something magical had washed over them.
Only she knew there wasn’t literal magic clinging to her skin.
He was a fire witch, and she was a medium.
Their magic didn’t work like that. Did it?
No.
The drive to the river only took a few minutes, and once they were there, Dutton entwined his fingers with hers and slowly walked along the bank as the full moon shone down, reflecting off the water. The soft cricket and frog noises had her sighing in pure contentment.
“You like it out here,” Dutton said. It wasn’t a question.
“I do. Nature. Peacefulness. Beauty. What’s not to love?” She took a deep breath, the cool air clinging to her skin.
“It does appear to be pure magic,” he whispered so softly she barely heard him.
Dahlia turned to look at him, expecting that he’d be gazing out at the water.
She’d heard before that the river was full of magic and that the moon fueled it.
The rumors were that when the moon was full, those were the best nights to cast spells from the river magic.
But Dutton wasn’t looking at the river or the sky.
He was staring down at her, his gaze full of wonder.
She pressed her hand to his chest, resting it just over his heart. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?” he asked, his gaze dropping to her lips.
“Like you’re going to eat me up if I give you half the chance,” she shot back and then instantly wished she could stuff her words back into her mouth because it only made his expression hungrier.
He took a step back.
Dahlia wanted to grab him and pull him back to her, but she kept her hands to herself and said, “Thank you, Dutton. For what you did back in February. Getting me away from my ex when you did. That was… incredible, the way you just stepped in and whisked me away from that sham of a relationship.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Dahlia. I did what any man would do.” His brows were pinched and he looked genuinely confused as to why she was bringing up the way he’d hauled her into one of the horseless carriages and helped her run from her wedding day.
“Are you kidding?” she said with a surprised laugh.
“I don’t know anyone who would jump into a carriage and run off with a bride he’d never met before.
Talk about a bridezilla nightmare. That’s a level of drama that most men would never subject themselves to.
I just want you to know that you saved me in more ways than one.
” When Dahlia had found out her fiancé was still talking to his ex and wanted to pause the wedding until he worked out his feelings with her, Dahlia had lost it.
She’d called off the wedding and had run off with Dutton, a man she hadn’t even known.
Then she’d stayed the night with him because she couldn’t go back to the inn, and all the other places that had a room available for the night were way out at the coast.
Dutton had been a perfect gentleman, offering her a place to sleep. It was a revelation when she realized that Dutton had done more for her in twelve hours than her fiancé had in months. It was then that she’d solidified in her mind that her relationship was over.
“You weren’t a bridezilla,” he insisted. “You were just someone who needed an escape hatch, and I was in the position to help. That’s all.”
“You changed my life that night,” she said, moving in closer to press both hands to his cheeks. “I wanted to thank you.” Then she leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.
Dutton’s arms went around her, pulling her in close.
Dahlia went willingly, unable to resist pressing her body into his.
She didn’t know who moved first, her or him. But suddenly they were kissing passionately, his hands in her hair and hers gripping his well-defined biceps. The man was pure muscle. The kind of man that had her fingers aching to touch him all over.
Dutton deepened the kiss, and Dahlia’s head swam. She was lost in him, grasping at his arms, never wanting to let go.
But then Dutton suddenly took a step back, looking a little sheepish.
“What is it?” she asked, ready to invite him back to the cottage for more of that delicious kissing.
“Nothing… I…” He shook his head and ran a hand through his mussed dark hair, making it even crazier. “Not on a first date. That’s what you said, right?”
“So… on the second date, then? And you’ll let me have my way with you?” she teased, keeping her tone cheeky.
“A man never tells,” Dutton said. “Maybe.”
She snorted and then stared up at the bright full moon. She could feel the power radiating from it and had no doubt that the moon and river recharged most of the town’s magic supply.
When she met his gaze again, she said, “This is all very lovely, but I should probably be getting back to let Shortcake out.”
“Sure. And this way, we’re much closer to that second date,” he teased.
Even though she rolled her eyes at him, she had to admit he had a point. Was tomorrow too soon? Probably. “How about Friday? I’ll cook.”
“You’re asking me to come to your house on Friday?” He brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes, making her shiver from his touch.
“Yes.”
He nodded. “It’s a date.”
Dahlia pressed up on her tiptoes, gave him one more kiss, and then let him take her home.
Ten minutes later, Dutton walked Dahlia to her door.
She was seconds from caving and inviting him in when he kissed her lightly and said, “Goodnight, Dahlia. I had a wonderful time.”
She had barely choked out a, “Me too,” before he was striding back to his T-bird as if his backside was on fire.
But then he turned to stare at her longingly, and she understood. The man’s self-control was just as close to cracking as hers was, and he’d decided to take off instead of trying to take her to bed. Since she’d said she wasn’t ready for that on the first date, he’d honored her wishes.
And it only made her want him more.
After sucking in a few deep breaths of the cool night air, Dahlia went inside to find Strawberry Shortcake. As soon as she opened the crate gate, the pup ran for the door.
“Good girl, Shortcake. Already house trained. Let’s go.” She took her pup out, let her do her business, and then headed inside to curl up with her sweet companion and dream about what it would be like to spend the night in Dutton’s arms.