with a Lucite tray containing a Ribeye for herself and a T-bone for him, Micah took the tray from her and asked her to start grilling some garlic toast. She wanted to protest, to tell him she was more than capable of cooking her own dinner. Seeing the glint in his eyes as he looked over to her, she decided to let him take the lead on this. Once she had enough garlic toast to feed a small army, or two hungry men and their dinner companions, Julia motioned towards the table.
As she placed the plate stacked high with bread in the center of the table, she heard her phone chime. Since she was alone at the table, she reached into her purse to see who was sending her a message.
You're not bailing on these steaks, are you? ;D
Shaking her head, she sat at the table. The evening was going well, almost too well. She needed to keep control of the game. The phone chimed again.
I'm waiting...
She laughed. She turned to the grills and saw Micah watching her reaction. He shrugged and then went back to grilling. As she stood, the phone went off again.
Well done??
They both knew that Julia couldn't stand anything over medium and preferred medium rare. Micah was trying to get a rise out of her and his last message did the trick. It wasn't a chance Julia was ready to take and she darted back to the grill. "Micah, so help me, if you turned that steak into shoe leather, I'm eating the T-bone tonight."
He whipped around with a shocked look on his face. "What? That's not how you like your steak?" Micah was barely able to contain his satisfaction with her reaction. He grabbed Julia by her upper arms and turned her to look at the grill. Both of their steaks were sitting at the edge, away from the heat.
"You didn't start them?" She should have known better. If she wasn't trying so hard to forget the last time they were here, she would have remembered that she got upset with him for inferring that she wasn't capable of grilling a simple steak. She had informed him in no uncertain terms that she was perfectly capable of grilling a steak and probably knew how to handle her meat better than he did. It turned into a legendary moment with the group of high school seniors.
Micah pulled her between him and the grill. "Nah, I like watching you do it too much. You should remember that."
Grabbing the opportunity, Julia moved both steaks to the center of the grill letting them sear. She could feel the heat radiating off Micah's body behind her as he moved in closer and placed one hand to either side of her on the railing.
"Is this okay?" he whispered into her ear. She gave a faint nod with no other acknowledgment of his presence. It should be anything but okay but it felt like being home. The thought concerned Julia.
They stood in silence, neither wanting to do anything to break the calm they felt in that moment. When she'd moved the steaks away from the hottest part of the grill, she turned around and looked up into Micah's eyes. "What are we doing?" she whispered through shallow breaths.
"I think it's called enjoying a night out, but I could be wrong," he answered with a smirk. He flicked her on the nose and turned her back to the grill. "If you turn my T-bone into shoe leather, I'm eating Ribeye tonight."
She checked both steaks and assured him they were cooking beautifully. It felt right to be here with Micah, like it was something they did on a regular basis. Julia felt another brick dislodge around her heart as she leaned back into Micah's strong chest. Following her lead, he wrapped both of his arms around her and pulled her closer. Julia was certain she'd never felt such a strong embrace and doubted there would be anyone else who could make her feel the way she was feeling at that moment.
The tension of the evening melted away in front of the grill. Julia and Micah returned to the table ignoring the inquisitive looks from their friends. Something had changed while they were preparing their meals but no one was
As she placed the plate stacked high with bread in the center of the table, she heard her phone chime. Since she was alone at the table, she reached into her purse to see who was sending her a message.
You're not bailing on these steaks, are you? ;D
Shaking her head, she sat at the table. The evening was going well, almost too well. She needed to keep control of the game. The phone chimed again.
I'm waiting...
She laughed. She turned to the grills and saw Micah watching her reaction. He shrugged and then went back to grilling. As she stood, the phone went off again.
Well done??
They both knew that Julia couldn't stand anything over medium and preferred medium rare. Micah was trying to get a rise out of her and his last message did the trick. It wasn't a chance Julia was ready to take and she darted back to the grill. "Micah, so help me, if you turned that steak into shoe leather, I'm eating the T-bone tonight."
He whipped around with a shocked look on his face. "What? That's not how you like your steak?" Micah was barely able to contain his satisfaction with her reaction. He grabbed Julia by her upper arms and turned her to look at the grill. Both of their steaks were sitting at the edge, away from the heat.
"You didn't start them?" She should have known better. If she wasn't trying so hard to forget the last time they were here, she would have remembered that she got upset with him for inferring that she wasn't capable of grilling a simple steak. She had informed him in no uncertain terms that she was perfectly capable of grilling a steak and probably knew how to handle her meat better than he did. It turned into a legendary moment with the group of high school seniors.
Micah pulled her between him and the grill. "Nah, I like watching you do it too much. You should remember that."
Grabbing the opportunity, Julia moved both steaks to the center of the grill letting them sear. She could feel the heat radiating off Micah's body behind her as he moved in closer and placed one hand to either side of her on the railing.
"Is this okay?" he whispered into her ear. She gave a faint nod with no other acknowledgment of his presence. It should be anything but okay but it felt like being home. The thought concerned Julia.
They stood in silence, neither wanting to do anything to break the calm they felt in that moment. When she'd moved the steaks away from the hottest part of the grill, she turned around and looked up into Micah's eyes. "What are we doing?" she whispered through shallow breaths.
"I think it's called enjoying a night out, but I could be wrong," he answered with a smirk. He flicked her on the nose and turned her back to the grill. "If you turn my T-bone into shoe leather, I'm eating Ribeye tonight."
She checked both steaks and assured him they were cooking beautifully. It felt right to be here with Micah, like it was something they did on a regular basis. Julia felt another brick dislodge around her heart as she leaned back into Micah's strong chest. Following her lead, he wrapped both of his arms around her and pulled her closer. Julia was certain she'd never felt such a strong embrace and doubted there would be anyone else who could make her feel the way she was feeling at that moment.
The tension of the evening melted away in front of the grill. Julia and Micah returned to the table ignoring the inquisitive looks from their friends. Something had changed while they were preparing their meals but no one was
Similar Books
