hungry?”
“I could eat.”
“Good. I’ll light the grill then we can go in and wash up.”
When they got inside, Dylan paused to open a bottle of wine to let it breathe. Ariela looked at the glasses he set out, then at him. “Don’t assume you’re getting lucky tonight.” Her tone was teasing , but the message wasn't.
He reeled back dramatically, as if she'd struck him. “Well, fine. What’s the point then? I’ll just get my keys and take you home.”
Ariela was staring at him, stunned, when he spun back with a chuckle. For a second there, she thought he was serious. Making a face, she said sarcastically, “Very amusing.”
Shifting into host mode, Dylan opened the refrigerator. He whipped around a second later, a wild look in his eyes. “Tell me you like steak!”
“I like steak.”
He patted his chest. “Whew.”
“You’re very strange.” Ariela gave him a big smile. "What can I do?"
Dylan put her to work slicing potatoes and onions while he shucked corn.
“Potatoes go on first,” he said, grabbing the foil packet she’d made and heading for the door. “Why don’t you bring the wine and join me? I’m not comfortable leaving Max out there with a hot grill.”
Of course, Max didn’t go anywhere near the grill, but it was nice to be outside. Ariela grabbed one of the lawn chairs and dumped dried seeds out of it before sitting down. Dylan opened a second chair and dropped into it. Even slouching, the guy was sexy.
She watched him as he closed his eyes and inhaled, clearly appreciating the bouquet of the wine in his glass. Then he took a slow, contemplative sip. His lashes swept up and their eyes locked. Ariela couldn't blink, couldn't look away. His quiet gaze pulled at her, made her want to get up and go to him. The urge was almost irresistible. He broke their connection first to glance at the grill. Sitting forward he set his glass down on the patio next to his chair.
“Would you protect my wine from Max in case he comes over to investigate? I should rotate the potatoes.”
“Sure.”
Over the course of the next half hour, Dylan was up and out of his chair more often than an anxious mother. Ariela offered to help, but he waved her off. “Just be comfortable.”
It was hard to follow that advice when he was running around all the time, even taking the time to top off her wine.
During a momentary lull, he dropped into his chair, stretched his long legs into the warm sunshine, and said with a sigh of complete sincerity, “Isn’t this relaxing?”
Ariela burst out laughing. “For me? Yes.”
He chuckled and hopped up again to turn the steaks and rotate the potatoes one last time. “Well, I’m having a ball.”
“You’re not normal,” she reminded him gravely.
He looked pleased that she thought so, wiggling his eyebrows playfully before taking another sip of wine. Dylan rolled his neck and shoulders, and she watched his head fall back for a moment. That throat was made to be kissed. “I’m looking forward to a shower after this,” he admitted with a low groan.
“Why don’t you go take one? I can watch things for ten minutes.”
“But you’re doing the dishes.”
“Am I?”
“ Yep. Do you want to know why?”
“I guess I do.” This she had to hear.
“Because I knew you’d insist. I’m just ahead of the game.”
She snorted when she laughed. “You think you’re so smart.”
“Am I wrong?”
“No,” she admitted, crinkling her nose at him.
Dylan grinned. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Crinkle your nose at me.”
“Why not?”
“Because it makes me want to jump you, and I don’t think that chair will support both of us.”
Ariela’s heart skipped and fluttered excitedly at the thought, but she played it cool. Looking down at the cheap aluminum frame and slatted seat beneath her, she nodded. “You’re probably right. You’d better stay right where you are.”
“ Not so easy when you look so damn appealing.”
Ariela laughed
“I could eat.”
“Good. I’ll light the grill then we can go in and wash up.”
When they got inside, Dylan paused to open a bottle of wine to let it breathe. Ariela looked at the glasses he set out, then at him. “Don’t assume you’re getting lucky tonight.” Her tone was teasing , but the message wasn't.
He reeled back dramatically, as if she'd struck him. “Well, fine. What’s the point then? I’ll just get my keys and take you home.”
Ariela was staring at him, stunned, when he spun back with a chuckle. For a second there, she thought he was serious. Making a face, she said sarcastically, “Very amusing.”
Shifting into host mode, Dylan opened the refrigerator. He whipped around a second later, a wild look in his eyes. “Tell me you like steak!”
“I like steak.”
He patted his chest. “Whew.”
“You’re very strange.” Ariela gave him a big smile. "What can I do?"
Dylan put her to work slicing potatoes and onions while he shucked corn.
“Potatoes go on first,” he said, grabbing the foil packet she’d made and heading for the door. “Why don’t you bring the wine and join me? I’m not comfortable leaving Max out there with a hot grill.”
Of course, Max didn’t go anywhere near the grill, but it was nice to be outside. Ariela grabbed one of the lawn chairs and dumped dried seeds out of it before sitting down. Dylan opened a second chair and dropped into it. Even slouching, the guy was sexy.
She watched him as he closed his eyes and inhaled, clearly appreciating the bouquet of the wine in his glass. Then he took a slow, contemplative sip. His lashes swept up and their eyes locked. Ariela couldn't blink, couldn't look away. His quiet gaze pulled at her, made her want to get up and go to him. The urge was almost irresistible. He broke their connection first to glance at the grill. Sitting forward he set his glass down on the patio next to his chair.
“Would you protect my wine from Max in case he comes over to investigate? I should rotate the potatoes.”
“Sure.”
Over the course of the next half hour, Dylan was up and out of his chair more often than an anxious mother. Ariela offered to help, but he waved her off. “Just be comfortable.”
It was hard to follow that advice when he was running around all the time, even taking the time to top off her wine.
During a momentary lull, he dropped into his chair, stretched his long legs into the warm sunshine, and said with a sigh of complete sincerity, “Isn’t this relaxing?”
Ariela burst out laughing. “For me? Yes.”
He chuckled and hopped up again to turn the steaks and rotate the potatoes one last time. “Well, I’m having a ball.”
“You’re not normal,” she reminded him gravely.
He looked pleased that she thought so, wiggling his eyebrows playfully before taking another sip of wine. Dylan rolled his neck and shoulders, and she watched his head fall back for a moment. That throat was made to be kissed. “I’m looking forward to a shower after this,” he admitted with a low groan.
“Why don’t you go take one? I can watch things for ten minutes.”
“But you’re doing the dishes.”
“Am I?”
“ Yep. Do you want to know why?”
“I guess I do.” This she had to hear.
“Because I knew you’d insist. I’m just ahead of the game.”
She snorted when she laughed. “You think you’re so smart.”
“Am I wrong?”
“No,” she admitted, crinkling her nose at him.
Dylan grinned. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Crinkle your nose at me.”
“Why not?”
“Because it makes me want to jump you, and I don’t think that chair will support both of us.”
Ariela’s heart skipped and fluttered excitedly at the thought, but she played it cool. Looking down at the cheap aluminum frame and slatted seat beneath her, she nodded. “You’re probably right. You’d better stay right where you are.”
“ Not so easy when you look so damn appealing.”
Ariela laughed
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