licked her fork clean of the first bite of pie. Feeling very flirty all of a sudden, she dipped her fork in the mousse and watched him while she licked it off. She liked that he’d called her Cass and was now very happy that there was no one else sitting with them. Attracted to him right away, witnessing his true nature the last few days had only confirmed it. Now she felt he was more than just someone to deflect her thoughts from Rick, she really liked him. “I will share, however. I’m not that mean.” She held her fork across the table to let him try some and just as he leaned in she pulled it away. “Psyche. I don’t share chocolate.”
She pulled her hand back, but Daniel was too quick. He lunged for the fork and snatched it away, popping it directly into his mouth. Watching his lips as he licked the chocolate, her heart did a flip. Bantering with this sexy, fun, gentle guy made her realize there were so many other possibilities in life.
“I may be a guy, but I love chocolate, too. Don’t dare me!” He handed her back the fork.
The waiter arrived in the middle of their banter to pour coffee and ask if they wanted anything else. Looking around Cassidy saw that the rest of the room was completely empty. They were the only ones left. She glanced at her watch. It was almost eleven o’clock. She’d been having so much fun she hadn’t even noticed the passage of time.
“Excuse me?” she said to the waiter. “What time do you close?”
“On weeknights we usually close at ten-thirty, unless there is a special event.”
“Do you want us out of here then?” Daniel asked.
“No sir. Tonight is a special event.” The waiter smiled and placed a small tray with cream, sugar and coffee spoons onto the table.
“Really? What event is that? There’s no one else here,” Cassidy commented.
The waiter only shrugged, saying, “I just stay until they tell me to go.”
Stirring cream into her coffee, she leaned back in her chair and sighed. “I’m so full. Ugh. I went from hungry to full way too fast. That’s what I get for trying to keep up with you.”
“Hmm,” Daniel said distractedly. “Hey Cass? I’m thinking we’re the so-called, special event. Whaddaya say we finish up here and let the staff go home? Some of them work off mountain and I’d hate for them to be driving down too late.”
Lulled by the food and wine, it took her a minute to figure out what Daniel had said because he said it so quickly, and his words seemed to run together. Once the words sunk in she was disappointed he wanted to call it a night, but understood he was trying to be considerate of the employees at the resort.
“Sure, that’s fine. I was getting sleepy anyway.”
“Not too sleepy, I hope. I was thinking maybe we could go down to the hot tub and talk some more.”
Cassidy’s disappointment faded and she knew she was grinning like a fool. “Yeah. Sounds good.”
“OK, great. I’ll just settle up here, get these guys a tip and meet you down there. Do you know where it is?”
“I think so, but let me give you some money toward...”
“No way,” Daniel interrupted, “I may not be independently wealthy, but I can afford a tip. Please. Why don’t you just go get changed and meet me at the hot tub?”
She knew that to object further about the tip, just to show she didn’t need anyone to take care of her, was probably both silly and futile. “Thank you. I’ll see you there.” She rose to leave and was almost across the restaurant when it hit her.
Wait, a hot tub! I have to wear a swimsuit. Oh Lord!
Chapter Eight
Cassidy stood in the doorway to the gazebo, where the hot tub was located on a deck overlooking the valley. Daniel hadn’t seen her yet as he had his back to her. It looked like he was pouring something into plastic cups. It’s not too late to turn around. She willed her legs to move forward, but her mind was telling her to run. She clutched the towel to her chest and tried to keep the
She pulled her hand back, but Daniel was too quick. He lunged for the fork and snatched it away, popping it directly into his mouth. Watching his lips as he licked the chocolate, her heart did a flip. Bantering with this sexy, fun, gentle guy made her realize there were so many other possibilities in life.
“I may be a guy, but I love chocolate, too. Don’t dare me!” He handed her back the fork.
The waiter arrived in the middle of their banter to pour coffee and ask if they wanted anything else. Looking around Cassidy saw that the rest of the room was completely empty. They were the only ones left. She glanced at her watch. It was almost eleven o’clock. She’d been having so much fun she hadn’t even noticed the passage of time.
“Excuse me?” she said to the waiter. “What time do you close?”
“On weeknights we usually close at ten-thirty, unless there is a special event.”
“Do you want us out of here then?” Daniel asked.
“No sir. Tonight is a special event.” The waiter smiled and placed a small tray with cream, sugar and coffee spoons onto the table.
“Really? What event is that? There’s no one else here,” Cassidy commented.
The waiter only shrugged, saying, “I just stay until they tell me to go.”
Stirring cream into her coffee, she leaned back in her chair and sighed. “I’m so full. Ugh. I went from hungry to full way too fast. That’s what I get for trying to keep up with you.”
“Hmm,” Daniel said distractedly. “Hey Cass? I’m thinking we’re the so-called, special event. Whaddaya say we finish up here and let the staff go home? Some of them work off mountain and I’d hate for them to be driving down too late.”
Lulled by the food and wine, it took her a minute to figure out what Daniel had said because he said it so quickly, and his words seemed to run together. Once the words sunk in she was disappointed he wanted to call it a night, but understood he was trying to be considerate of the employees at the resort.
“Sure, that’s fine. I was getting sleepy anyway.”
“Not too sleepy, I hope. I was thinking maybe we could go down to the hot tub and talk some more.”
Cassidy’s disappointment faded and she knew she was grinning like a fool. “Yeah. Sounds good.”
“OK, great. I’ll just settle up here, get these guys a tip and meet you down there. Do you know where it is?”
“I think so, but let me give you some money toward...”
“No way,” Daniel interrupted, “I may not be independently wealthy, but I can afford a tip. Please. Why don’t you just go get changed and meet me at the hot tub?”
She knew that to object further about the tip, just to show she didn’t need anyone to take care of her, was probably both silly and futile. “Thank you. I’ll see you there.” She rose to leave and was almost across the restaurant when it hit her.
Wait, a hot tub! I have to wear a swimsuit. Oh Lord!
Chapter Eight
Cassidy stood in the doorway to the gazebo, where the hot tub was located on a deck overlooking the valley. Daniel hadn’t seen her yet as he had his back to her. It looked like he was pouring something into plastic cups. It’s not too late to turn around. She willed her legs to move forward, but her mind was telling her to run. She clutched the towel to her chest and tried to keep the
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