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I pretended to think, swirling the deep red in my glass.
“To not being kidnapped tonight feels a little on the nose.”
He raised an eyebrow, waiting.
A grin tugged at my mouth before I gave in. “All right. How about...to surprisingly thoughtful date nights in abandoned apartments with devastatingly charming lieutenants?”
His brow lifted a fraction higher.
“Devastatingly charming?”
“I said what I said.” I shrugged, taking a small sip of wine like I hadn’t just handed him a loaded compliment.
“Hmm. Then only one lieutenant, singular, not plural. There’s only one of me.”
My heart hitched. Just for a second. “There is definitely only one of you.” I clinked my glass against his, letting the electricity of the moment hum between us.
He leaned back slightly, eyes still on mine, that faint not-smile tugging at his mouth.
“You keep saying things that make me want to kiss you.”
I arched a brow. “And yet, here we are. Drinking wine. Fully clothed. Civilized.”
“For now,” he said, and took a long sip. “But you did start it.”
I laughed, a low, surprised sound I barely recognized as mine.
“Did I?I think you’re the one who lured me into your evil lair with pasta and mood lighting.”
He tilted his glass toward me. “It worked, didn’t it?”
I matched his gaze, unblinking. “It did.”
And it hit me right then—not just the warmth in my chest or the buzz of the wine, buthim. The quiet way he watched me. The careful distance that suddenly didn’t feel like distance at all.
He dished out the pasta from one of the boxes then added the garlic bread to the side. “Eat up. You need energy for tonight.”
I took the bite, eyes narrowing playfully. “I see and what menace do you have planned for me?”
“Careful. Compliments like that might get you tied to a chair.”
“Oh, is that your kind of magic trick?”
He smirked. “Maybe. But I have better ones.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, worn deck of cards. “Pick one. Any one.”
I rolled my eyes, but played along, pulling a card and holding it tight.
He fanned the cards like a pro, then with a quick flick, flipped mine face up on the table. “The Queen of Hearts,” he said with mock solemnity. “Fitting.”
I blinked, amused. “Are you trying to flatter me or just scare me?”
“Both,” he said with a grin. Then, for good measure, he snapped his fingers and made a napkin vanish in a puff of smoke.
I clapped softly, eyes shining with delight. “Okay, I admit it. That was impressive.”
He leaned forward, voice dropping just a notch. “Wait till you see the grand finale.”