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My.

God.

Was this how I was finding out he had a dimple?

Just one. In his left cheek.

Trying to diffuse the chaos dominating my nerve-endings, I looked up at Keenan and forced a tight smile. “No. He’s just my neighbor.”

A blind man could see the relief wash over his face. “Oh. Okay.”

He split his attention between me and Greyson before he put the nail in the coffin of this terrible, no good, very bad date.

“Hey, there’s no sense in you eating alone. You should join us.”

I schooled my features in a look I hoped screamed ‘hell no,’ but Greyson purposely avoided looking in my direction ashe gracefully got off his stool. He gave Keenan his undivided attention and said, “You know, I might just take you up on that offer.”

No.

Then he turned to grab my clutch from the bar top and winked at me again. “Come on,neighbor.”

It was amazing how the addition of Greyson at our table magically turned Keenan into Mr. Generous.

I was no longer limited to the appetizer menu. In fact, he’d looked at both Greyson and I and told us to order whatever we wanted.

My eyebrows hadn’t left my hairline since that one. Something was amiss, I just couldn’t put my finger on it yet.

Greyson choosing to situate his chair right beside me instead of a neutral point between me and Keenan wasn’t helping things.

He was so close I could hear every breath he took and feel every move he made because he brushed against my side every time.

“So, what do you do, Keenan?” Greyson quizzed, only partially glancing up from the menu. Under the table, his knee brushed the side of my leg, making me draw in a sharp breath.

“Uhh,” my date hedged. “Right now, I’m in between gigs. But it’s looking like I’m a shoo in at the Milton’s up the road. My cousin is putting in a good word for me.”

Milton’s was a grocery store on the mountain’s main road, close to the library. Theonlygrocery store in Bliss Peak aside from a Dollar General and a butcher shop. And I wasn’t shaming him because work was work, but that damn sure wasn’t what he’d written on his profile.

“I thought you were a firefighter,” I pointed out.

“Um, well, about that. I’m kinda using my cousin’s old profile. He’s the firefighter in the family.” He looked sheepish.

I closed my menu and sat back in my seat, studying him. “So, is your name Keenan?”

He looked sheepish again, his eyes darting every which way but my face.

“I mean, you cancall meKeenan.” He licked his lips. “Hell, you can call me whatever you want, baby.”

Greyson stiffened at the pet name before cutting me a sidelong look. He lowered his head and spoke directly into my ear. “Trouble in paradise?”

I glared at him and he gifted me with another smile before throwing his arm over the back of my chair. He was being territorial, but it had a double-edged effect. I needed the comfort of his proximity to keep me from saying something reckless to Keenan. Or whatever the hell his name was.

Speaking of my date, he was watching us with curiosity, his eyes jumping from my face to Greyson’s arm to the menu we were now sharing because of how close we were.

“How long did y’all say you’ve been neighbors?”

“Long enough.” Greyson’s succinct reply put an end to the questions and silence fell on the table.

My heart rate slowed enough for me to get out of panic mode. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, I felt safe wherever Greyson was.