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"All in due time, Hannah. All in due time." I held her gaze until she squirmed. I loved that I could get her on edge just by looking at her.
The waiter returned a few minutes later. For the first course, we got watermelon slices wrapped in prosciutto with white wine.
I raised my glass, and we clinked them.
“What should we toast to?" she asked. "Hmm... to more evenings like this."
"I agree.” If this made her happy, I'd arrange these things once a week. Hell, I'd do it even once a day. Seeing her happy was addictive.
The food was very good, as was the wine. The rest of the courses were a mix of American, Italian, and French fusion cuisine. It was quite interesting, but I was too focused on Hannah to pay attention to what I was eating.
"Babe?" I asked after she finished her third glass of wine and looked around for the waiter. "Are you sure you want another one?"
She hiccupped and put her hand over her mouth. "I wanted to say yes, but I think that was a clear indication that this should be enough." She lowered her voice, leaning forward over the table. "I'm not drunk, am I?"
I laughed, caressing her leg with my bare foot under the table. "No, you're just adorable."
"Hmm," she said. "That's not what you thought at the airport when I was drinking champagne."
"No, I was torn between fighting with you and kissing you against the wall."
She gasped. "What? I didnotpick up on that vibe."
"No, you were too busy giving me shit."
She leaned back in her chair. "I can’t argue with that." She sighed. "The wedding was so beautiful, wasn't it? My sister always wanted to have a wedding on the beach."
"How about you?" I asked.
"I always wanted one in the mountains, or somewhere surrounded by a forest. Blair and I both liked to listen to my mom talk about her wedding. When we were kids, she'd always get that dreamy stare when she mentioned it. We could almostfeel Dad's presence. My favorite story was about how he saved for four years to buy her an engagement ring. It's a bit modest, not like my sister's, but I love it so much."
"You miss Blair and your mom, don't you?" I asked.
"I’d love for them to live closer, obviously, but I'm happy that they're happy, you know?"
I took her hand over the table. "You know you can visit them any time you want, right? We can even fly out together."
She shuddered. I even felt it in the way her fingers twitched. "You would come with me?"
"Of course. You can’t tell that I'm addicted to making you happy, Hannah?"
“Chase, the things you say....”
Words like that never came easy for me. In fact, I'd never been one prone to such statements. But with Hannah, it all felt so easy that it was almost an instinct. All I had to do was follow, wait, and let loose instead of trying to control my thoughts and words.
I had to fight everything in me not to throw her over my shoulder and head home right away.
***
Once we were done eating, I went to pull Hannah's chair back. I took her hand, and she gripped it tightly as she stood up. She pressed the side of her body into me and spoke against my chin.
"I'll tell you a secret. I'm kind of tipsy."
I laughed in her ear. "I've got you, Hannah. I'll take you to the car and then home."
Walking on sand took more effort than usual, because she was a bit unsteady. When we arrived at the entrance, there was a line at the shoe pickup. Hannah yawned before resting her headin the crook of my neck. I felt her tongue and then her lips along my throat.
"Hannah?"