Page 24 of Healing Conviction

“Spill! Did you not like Matt or something?”

“I didn’t like that he liked you.”

He felt her green eyes assess him, and her jaw dropped, but he didn’t feel the need to say anything else as he pulled into the parking lot. Once the obnoxious, bright lights invaded the cabin, Nora swiveled to the flickering sign.

“Oh my gawd, you took me to Jacky’s?”

Her sudden shift in tone had him questioning his decision as he took in the ostentatious neon script. It haloed the faded green awning protecting the entry to Ashland’s finest hole-in-the-wall diner.

“We can go somewhere else—”

“Are youkidding? Jacky’s is only my Disneyland. I freakin’flovethis place! I’d eat here for all seven meals if I could.”

He felt his grin cracking his face. “You a hobbit now?”

She barked out a laugh. “Leave it to the handsome Viking to know his Lord of the Rings trivia.”

He huffed a laugh of his own and unlocked the truck. “Let’s get you fed, little pixie.”

CHAPTERNINE

“Mmmm.” She couldn’t help the indecent moan that escaped her lips as she licked the syrup from her fingers. “And on the eighth day, the goddesses gave us Jacky’s syrup, I swear it. It’s a literal liquid orgasm.”

“You sure act like it.”

Drake’s voice, pitched lower than usual, made her tongue pause mid-swipe, suddenly aware of how openly sexual she was making her experience. His deep blue ocean eyes had darkened to a stormy Atlantic sea, and his knuckles were white as they gripped around his silverware.

You’re pretty delicious yourself, handsome.

“Sorry, not sorry.” She took her time licking the already clean digit, enjoying teasing him, until his heated gaze began to make her lower belly twist.

It wasn’t until she felt the other, greedy eyes from her periphery that she immediately stopped. She cleared her throat and wiped her hands clean on her paper napkin, trying to avoid the blatant ogling by other diners.

Depending on what time you went to Jacky’s, the patrons ranged from ancient early birds at five a.m., tired parents trying to wrangle their children, and drunk college kids from Ashland State University. Currently, the bar a few feet from their booth seemed overrun by rude men with hungry stares.

She gathered her courage and opened her mouth to tell them off, but a grumble silenced her. Drake had turned around in his seat and the menacing rumble was directed at the leering onlookers.

“I know you assholes have better shit to do tonight than get your eyes plucked out by my girl’s fork.”

Three pairs of eyes widened before they all bent in unison, suddenly very interested in their plates.

Emotion swelled in her chest and she cleared her throat before speaking. “Thanks.”

Drake turned slowly back to her with a scowl cut into his face. “For what?”

She shrugged. “Not sure anyone’s stuck up for me that way before.” Her voice broke at the end, so she switched to a singsongy tone, trying to resume her usual perky self. “Usually it’s just lil’ ol’ me against the world.”

His frown deepened. “Not around me.”

As always, his words were measured and deliberate. She’d long gotten used to his brusque and straightforward delivery. It was refreshing not to have so many words mixed up in what they were trying to say.

But that short sentence made herfeelwhich was a bright red flag whipping in the wind. Getting all hot and bothered in bed with a guy was one thing. Getting warm and fuzzy in a conversation was another andthatcouldn’t happen. A man like Draco could make her lose all reason. Knowing her, she’d give the rest of herself while she was at it. Then what would she have left?

Nothing.

The depressing thought made her feel nauseous. She pushed her plate forward and decided to change the topic while Drake went back to wolfing down his burger.

“So how do you know about Jacky’s? Jules introduced me. She found out my affinity for first and second breakfast, took me here, and the rest is history.”