Page 108 of Sunkissed Colorado

“Callum.” Her dark eyes were sad, aiming at the rug. “How can it not?”

Because I’m going to figure out a way around that, I thought. “Think about it. If you move out, I’ll have to stake out your new place to make sure you’re safe, and I’ll end up being late for work all the time. Which as the boss, of courseIcould get away with, but it’s not the best example to set.”

She was covering a smirk. “Mmhmm. You’ve thought this out.”

I tapped my forehead. “That’s me. This machine is always working.”

I wasn’t kidding though. And really, that had nothing to do with convenience or concern over her safety.

With every day that I came closer to the possibility of losing her, I was just more convinced that I couldn’t let it happen.

Truth was, the shit Pickering had said to me the other night had gotten under my skin. That I’d been trying to convincepeople to love me my entire life. That I was just a bartender, and everyone including Zandra knew she was too good for me.

Hell, I agreed. She was too good for me.

But that just meant I had to figure out how to be good enough for her too.

She set down Chloe and stretched. “We’ll have to get ready for work soon, so if you want to do anything else first…”

Chloe dashed out of the room in search of other entertainment.

“I can think of a few things.” I shut the door with my foot, walking Zandra over to her bed. We started kissing, going from lukewarm to surface of the sun hot in moments. We stretched out on the mattress.

But I also had a plan to put into action. And that made me stop kissing her, propping on my elbow to look down at her.

“What is it?” she asked.

“We never got that dinner like we were talking about the other night. Do you remember? We were talking about it before your mom texted, and the whole Ian debacle.”

“I definitely remember.”

Once again, I had no idea how to read that expression Z was giving me. It was kind of like when Chloe gave me her cat-stare, and I had no idea if she was going to hiss or jump in my lap to cuddle. Nothing to do but forge ahead.

“I was thinking we could try again. I’ve been wanting to take you to the new gluten-free brewery in Pine Creek,” I continued, watching as she seemed to deflate, though I had no idea if it was from relief or some kind of disappointment.

“This would be a work-related dinner?” she asked neutrally. “Scoping out the competition?”

I hadn’t thought of it that way, but sure. That could be a side benefit. “It could be relevant to Hearthstone, if we decide to start carrying gluten-free beer. But not entirely work-related.” I shifted to lie on my side next to her, playing with her hair. “I was also thinking of inviting my brother and sister andtheir significant others. I don’t think you’ve met them yet, unless it was back in high school, but Ashford was older and Grace was a lot younger.”

“Do youwantme to meet them?”

“Of course I do. And after the brewery,” I added, my voice rougher than I intended, “I want to take you somewhere else special. But it’s a surprise.”

“I don’t like surprises.”

“Yes, you do. When they’re from me.” I leaned down and kissed her nose. “Let me take you out. Promise it’ll be fun.”

“Okay,” she said breathily.

We were staring at each other for a bit too long, the air between us thick with everything we weren’t saying. I was fairly certain there was a question in her eyes. The same one that had been bouncing around in my head for days now.

She’d said yes to tomorrow night, and that was just step one of my strategic plan. I already knew we would be incredible together. She knew it too. How could she not? It was obvious that I had to keep this good thing going.

But I wasn’t going to mess around with arguments, letting Zandra talk her way out of this with that clever mind of hers.

I was just going to have to show her.

“Now, where were we?” I asked.