Page 50 of Coveted By the Bear

Shaking my head, I sighed. I mean really. How could a thing as small as a kiss make me feel so different? My hands went to work while my mind twirled merrily on its way.

“What do you recommend?” Caleb asked from behind me.

His voice startled me, and I let off a loud squeak. I spun around and knocked the yellow flour container to the floor. A culinary smoke cloud wafted around me like I was supposed to disappear in a magic show.

Opal poked her head out of the storage room and looked from me to Caleb and held out a broom.

Caleb leaned over the counter to better see her. “I’m sorry, Ms. Opal. That was my fault. I scared her.” He was trying unsuccessfully not to smile.

“If you’re here to harass my girl, you’re going to have to wait until after her shift is over.”

“No ma’am. I heard you guys have the best dessert around. Just got off of work and wanted to try some is all.”

“Hmm,” she said through narrowed eyes. The corner of her mouth was turned up in a tiny smile, though, which softened her expression. “Mira made a lemon pie this morning that is to die for.” She winked. “We are calling it Grizzly Bear Meringue.”

Caleb huffed a laugh. “Well, I’ll have to have a slice of that one, then.”

I wiped my hands on my apron and pulled a slice out of the front display case for him. My hands shook as I rang him up.

“Hey,” he said, grabbing my fingers as I held out his change. “You all right?” He looked down at my hand with a worried frown.

“Yes, I’m fine,” I whispered. “You just startled me.”

He ran a thumb over my knuckles, leaving a trail of heat where his skin touched mine. Caleb’s smile said he liked my physical reaction to him. “When do you get off?”

“Uh.” I looked at the clock on the back wall. “Two more hours. Why?”

“You want to go out tonight?”

I hesitated. My heart was in my throat, and if I spoke too soon, he would be able to hear how downright giddy I felt. Deep breath. “Okay.”

He looked surprised, but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why. I’d basically thrown myself at him yesterday. “Yeah?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Okay. I’m going to go get ready. I’ll pick you up here in two hours.”

He took his pie to go and looked back at me with a grin that just about buckled my knees before he walked out the front door. If I didn’t have his crumpled dollar bills in the palm of my hand, I would’ve sworn I’d just dreamed him.

Chapter Eighteen

Mira

It was double feature night at the drive-in movie theater, and both had been released a long time ago. This week was an alien flick followed by a romantic comedy. We showed up late, and as Caleb maneuvered his truck into one of the leftover spots in the back, I decided I was grateful we had missed most of the first one. If the ending was anything to go by, the rest of it looked terrible.

The gears clicked as Caleb shifted into park. “You want any snacks?”

My back stiffened in surprise. This was only my second time at the drive-in. The first one consisted of me sneaking around the back of the property and watching a show from behind the wire fence before Sheriff Clancy had chased me off. I had most certainly never dreamed of getting snacks. “No thank you,” I said quietly. I didn’t want him spending any more money on me. He had already paid for the tickets, despite my offer of part of the paycheck Opal had handed me at lunchtime.

He stared at me for a second longer. “Okay, well, I’m getting popcorn and a drink. And maybe skittles, or maybe M&M’s.” He ticked his future purchases off on his hand. “I won’t be able to eat it all so you might as well share with me. Nachos. Do you like jalapeños?”

I sighed through a flattered smile. “Skittles and jalapeños on the side.”

Caleb snaked his hand across the top of my leg and squeezed it gently. “Hey, tonight don’t worry about money. Let me take you out. Okay?”

Even if I had been able to talk while swimming in the deep blue of his eyes, I definitely couldn’t peep a single word with his warm, able hand across the top of my thigh. I held my breath, afraid it would match the frantic pace of my heart, and tipped my chin slightly in answer.

My gaze was drawn to his lips. They were turned up in a knowing smile. Masculine lips over a chiseled jaw. Their subtle color contrasted against the white of an alluring smile. Two faint dimples adorned his cheeks, and I was hypnotized by the ease with which he bestowed such a look on someone like me. I had never seen him give the same smile to anybody else. This one was mine.