“You look like you’re drooling,” she teases.

“I’m hungry,” I tell her, not hesitating as I start carving into my steak. “Been working all day.”

“Do you work out?”

“Huh?” My mouth is already full of steak, and it is melt-like-butter delicious.

“Do you go to the gym and work out?”

“No, why would I? When I work out, it’s here on the farm.” I fork up another bite of steak and start chewing. “Don’t really need to lift weights or whatever if I’m hauling trees around all day long, right?”

“Oh.” I swear I hear her swallow. What’s that about? I look at her to find her gaze locked on my arm as I keep sawing into my steak. “Your shirt is…kind of tight. Around the arms.”

Ah. Thanks to hauling all those damn trees around, my arms have been looking pretty defined lately. I could say something cheesy about my guns—aka my biceps—but I keep it cool. “Hard work pays off.”

“I’ll say,” she mutters under her breath.

Making me smile.

It’s like this for the entirety of dinner. We chat. Make vaguely suggestive, overly flirtatious conversation. Stare at each other a little too long a couple of times, which feels promising. I brush my hand against her arm as I speak. She touches my sleeve when she laughs. Her eyes become hooded as I tell her a silly story about the aggravated customer we dealt with a few days ago. She tells me a ridiculous story about a pissed off client at the jewelry store last Christmas, and I can’t stop staring at her lips when she talks.

Some of the gloss has worn off, but they’re still red. And plump. Her upper lip is about the same size as her lower lip. Her perfect skin glows, I swear, and my fingers itch to touch her. Run my fingers along her cheek. Across her lips. Right before I—

“Jonesie! There you are!”

It’s Charlie, accompanied by Candice. They’ve been making the rounds once they finished eating, stopping by and talking to everyone at each table. He comes right up to me and slaps my shoulder lightly, a giant smile on his face. Swear this is the happiest I’ve seen my boss ever. “You look good,” he tells me.

“So do you.” I smile up at him, my gaze then sliding over to Candice. “Congratulations, you two.”

“Thank you.” She beams, then gathers Amelia by the shoulders and gives her a quick squeeze. “Are you having fun?” Candice asks her.

“The wedding was beautiful. The food is delicious.” Amelia sends me a mysterious look. As if this is the first time she’s ever really seen me. “The company—interesting.”

I rest a hand against my chest. “Your words wound me. I expected you to say fascinating. Amazing. Sexy as hell.”

Candice bursts out laughing. Amelia’s lips twitch. Charlie slaps me on the shoulder. “Don’t come on too strong around Candice’s friends. You gotta keep that Jonesie mojo in check.”