Cosima’s neck went hot as if the man was privy to her increasingly disgusting thoughts, and she forced herself to focus on his face so she would stop imagining the size of his dick. His skin was a smooth, deep brown, which became the perfect canvas for eyes that could urge her to tell her deepest secrets if he gave her just the right look and lips that curved into a warm smile, revealing the sexiest teeth she’d ever seen. She almost giggled at that. How weird did you have to be to find yourself attracted to teeth?

“Jules tells me you’re willing to sacrifice some of your personal space so that little girl can have the birthday meal she wanted.”

Cosima opened her mouth, but words weren’t forthcoming. His voice, as deep as it was and just a bit gravelly, rubbed against her senses much in the same way her coconut body wash had moved against her skin: smooth, silky, luxurious.

“Thanks for helping me accommodate them,” he said again, settling into his chair and placing his beer on the table.

“It’s nothing,” Cosima said, happy she was finally able to find her voice. “I’ll just be sitting here with my nose in this book for my entire meal, anyway.”

He smiled at her then. It was open and full of charm, and Cosima found herself squirming in her chair. Was this what attraction felt like? Had things really been so dull between her and her ex that she was ready to combust in the presence of the first very attractive man to get within a few feet of her?

“I’ll leave you to it then,” he said, a warm smile still plastered on his face, and Cosima instantly regretted telling him she planned to spend the time reading. Initial plan be damned, she’d much rather spend her time making small talk with the man sitting opposite her. She flashed Jules a smile as the younger woman put his crab cakes, coleslaw, and potato salad in front of him. Jules caught her looking and flashed her a smile that seemed to scream, “I know, sis. I know.”

Cosima tried to get back into the book, but it didn’t matter how much she tried to focus; her eyes kept wandering to the man sitting opposite her, cataloging little things like the length and thickness of his fingers as he tapped against the table to the upbeats of the jazzy rendition of Christmas carols that wafted through the restaurant’s speakers. She averted her gaze whenever he happened to look up from whatever he was staring intently at on his phone.

Calm down.