There weren’t many times in her life that Sharon felt like a coward, but this was one of them. It was made harder by the fact that Jake was being so straightforward, open, and honest. She liked to think that those words could describe her as well, and usually they could but…

If he were just an iota less earnest, she’d be avoiding answering… probably by making a really stupid joke.

He made some good points though. They basically were in a relationship. A relationship that she liked too. One where their lives meshed together really well.

The warm flutter in her chest really enjoyed hearing him say how much he liked her. This was… not what she’d expected. Yeah, she’d had a few thoughts that maybe there was something more developing between them than fuck buddies, that maybe Jake was starting to like her more than that, but there had also been a part of her which hadn’t really let herself feel it.

Yet here Jake was, saying he felt it too.

Wanted it too.

At the very least, she could be as brave as him about admitting it. She looked him straight in the eye and smiled ruefully.

“Our friends are going to give us hell. You know that, right?”

“Is that a yes?” he asked, sliding his hand across the table toward her. Sharon reached out and took it, his skin warm and comforting against hers.

She took a deep breath. “That’s a yes.”

They smiled at each other and – as much as Sharon hated to be cliché – it really did feel like the entire world stopped for just a moment. Her heart was pounding in her chest as Jake’s thumb swept across the side of her hand, their gazes locked, and it might be the most romantic moment of her life. Heat rose in her cheeks as she blushed, breaking their eye contact so she could pick up her fork, her appetite abruptly returning.

“So,” she said, clearing her throat a little awkwardly. Neither of them had relinquished hands, which meant Jake was eating with his left hand, but that wasn’t her fault. “Ah… how you doing?”

He laughed, as he was meant to, and Sharon felt herself relaxing again.

Surely, at some point, they had to stop having awkward moments, right? If not, at least they were getting used to them – and better at dealing with them.

“What do you want to do when we get back?” he asked cheerfully. “Do you have any plans?”

“No, I deliberately didn’t make any plans. I kind of figured I’d need some downtime after the weekend.” Catching his eye, she quirked her eyebrows at him, her head tilting to the side to indicate her crazy family.

Jake grinned at her. “Want to come over and have downtime with me?”