“I’m delighted you think so. I’m afraid I couldn’t compete with your creativity, so I decided to go with a standard tried-and-true.” I winced. “Not that I’ve had anyone else up here for a candlelit dinner. That was clumsy of me. I meant, the dinner and you.” Suddenly my English failed me. My tongue was tied in knots.
“It’s okay, Luc. I know what you mean.”
I sighed. “My brain and tongue do notget along when I’m with you. You make me forget everything I know.”
“I think that’s the nicest compliment anyone has ever given me. Thank you.”
I kissed her again, tempted to take this kiss deeper, but Hannah deserved better than that, so after a moment I took a step back and smiled down at her. “Please have a seat.”
Hannah’s cheeks were flushed, and judging by the sparkle in her eyes, shewas contemplating the same thing I had a moment ago. But after a beat she ducked her head and sat in the offered chair. I lifted thecloches covering our plates, then sat in the chair across from Hannah.
“I wasn’t sure of your stance on oysters and shellfish, so I got a selection of everything that I enjoy—kind of a tour of my tastes. If there’s something you do not like, I’m pretty sure there’stwelve more plates over there we can try.” I nodded toward the table behind Hannah that had over a dozen plates, each covered with a metalcloche.
“That’s good, because there’s no way you’re getting me to eat oysters. Especially not raw on the half shell.” Hannah made an adorable face and shuddered.
“No problem.” I jumped to my feet and scooped both plates off the table.
“Wait, you can keepyours. Please enjoy them. I didn’t mean to—”
“If oysters give you that reaction, there’s no way I’m chancing eating them myself. I have definite plans for later and none of them involve you getting sick over my plate of oysters.” I carried our plates over to the side table and shoved them under the concealing tablecloth. “Now, do you have any strong feelings about steak tartare?”
Hannah madethe face again, so I moved on.
“How about foie gras?”
Hannah’s nose scrunched up again. “How about nothing raw or involving force-feeding animals to death?”
“I can work with that. How aboutsalade Niçoise?”
“Perfect, as long as you’re not offended when I don’t eat the anchovies.”
“You have a deal.” I scooped up the salad plate and a selection of cheeses and breads, then returned to the table.“So tell me, have you always been such a hard-to-please woman? Because it didn’t feel that way last night.”
Hannah bit her lip, then burst out laughing. “Did you just call me a whore?”
“What? No! When?”
“I wasn’t ‘hard to please’ last night?”
I closed my eyes and muttered a curse word under my breath. “Do you know I previously had a reputation of being a suave and well-mannered man beforeyou?”
“Wait, so you’re blaming me for your insult?”
“Yes.Non. I mean—” I gave an aggravated groan. “It’s the whole brain-tongue disconnect that happens when I’m around you.”
Hannah smiled mischievously. “Well, I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“I meant it as one. What I was trying to say before was have you always been so difficult when it comes to food?”
Hannah shrugged as she stirred hersalad with her fork. “Probably. I learned early that life is short, so why waste it doing the stuff you don’t like. You know? I don’t agree with the whole force-feeding ducks to make their livers taste good, steak should be cooked, and raw oysters remind me of snot.”
I choked on my bite of salad and coughed until tears came to my eyes.
“Are you okay? Do you need some water?” Hannah darted tomy side and helpfully patted my back as I continued to cough. “I’m so sorry. Me and my big mouth. You know, my dad warned me that my mouth would get me into trouble, but I always thought he meant legal trouble. Or with my boss. Well, actually, that last one is true.”
My coughing turned to laughter as Hannah continued to babble. “Stop, stop. I’m fine. Really.” I coughed one more time and Hannahgave me a huge wallop. “Really. I’m fine. Please stop hitting me.”
“Oh, my god. I’m so sorry. Again. Really. Are you okay?”
