“Yeah,Griffie.” I emphasize the cutesy nickname with sass.
He steps back, bashfully rubbing the back of his neck. “I thought you were collecting donations.” When he looks back at me, there’s not a trace of bashfulness remaining, but a cocky smile in its place. “I guess that means you’ll have to let me make it up to you.”
I quirk a brow. “What did you have in mind?”
“I know of a local café with theactualbest hot chocolate in the world. Let me buy you a cup tomorrow?”
I force my face to remain impartial. The guy deserves to sweat it out—at least a little—before he knows that my answer is a resoundingyes. I would be a fool not to at least see if there could be something here, especially when he seems to make every nerve in my body come alive.
After a few beats of silence, I meet his gaze. “Make it two cups, and you’ve got yourself a deal.”
His smile widens. “I would’ve bought you three. Meet me at The Cozy Bean tomorrow at one.”
“Works for me.”
I’m staring up at him, locked in the blue pools of his eyes again, when Daisy’s head pops between us. “We should get home unless you want your hands to freeze.”
I hear the retreating steps of my friend and her family walking down the driveway. Reluctantly, my eyes leave Griffin to look at my hands. My gloves are soaked through, and my fingers are getting colder by the second. I pull the gloves off, and Griffin reaches out and takes them.
“I’ll get these cleaned for you.”
“Thanks.” I dip my head to hide my blush as I slide my hands into my coat pockets. If only I could transfer the heat on my cheeks to my hands.
I bend down to retrieve my now-empty cup from the ground, but Griffin stops me with a hand to my arm. It’s an innocent touch, but it sends my body buzzing.
“I’ll clean everything up. It’s the least I can do.” He drops his hand as if my velvet dress burned him. I see his hand flex at his side. Maybe I’m not the only one who feels this chemistry between us. “I’ll see you at one.”
I peer up at him through my lashes, offering him a soft smile. “See you then.” I offer a quick wave to his grandma before shoving my hand back in my pocket and walking as fast as my short legs will take me down the driveway.
When I reach my friend’s family, they burst into a fit of laughter. Daisy doubles over and clutches my arm. “That was hilarious.”
“I can’t believe he dropped coins into your hot chocolate,” her younger brother says.
Daisy’s older brother holds his arms out wide, getting everyone to settle down. Then he holds his arm bent at the elbow and pretends like he’s sprinkling salt on a dish before saying, “Plop.”
Everyone breaks into laughter again, and I join them this time. When I’m not getting my hand burned by hot liquid, it’s actually pretty funny to think about what just happened. And if I got a date with a handsome man out of it…even better.
“Okay, but seriously. Did anyone else feel like a third wheel back there?” Daisy’s younger brother asks.
“Yeah,” the older brother drawls.
Her mother sighs. “I thought it was sweet.”
“Me too.” Daisy smiles at me. “Please tell me you’re going tomorrow. That man was smitten with you.”
I shrug. “I’m sure he’s smitten with all the girls.”
“He wasn’t looking atmelike he wanted to press me up against a wall and kiss me until I forgot my name.”
“You read too many romance books.” I shake my head.
She scoffs. “There’s no such thing as too many romance books. But you have to go. He could be your soulmate. Plus, that was the cutest meet-cute ever.”
“Relax. I don’t understand any of the words coming out of your mouth, but I know that I would be an idiot if I didn’t meet him tomorrow.”
She blows out a breath, the puff of air lingering between us in the cold like a cloud. “Good. I expect you to thank me at your wedding.”
“Don’t you think that’s jumping the gun?”
