Easy This Time - JH Croix Page 0,20

who couldn’t take care of themselves. In his case, I sensed his chivalry was deeply instilled and almost a habit. He was also alpha as all hell.

“Tell me what kind of place you’d like to go to for dinner, and I’ll pick the perfect one.” He looped our conversation back to my question.

“Your favorite hole in the wall diner,” I said promptly.

“Oh, you are a woman after my heart. Diner food is my favorite, and I’ll make sure you have the best.”

Chapter 9

Nash

“Oh my god, this is so good,” Mari said, actually moaning with her next bite.

Sweet hell. I had genuinely wanted to take Mari out to dinner. It was also true that the food here was incredible. However, I hadn’t reckoned with getting a hard-on at just the experience of eating a meal with Mari.

She was vocal about her pleasure. My body was of the opinion she would be that vocal about other pleasures.

“How is it, dear?” Carrie asked when she stopped by our table, her round blue eyes twinkling as she looked between us.

Mari finished chewing and dabbed at her mouth before she set her napkin back in her lap. “It’s delicious. Nash told me this was the best diner in the world, and I’m here to agree.”

Carrie smiled widely, her cheeks plumping up. “Aw, that is so sweet of you. Nash spoils us and tells us our food is good all the time. Between you and me, he’s a charmer, so you never know.”

“In this case, he’s not trying to charm you—this burger is amazing,” Mari said, gesturing with her hands and holding them up as if in prayer.

Carrie cast another smile between us. “Well, that just makes my night. Do y’all need anything else?”

“I couldn’t eat another bite,” Mari said.

“I’m all set. Bring the check when you get a chance, please,” I added.

“Already got it.” Carrie slipped a receipt book out of her pocket and tore one off, setting it in the middle of the table.

Nothing was fancy here. They still handled everything by paper. Considering that amazing food was really all that mattered, I was glad they hadn’t tried to fancy this place up. Carrie hurried off with a wink, and I reached for the check just as Mari did.

“Are we gonna argue over who’s paying for dinner?” I teased, curling my hand over hers.

“We don’t need to argue,” she countered quickly. “Why don’t we just split it?”

I moved swiftly, shimmying my hand under hers and snatching the check away. “I don’t split checks, and I invited you for dinner.”

“Oh my God,” she muttered. “You are such a man.”

“Considering that I am, in fact, a man, I’m not gonna take that an insult.”

Mari rolled her eyes at that but didn’t argue the point further as I paid at the register and we walked out.

We stepped outside into the warm night, and I glanced down to Mari. “Shall we take a walk down Bourbon Street? It’s only a block over.”

“I’d love that.”

“Come on then,” I said, reflexively reaching for her hand. For just a beat, I sensed she was startled, but her fingers laced into mine, and she began walking alongside me. “We can stop and get a drink too.”

She stopped on the sidewalk and peered up at me. “Thank you,” she said simply.

“For dinner?”

“Well, yes, but more than that. For offering to show me New Orleans, for helping me out. I was looking forward to this trip, and I thought it was ruined. Now, I think it might be better than I expected to begin with.”

“I aim to please, darling.”

Mari rolled her eyes slightly as she smiled.

“Now, what’s that for?” I teased good-naturedly as we began walking again.

“You and your endearments. Actually, I don’t think it’s just you.”

“Definitely not. It’s a southern habit. Women are just as generous with endearments as men around these parts.”

Downtown New Orleans was always busy in the evenings, but it was busiest on Bourbon Street. Music spilled out from the many bars lining the street with tables filled at various outdoor patios. Mari looked around while we walked, occasionally commenting on some of the buildings and laughing at the crowds.

“Do you have a favorite bar?” she asked.

“I don’t hit the bars too much these days, but I do have a few old favorites. Right here,” I said, releasing her hand to slide my arm around her waist as a cluster of college students rather drunkenly meandered down the sidewalk and almost bumped into us.

We stepped into Johnny’s Bar, one of