Happily Ever After Collection - Melanie Moreland Page 0,45

head. “No…no, you are most certainly not. What you are, Dr. Ian, is most certainly unexpected.”

I liked being unexpected to Sam.

I sat back, regarding her. “You know, if you ever need to…verify a scene—make sure it’s on the ‘up-and-up,’ so to speak, I’m your man. I can ravish with the best of them if needed.”

The waiter appeared, placing a bubbling dish in front of us. “Your stuffed shrimp.” He removed our salad plates, leaving us alone again.

Sam looked at me as she reached for the spoon and slid some shrimp onto my plate.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she murmured.

“You do that.”

“That was amazing.”

I grinned at Sam, leaning over and wiping a small trace of chocolate off the corner of her lips. Partway through dinner, I had given in to the draw and moved from my side of the booth over next to Sam. We had shared from our plates, fed each other, held hands, kissed a few more times. I liked touching her. She, it seemed, liked it when I did so. It was a relaxing, enjoyable dinner—until dessert arrived. That was when I discovered another side to Sam.

She was addicted to chocolate. And she hated sharing, even though she had insisted she was full and couldn’t eat dessert. When the double chocolate brownie with hot fudge sauce I ordered arrived at the table, she became possessive and growly. I had to fight for every bite.

It was adorable.

“It was my dessert,” I reminded her as I licked the chocolate off my thumb. “You said you were too full.”

“You’re the one who moved close enough to tempt me.”

I hunched closer to her, eyeing her full, sweet mouth. “Can I tempt you with anything else?”

She surprised me by cupping my face and pressing her mouth to mine. With a low groan, I slid my hand around the nape of her neck and kissed her back. She tasted of the chocolate we shared, the wine she sipped, and simply of Sam.

It was an intoxicating combination. She was intoxicating.

I knew the waiter had slipped the tab on the table. I ignored him. I kissed Sam until she was breathless. Until I was breathless.

I leaned my forehead to hers. “You are addictive.”

She sighed, her breath washing over my skin. “You are dangerous.”

I kissed the end of her nose before drawing back. I reached for the tab, sliding my credit card into the folder.

“But good, yeah?”

She tilted her head. “Yeah. Good.”

“Then we’re golden.”

I laughed at her confused expression. “My mom says that all the time. It means we’re good.”

“I like it.”

I signed the bill.

“Next time is my treat,” she insisted.

“I asked you out. I paid.” My mother had raised a gentleman, even if my thoughts toward Sam were definitely not those of one at the moment.

“Then I’m taking you out next week. On me—since I asked.”

I had to laugh. “Okay.” Then I frowned. “So, I can’t see you until next week?”

She smiled at my words. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

I grinned. “Day off.”

“Then I’d like to make you dinner. If you’d be interested in having a meal with Chloe and me.”

“I would love that.” I pulled her from the booth. “Let me lay it on the line, Sam. Any time you want to give me with you, I’ll take. Coffee. A visit in the hall. Dropping by the hospital for a milkshake. You name it, and if I can, I’ll be there.”

Our eyes locked, my words surprising even me. But I knew. Friends who date wasn’t going to work for us. Somehow, I knew how important Sam and Chloe were going to be to me. And I wasn’t playing games with her.

“Okay,” she breathed out.

“Come on, I’ll take you home.”

She looked up at me, her beautiful eyes wide. “Will you come in for a while?”

“Absolutely.”

When we arrived back at the apartment, Bonnie told us Chloe had been an angel. Then she left wishing us a “Good night,” with a subtle wink.

I followed Sam down the hall and watched as she checked on Chloe. It was a girly room filled with pink and lace, with lots of stuffed animals around, although I was amused to see Stitch was still the one she held tight as she slept. Sam tucked her in and bent low to kiss her forehead. I peeked into the room across the hall, bookcases lining one wall and a desk with a pile of manuscripts stacked up on it facing the window. There was another chair with an ottoman, and I could picture Sam