“I don’t think it’s silly,” Luke said softly.

“It’s fanciful,” she said.

“Hopeful,” he countered. “It speaks to your heart.”

She sighed. “But there I go again, listening to my heart over my head. I need to focus on sticking to my new rules. ”

“This is the first time I’m hearing of rules. I think you should let me know what they are, so I can help you break them.”

“You’re a bad influence!” She laughed, that beautiful, bell-like sound ringing through the empty street.

“My new leaf is all about being practical,” Nora said with a determined nod. “Thinking things through. Possibly making lots of pro/con lists.”

“Did you make one about going out with me?” he asked, half-joking, but then when she turned bright red, he laughed. “Really? Now I’m really interested what was in the con column.”

“All the cons were about me, not you,” Nora said, looking relieved he was taking this so good-naturedly. How could he not? She was great. Funny and smart and just a little quirky.

He liked unique women. And Nora Phillips was definitely a singular one.

“What about the pros?” he asked.

“All the pros were about you,” Nora said. “Well, at least, what I knew about you from Margaux and Hunter.”

“And what did they tell you about me?”

“That you were nice and funny and handsome and absolutely fated to be my soulmate,” Nora said with a wink that made the pull he felt toward her so hard to resist. He wanted to grab her hand and give her a little twirl as they walked down the street, slip his hand around her waist, so his fingers were resting on the soft curve of her hip. “You know, all the things people say when they’re setting you up.”

“I am absolutely all those things,” he said with a deadpan expression. “Especially the soulmate part.” And sure enough, it made her laugh again.

He loved making her laugh.

“This is me,” she said, nodding her head toward the dark blue Volvo parked on the curb. “Thank you for the lovely evening. And the walk to my car.”

She hesitated, a shy, unsure look crossing over her face, and heat lanced through him as he realized she didn’t want to evening to end.

A slow smile spread across his lips. Oh sweetheart, he thought. You and I are going places.

“If this wasn’t a first date, I’d kiss you right now,” he said.

Her head tilted. For a moment, he thought he’d pushed a bit too far, because her eyes flickered and he could see nervousness there. But then, oh, then… her lips—that perfect red cupid’s bow of a mouth—curved.

“Kiss me,” she said softly.

It was an answer and a question wrapped all in one. A request, and maybe a bit of an order.

And when his hand settled on her waist and his lips closed over hers, something clicked into place deep inside him, like a key fitting in a lock. Her mouth opened beneath his, and the heat and taste of her—ladyfingers and coffee and whipped cream—pulsed through him like the best kind of sugar rush.

One step, and he could press her against her car and angle her head, taking the kiss deeper, hotter, wetter. And for a moment, God, it was all he wanted to do. He wanted to take her home and spread her out on his bed and worship her until dawn was streaking the sky.

Slow down, cowboy, he thought, forcing himself to break off the kiss. But he couldn’t quite force himself to fully retreat, so for a moment, they stood there, their foreheads pressed together, breathing each other in. When he opened his eyes and saw her looking into his, it took his damn breath away. Made his heart skip a beat like he was a prince in a story. Just being so close to her, caught in her gaze, was more intimate than some kisses he’d experienced.

“You make it hard for a man to walk away, Nora,” he said softly, his voice rougher than he liked. “But I’m going to. For tonight.”