Chapter Four
“You know, I really need to get back to my guests at the B&B.” Autumn gave me a quick hug. “There’s cookies to bake, sheets to change...”
Dina watched her friend slide by Sam and scurry out of the workroom, leaving her alone with a man who may or may not have heard who knows what about her thoughts on the night before. She drew a deep breath and folded her arms over her sweater as Sam’s eyes connected with hers.
“So you don’t remember what happened last night?” Sam’s brow arched slightly as an amused expression rested on his face.
“I mean… I remember some stuff,” Dina lied and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
“Interesting.” He slowly ran his tongue along his bottom lip, and Dina knew he wasn’t going to let her off easy. “So do you remember the kiss?”
“Kiss?” she repeated. “Yeah. Totally. It was great.”
“Nothing I do is just great.” Sam’s smile only widened. “It’s unforgettable.”
“I don’t know about that.” Dina laughed nervously as her arms slid to her hips. Sam’s gaze dropped to follow the curves of her body, and it was all Dina could do not to ask for a repeat of whatever happened last night. “Truthfully, I don’t seem to remember a thing.”
Sam’s low, sweet rumble of a laugh filled her tiny workroom as her cheeks reddened.
“That’s because nothing happened.” He folded his arms over his muscular chest that she shouldn’t be noticing and let the words hang between them. “Not even a kiss, unless you count the one on your forehead at your front door.”
“Nothing happened?” Dina’s brows shot up. “How do you figure? I know what my room looked like this morning and what I…” Her voice trailed off.
“And what?” he prompted.
She swallowed hard. “Nothing.”
Sam looked far too amused for Dina’s liking, but for some reason, she couldn’t be mad at him. After all, she was the one who couldn’t remember anything, and he was the one who held all the answers.
Answers she desperately wanted.
Ignoring his recollection of the night before, she pressed on to get to the bottom of it. “I don’t sleep with men on a third date, let alone a first date, but last night you were so damn good-looking, and I had too much to drink and—”
“So it’s my fault?” Sam teased and took a few steps forward, narrowing the gap between them. “Dina, we didn’t sleep together.”
Dina’s eyes flashed to his, and she cleared her throat. One of the many nervous ticks that seemed to flare up at the most annoying times for her. Why couldn’t she be the calm, cool, and put-together girl who could sleep with a man she found attractive and move on with it?
“I’m pretty sure we did.” She bit her bottom lip as she waited for his reply. “I woke up in your shirt.”
“That’s because someone spilled wine on you at the restaurant, and the temp outside was far too cold for you to be walking around with a wet shirt and no coat. I lent you my flannel shirt, which I do need back since it’s my favorite one.”
Dina shook her head, brows pulled together, scowl fully in force. “No. It wasn’t like you just lent me your shirt.”
“What do you mean?” His eyes narrowed on hers.
“I woke up this morning…” She drew a breath and shifted her weight again. “Completely naked, except I was in your flannel shirt. My clothes were all over the bedroom floor. I’m not one who sleeps naked. I love getting in my pajamas every night. I don’t sleep naked unless…”
“Unless?” His brow arched higher.
“You know.” She waved her hands in the air. “And the kiss?”
“There was no kiss, Dina. I was only teasing. You were in no shape for me to kiss you. I just wanted to get you tucked in and—”
“Wait? Tucked in?”
Sam let out a deep sigh. He knew most men would have jumped at the chance to sleep with Dina last night. After he kissed her forehead, she looped her arms around his waist and pulled him inside.
He hadn’t expected it.
Had actually hoped for the opposite.
Once she started stripping off her clothes, he knew he was in trouble. Seeing her in nothing more than her bra and underwear nearly undid every ounce of self-control he had.
Not to mention, it only made it harder when she attempted to do a little dance for him. She was so cute and innocent as she wiggled her hips, and he knew the moves weren’t coming easy for her, but the alcohol told her she was on the right track. His saving grace was that she tripped backward on one of her spins and fell onto her bed.
He took that moment to slide his flannel shirt back onto her, pull up the covers, and get the heck out of her house. Why or how she woke up with nothing on under the flannel shirt was anyone’s best guess.
And judging by the look on her face, she would die if she knew what she’d done last night, and he planned never to tell. Everyone deserves a night to let loose and she obviously needed to do exactly that.
He only wished it hadn’t required an hour-long cold shower when he got back to his place, and now the way she was looking at him only made him need another one.
“I helped you into bed, but you weren’t completely naked.” Sam touched her cheek softly and her eyes connected with his. “I don’t know what you were up to after I left, but you had your bra and underwear on underneath the flannel.”
“Wait? What?” Dina let out a mini gasp. “Just my bra and underwear?”
“You kind of started to shake out of your clothes but you fell into bed before you could completely finish. I slipped the flannel back on and took off.”
Now Dina was even more confused. He wouldn’t sleep with her, and she was nearly naked in front of him? Maybe he really wasn’t attracted to her, and all the chemistry she swore she felt with him was made up? Maybe she made it up?
“Well, thank you for that,” Dina mumbled, her gaze falling to the pink dresses. “I’m sorry that’s how your night had to end. It’s really unlike me.”
“I’d gladly do it all over again.”
Dina chuckled. “Well, I can guarantee you won’t have to. No more pre-drinks for me.”
“Pre-drinks?” Sam asked, tilting his head.
“Never mind.” She laughed. “It will only make me sound even worse. So, what’s up? Why’d you stop by?”
“To check on you. I was worried.”
“Worried?”
“Well, you’d had a lot to drink and yeah…I was worried.”
Probably only in a little sister kind of way.
“Well, other than the headache still pounding from embarrassment, I’m doing pretty good.”
He nodded and rubbed his fingers along his jaw. “So, I’m guessing you might not remember agreeing to go out on a date with me.”
Dina froze in place. “A date? I don’t remember that at all.”
“You told me we couldn’t go on a date until after your grand opening party.”
She nodded reluctantly. “That sounds like me.”
“So are we still on?” he asked again.
“That whole thing last night didn’t turn you off?” Her brow arched, and he had to hide a laugh.
“Uh, no. I definitely was not turned off.” His smile only widened, and Dina’s entire body lit up at the sight.
He was so charming, and even though he had every reason to be overly cocky, he managed to keep himself in check for the most part, which was completely the opposite from the men she’d dated before.
“And you agreed to let me teach you how to ski on the indoor mountain since it sounded like your ex-fiancé couldn’t hack it.”
Dina laughed at the minor jab at her ex and secretly loved hearing it, but it also made her wonder what all she’d revealed to Sam the night before.
“I never go back on my deals so I look forward to our first date.”
“Second date, really.”
“Nah.” She shook her head. “Since I can’t really remember it, let’s not count that one.”
“Whatever you say.” He winked at her and softly touched her chin, which somehow managed to set off another batch of fireworks.
“Are you coming to the grand opening?” she asked.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Are you sure you don’t need any help setting up?”
“I’m sure.” She held in a sigh, realizing that must have been yet another topic of conversation she had no recollection of. “I’ll make sure to bring your favorite flannel on our date.”
“Good plan. We might need it again.” He took another step closer and his gaze settled on hers.
“I hope not.” She looked into his eyes and felt the same charge she’d felt the moment she met him. “But thank you for making sure I got home safely last night.”
He nodded as her eyes fell to his lips, but instead of kissing her, he ran his thumb along her cheek and tucked in a piece of stray hair behind her ear.
For some reason, he didn’t want to rush a thing with her, no matter how big or small.
He knew once they had their first kiss, there would be no getting that moment back, and he wanted to enjoy every single thing about getting to know Dina Romano, even if that meant a lot of cold showers.
There was just something about her that made him want to slow down. And he also didn’t want to promise her things he couldn’t fulfill. She’d already had too many men let her down. That he was sure of.
“I better get back to party planning and finishing my dresses.” Dina took a step back, sensing his reluctance and picked up a stray piece of pink fabric left over from the day before.
Sam nodded, but took a step forward and quickly slid a kiss along her cheek, which immediately sent a blaze of heat through her. She wanted to close her eyes and pretend more was on the way, but he’d already made it to the door.
“See you at the party,” Sam said, turning around one last time.
“See ya and thanks again.” She smiled, and he nodded before making his way out of her little shop.
Dina touched her cheek where his lips had last been, and she wondered if there was more to the story last night. Regardless, she looked forward to spending more time with Sam North and hoped that she wouldn’t embarrass herself like she did last night.
And for some strange reason, she was pretty sure it was a good thing she couldn’t remember everything or she’d be hightailing it out of Silver Ridge, and so far, she really liked the place.