I followed Magda, leaving Hudson to trail after us. The warmth of the day soaked into the clay tiles and kept the now shady area warm. Ingenious really. I’d wanted an outdoor area for the cafe, but it was too dangerous with the cats. But if I’d ever created a spot, it would have been a lot like this.

I twirled to catch the rays of the sun between the slats of the pergola. Bougainvillea twined around the redwood structure. Not a desert plant like most of California. She must have been nurturing the flowers from seedlings. Truly amazing.

“Watch it, kitten.” Hudson grabbed my arm and steered me away from a fully set table.

“Oh, sorry.” I smiled at the family at the table. “First time.”

The older man inclined his head, but Hudson hustled me along. We moved deeper into the patio along the edges of the building. I frowned. Hadn’t she said this was her favorite section? It seemed more like one of the tables outside the kitchen to me. Maybe she didn’t like me after all. Why that bothered me, I wasn’t sure.

But suddenly a canopy of twinkle lights and vines full of bright blossoms came into view. The tables were set along the edges of a wide terrace looking out on the water. How had I not known of this place? It was a limited view, but the briny scent of the water wafted over me and vied with the ridiculously mouthwatering scents coming from the kitchen.

“Right here, dear.”

My eyes widened as she stopped at a table beside the railing.

Hudson pulled out my chair. I glanced up at him with a frown.

“Tell me someone has pulled out a chair for you before.”

“I would be lying.”

“Oh, darling. You’ve been hanging with the wrong kind of men.” Magda patted Hudson’s arm. “You’ll be spoiled with this one.”

“We’re not dating,” I said.

“Oh?” Magda tilted her head and gave Hudson an assessing look. “Why is that?”

“Because I asked him to be my tutor. He can’t date a student.”

Magda’s eyebrows shot up and her head swiveled to meet my gaze. “Tutor?”

I nodded. “He’s going to teach me how to do this dating thing.”

“Piper.”

“What?” I slapped his arm. His very firm arm. Evidently, drums provided a good workout. The memory of his arms when he’d come back to the cafe that evening were pretty much etched into my brain. Not the wiry muscles I’d seen on other drummers like Tommy Lee and the crazy, funny blond guy from the Foo Fighters. No, he was far beefier.

Distractingly so.

“He seems like the perfect guy to give me some pointers about the finer aspects of interpersonal relationships.”

Magda’s laughter rang out through the courtyard. “Interpersonal, hmm? I don’t even know what to say to that.”

I shrugged. “I didn’t think it would be polite to say I want him for purely physical reasons.”

“What woman doesn’t?”

“Stop talking,” Hudson said between gritted teeth.

“Oh, you’ll do, Piper Lockwood.”

“I hope he does.”

Hudson’s eyes widened and he dragged me into his side. “Please stop talking.”

“You said she wasn’t your mother, right?” I frowned. “I don’t think I’m embarrassing her.”

“No, but you’re embarrassing me.”

“Why?” I tilted my head. “I’m assuming that the women you’ve been with aren’t exactly innocent. I’d like you to treat me just like them.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Why not?”

“Because, kitten, you are most definitely not like them.”

“But I want to be.”

“Oh, darlin’. You most definitely do not want that.” Magda patted my cheek. “If he did, you wouldn’t see him again.”

Hudson’s gaze snapped to Magda. “Really?”

“What? It’s true. Besides, a playboy is always felled by a woman sometime. You were way overdue.” Magda smoothed a curl away from his face. “I, for one, am glad.”

“Playboy? What an archaic word.” He jerked out of reach.

“It will be a delight to watch you fall.” She rubbed his chest, smoothing his vest.

“No one is falling anywhere.”

Hmm. Maybe he was going to be the one stomping his foot today. I had to admit I was enjoying his discomfort. I was usually the one at the disadvantage.

I sat down in the chair he’d pulled out. “Of course, he’s not. I’m not the girl who men fall for. We might end up as friends, thanks to Callie. Otherwise it will just be a fun way to spend some time before he goes on tour.”

Magda made a humming sound. “I’ll send Maria over to take your order.”

I snapped out the napkin folded across the rustic stack of Fiestaware and laid it on my lap. I scooted my chair in and took a quick sip from the water glass. “Sounds perfect. I’m starving.”

Hudson sat across from me. “Thank you, Magda.”

“I’ll be back to check on you.” She gave Hudson some secret handshake kind of look then let out another throaty laugh before sashaying her way through the tables. She touched shoulders, leaned down and made warm little comments, and laughed with everyone as if they were her best friend.

I couldn’t imagine being that easy with people. Oh, I was good at the cafe. I was efficient and friendly, but I didn’t have that sort of effortless grace.

“She’s pretty amazing, right?”

I returned my focus to Hudson. “Yes. I’m not sure why you brought me, but I’m glad you did.” I tapped my finger against my lower lip. “If you wanted to show me a woman to strive to be like, she is definitely one to emulate.”

Hudson leaned forward and covered my hand. “Kitten, I don’t want you to be anyone but you. I’m not sure why you aren’t getting that.”

I pulled my hand away. It was disconcerting when he touched me. My pulse wouldn’t slow down for ages. “I don’t understand. You said you were going to help me.”

He sifted his fingers through his hair and tipped back his head. “How about we start with something easy. If you want to call them lessons, then we can.”

I sat up straighter. “Good. I like the sound of that.”

“What else do you want me to…help with?”

I folded my hands at the edge of the table. “Sex.”

He leaned forward again. “Not so loud.”

I glanced around at the startled people a few tables over. An older woman frowned and smoothed her blouse.

This was precisely why I kept most of my comments to myself. Truth and directness were not things people appreciated. My dad did. He was probably the reason I was so straightforward. But then again, my dad would probably stroke out if I mentioned the word sex.

And that was why I was an awkward ball of crazy.

“Okay, if sex is off the table, then I’d like you to at least show me how to flirt and talk to people.”

“I didn’t say it was off the table.”

“Oh?” I leaned forward this time. “So you do want to have sex with me.”

“Jesus, you’re as direct as Callie.”

I leaned back in my chair. “Why I like her so much. She never does the double speak thing.” I fussed with my bracelets. “I always know where things stand with her.”

Callie was one of my only female friends. I hadn’t had one like her since I was a teenager.

I’d been an oddity in high school. The girl who didn’t have a mother. The weird girl who wore clothes more suited for a boy and didn’t do much with her hair. Money had been tight growing up, so I’d learned to make do with a few staples in my wardrobe. Jeans didn’t wear out, and cotton T-shirts were easy enough for my dad to buy. More often than not, they were T-shirts from the various jobs he’d held. Makeup was definitely not on the list. Nor did I know how to put it on, so I’d never missed it much.

Back then, I kept my head down and did my schoolwork—at least enough to get by. I’d ended up with Rosie and Hank for company. Keeping them out of trouble had become a full-time job. The rest of the time I helped my dad with his odd jobs. Somehow it had always been enough.

Until it just wasn’t.

I’d slowly saved up over the years and followed an online plan that taught me how to build up my money and credit for a business. And I’d gone for it. I was still terrified I was going to land on my face one of these days, but so far, that part of my life was working just fine.

It was the opposite sex thing I couldn’t get a handle on.

Hudson reached across the table again and took my hand. I tried to pull it back, but he firmed his grip. “Lesson number one is going to have to be touch. You say you want me and yet every time I touch you, you yank back your hand. That’s what we’d call mixed signals.”

“I—”

“Hello, folks. I’m Maria. I’ll be your server.”

I blinked up at the girl with the wild dark curls and bright red lips. She wore the typical white and black server garb—if a server had a dancer’s body and enough sex appeal to take out a city block.

Yet again I tried to take my hand back from Hudson, but he laced our fingers in a relaxed, effortless way.

Every time I’d tried to hold hands with a guy in the past, it had turned into a sweaty fight to figure out which way pinkies were going to lay. Hudson’s hand was large and warm and definitely not sweaty.

Oh, God were mine?

“Hi, Maria. We haven’t had time to look at the menus yet. How about the sourdough bread?” Hudson traced his thumb along the webbed part of my hand between my thumb and forefinger. “Sangria?”

“Um, sure. That would be great.”

Maria smiled. “Perfect. Red, white, or blush?”

“How about white?” He smiled at me.

I nodded. My fingers were buzzing like he was a faulty wired outlet. I didn’t like it.

“Sounds good.” Maria’s eyes never left Hudson. In fact, the lids of her wide, almond eyes kept lowering as if she was going to fall asleep right in front of us. She alternated that with batting her lashes. If she fluttered them any harder, she was going to knock over the single rose in the bud vase on the table. “I’ll be right back with that.”

Finally, the girl turned around on her heel and headed back through the maze of tables.

I frowned after her. Did that sway thing work? Was that what men were looking for?

“Piper?”

I turned my gaze back on him. “Yes?”

“Relax.”

“Right.” I took a deep breath and forced my muscles to loosen. “Relax.” My leg started bouncing. “I have a question.”

“I’m afraid. And yet intrigued.”

“Is that what men like?”

One golden brow arched. “Pardon?”

“That hip swaying thing. I’m not sure I can do that.”

“I saw your hips moving just fine the other night.”

Embarrassment threatened to swallow me whole again. He’d just had to see me like that. Horrific. “That’s different. It’s music. You can move to music. Anyone can do that.”

“I can honestly say that’s an incorrect statement. Especially at the clubs and parties I’ve been to.”

I waved that away. “Regardless. Hmm.” I nibbled on my lower lip. “Maybe she’s got a tune in her head?”

“The hip swinging thing is a time-honored tradition passed down from girl to girl. I watched my sister and her friends practice it in a mirror.”

“Really?”

“Wish I could say no. Of course, I liked watching Lisa Barrons do it, but definitely not my sister.”

“Lisa Barrons?”

He cleared his throat. “My sister’s best friend. And my first kiss.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” His lips tipped up on one side as if he was enjoying the memory. At least he’d had a good first kiss. Mine had been a disaster.

“Is she your older sister? Or younger?”

“Older. I have three actually. Two older and a younger. Monica, Jen, and my little sister is Beth.”

“Wow. So you’ve been surrounded by girls all your life. No wonder you’re so easy with them.”

He shrugged. “I wouldn’t say that exactly, but I do know how to shop thanks to them. Monica is a terrible driver, so she kept me in gas money if I’d drive her places.”

“That sounds nice.”

He played with the tips of my fingers. His hands were nearly double the size of mine. Intriguing little calluses tickled the pads of my fingers. I tried not to tense up, but every stroke drove me just a little bit more insane.

And I couldn’t figure out what was going on in his mind since he was wearing his aviators. They were sexy and sinful in ways that eyewear shouldn’t be. They were just sunglasses, for God’s sake.

He laced our fingers once more. “You never went to the mall with my sister.”

Why were we talking about his sister? Oh, right. Driving. I couldn’t even think with him touching me like that. “I’m an only child. My dad taught me to drive when I was fourteen. Mostly so he could make me back up and park cars for him when need be.”

He leaned back into his seat and took on that lazy sprawl that I wished I could do. If I did that, I’d look like a sullen teenager. Hudson? Lazy lion that might devour me.

That scared the crap out of me, and thrilled me way more than was safe. I didn’t even realize I still had any lusty thoughts firing inside me.

“Fourteen? That’s even younger than I was.”

Pay attention, Piper. I took a quick drink from my water glass. “Small town. And the sheriff was my uncle. Well, not really my uncle but my dad’s best friend, so you know, almost my uncle.”

His lips twitched. “Is that right? So you were a lawbreaker from the start, huh?”

“Me? Well, I don’t know about that. Law bender, how’s that?”

“Bending is good.”

My belly flipped. I couldn’t be positive, but I wasn’t sure we were talking about laws anymore. Was this flirting? I seriously sucked at it. I felt the babble coming, and the words kept tripping out of my mouth. I really couldn’t stop them. “I learned how to drive a stick shift on a huge truck. I almost got my CDL license, but the thought of being behind the wheel of a big rig scared the crap out of my dad. Cars were one thing. An eighteen-wheeler? Yeah, not so much. He taught me how to build stuff instead.”

Hudson finally took off his sunglasses and tossed them on the table. “Not a bad trade.”

“No.” Maybe the sunglasses were a better idea. His eyes were too direct, and way too pretty. The amber glasses were way safer. I glanced down at my place setting and moved the red plate to the exact center of the yellow one. “I remodeled the entire building, starting with the cafe. The building had been nearly condemned when I bought it. Then when Levi came on board, I helped build the bakery.” I laughed. “He’s pretty useless with tools unless they include a torch for a crème brûlée or one of his sugar sculptures.”

“I see.”

I looked up at the tone of his voice. “What?”

“Is there something up with Levi? You wouldn’t be using me as a guinea pig, would you?’

“What?” My eyebrows snapped down. “No, of course not.” I tried to pull back from him.

He leaned forward and brought our tangled fingers to his lips. A moment before he touched my hand, he flipped my wrist up and nipped at the veins along the underside. “You answered that a little too quickly.”

My eyes widened. Okay, at first the thought of learning a little about flirting and using my newfound knowledge on Levi had been a flicker of an idea. Nothing of substance.

“You’re thinking too hard again.”

I snatched my hand away. “You are taking everything out of context.”

The waitress came back with a basket of a bread and two cruets. The yeasty scent mixed with the sharp tang of balsamic vinegar made my mouth water. And also gave me a moment to recover.

I hadn’t had time to eat today—at least more than a half muffin—so I was starving. And it was much easier to focus on that than the intense reaction he’d had about my ulterior motives for learning how to deal with the opposite sex.

Maybe at first Levi had been part of the reason, but now? Levi was the furthest thing from my mind.

It was difficult to focus on anything other than Hudson Wyatt.

A dangerous game that part of me wanted to run away from, but there was a small piece inside me that wanted to step forward and see if there was anything there besides my own fascination.

“Thank you, Maria,” he said roughly.

“Sure thing. Have you decided what you want for dinner?”

I reached for the slim menu stacked behind the mismatched salt and pepper set on our table. A rooster and tiny pig made me smile. High end crystal, Fiestaware, and then something found at a craft or tag sale.

I was charmed enough to calm down. A little.

“Why don’t you tell Magda to make us something special?” He glanced at me. “Does that suit you?”

The question helped mitigate his high-handed tone. My hand slid back onto my lap. “Yes.”

“Is there anything you’re allergic to?” Maria asked me.

“No. I pretty much eat everything.” As my hips would attest.

She didn’t bother asking Hudson. Figured. She probably knew his taste.

He was already breaking apart the crusty bread and set a few rough pieces on my plate before doing the same for himself.

Maria reached for the cruet, but Hudson shook his head. “We’re okay, thanks.”

“Right.” The waitress smoothed her hand down her slim, yet curvaceous hip. “Is there anything else I can get you?”

He gave her his blinding smile and my chest tightened as well as…other things. I’d never actually clenched for anyone before. Disconcerted, I tried to cover it up by shoving a hunk of bread in my mouth. I couldn’t quite contain the moan at the perfection.

Maria gave me a sharp look and a slight frown.

I lifted the back of my hand to my mouth as I chewed. “Sorry. So good.”

“I wouldn’t know. I don’t eat carbs.” She turned on her heel and left.

Of course, she didn’t. Why her ass looked like that and mine looked like mine, but I would take the bread any day.

“I like a woman with an appetite.”

I couldn’t quite contain my grin. I finished chewing. “Well, you’ll be a happy boy tonight.”

He poured olive oil onto a small plate with a flourish then dropped balsamic vinegar into the pool of Tuscan-infused oil. It smelled divine. “I hope so.” He took a small hunk of bread off his plate and dipped it in the concoction, then lifted it to my mouth. When I just sat there, his grin widened. “The fine art of flirtation includes food.”

I licked my lips. “Right.” I wasn’t quite sure what to do, but I leaned forward and opened my mouth.

His eyes darkened and his lids lowered slightly when I closed my lips over the tips of his fingers.

I closed my eyes at the flavor and let out a low moan.

“I don’t think you need lessons here.”

I brought my napkin up to catch the little drop of oil as I chewed. “What do you mean?”

“You can’t be that innocent.” He snapped out his napkin and lay it over his lap.

“Oh. It’s just food,” I said after I swallowed.

He dipped another piece and popped it into his mouth. “If you believe that, then we have way more work to do than I thought.”

I sat up straighter. “So now you see why I should be a project?”

He lifted his glass of water and emptied it. “I’m not sure I’ll live through it.”

“Why not?”

“Never mind.”

Frustration tightened my shoulders. “No, explain, please.”

“Look, Piper, I find you very attractive.”

“But…” I knew there was a but there. And why did it suddenly piss me off that he was finally using my first name?

“No but. If you were any other woman, I’d show you one helluva night and that would be that.”

“But now you won’t?” I crossed my arms over my stomach. It wasn’t surprising. Hudson Wyatt wasn’t exactly in my league, but I’d thought he was intrigued enough to at least have a little fun.

When I realized I was hunching into myself, I sat up again and dabbed at my lips with my napkin before placing it gently on my plate. “Then that’s fine. You can enjoy your meal. I’ll find my own way home.” I pushed back my seat.

“That is not what I was saying.” He used his extraordinary height and freakishly long arms to grab my chair and drag me back to the table with only a modicum of movement.

“Oh, really? Then what are you saying? It’s not like I’m that different from other women. I have all the same parts, for God’s sake. I even do yoga. Well, sometimes. Okay, so it’s been awhile, but I’ve done it.”

“Piper, shut up.”

I snapped my molars together.

“You’re different for a number of reasons, but the first is that you’re Callie’s. And I don’t mess with friendships like that.”

“Oh.” I pushed my hair out of my face. Okay, no. That still didn’t make sense. “No, I don’t get it.”

“You’re not some random chick.”

“Well, thank goodness for that. I wouldn’t want to be a regular chick.”

“Don’t be snide.”

“How else am I supposed to be when you’re obviously only telling me half of whatever is going on in your stupid brain?”

He barked out a laugh. “Oh, kitten. I don’t know what to do with you.”

I didn’t realize just how much I’d tensed up until he called me kitten. I didn’t like it, dammit, and yet…

Hudson stood.

I pushed my chair back. “Are we leaving?”

“No. We’re going to get ourselves situated in a nonverbal way. Obviously, our wires are crossed. Now I see why you’re so adamant about figuring out how to talk to guys.”

I frowned up at him. “What other way is there?”

“We’re going to dance.”

“What?”

He eased out my chair the rest of the way and took my hand. “Dance,” he repeated.

“I heard you the first time, but what makes you—” I broke off and followed his gaze to the courtyard.

While we’d been arguing, the main patio had been cleared and a man with a Spanish guitar was softly playing on a bench at the far side of the restaurant. A few couples were swaying together under the pergola. The sun was slowly making its descent and the first of the stars were dotting the sky. The twinkle lights were doing a decent job of mimicking the pretty sky while the cooling night seemed to intensify the scent of the blooms.

Romantic.

Instead of getting all mushy and misty, I had the strangest urge to head back to the car and gun it for home. Okay, so my legs were way shorter than Hudson’s and he had the keys, but surely I could figure out something.

Somehow I ended up weaving around full tables, trailing behind a man who was far too intriguing for his own good.

When he twirled me around and out like I was Baby from Dirty Dancing, I knew I was done for. Even my shaky dancing skills were no match for the smooth, effortless way he moved. While some men who were well above six feet tall were less than graceful, the same could not be said about one Hudson Wyatt.

He pulled me close, his fingers still tangling with mine even on the dance floor. His arm was long enough to curl around me so that his fingertips brushed along the front of my midriff. The slinky material had felt so good earlier. Now it just seemed heavy and hot.

His body was a damn furnace, but I found myself closing the gap between us. He acted incredibly familiar with my body. Nothing that would warrant me pushing him back, but I'd definitely never felt this easy with a man in my life.

Even the few I’d chosen to get naked with.

Awkward and mildly pleasurable had been the sum total of my sexual experiences. Actually, even my dating experiences beyond the clothing-optional situations.

“Stop stiffening up, kitten. I’m going to get a complex that you don’t like me touching you.”

“No, I like it,” I blurted out.

He pulled away enough to get a good look at me. It was a damn long way down since he was a full foot taller than me. Why did I think any of this was going to work? I’d had to climb on a chair to get him to kiss me the first time.

What makes you think you’re getting a second?

Oh, wait. I’d tried a second one. Also a spectacular failure. Pretty sure I’d almost given myself a fat lip with our near miss of a teeth smash.

“Thinking again.”

“One tends to think when one has a brain. Are you used to women without one?”

He twirled me out and back. “Low blow. I’ll have you know I don’t date vapid women.”

My stomach fluttered as I collided with his very hard chest. Especially when he didn’t let me stumble. He immediately held me closer and course-corrected for my stupid feet. I tried to find even ground, both on the tile and when it came to my tilt-a-whirl reaction to having this man touch me.

I’d wanted this. At least I’d thought I did.

Now, I wasn’t sure what was more prudent. Living in my little lonely world where my closest companions were felines and a mind full of crazy cat building schemes? Or taking a chance on something that could quite literally change my life. Even if it was only for a little while.

And might leave me far lonelier in the process.

“Maybe lesson one should be getting you out of your head and in touch with what’s going on here.”

His voice was a rumble against my cheek. I peered up at him. “Right now?”

“Between us right now.”

“And what would that be?”

“I’m not quite sure to be honest.”

The admission loosened some of the tension living inside my shoulders. “Maybe we could start lesson one in a place a little more private?”

The light was low, but there was no mistaking the way his eyes darkened. And the thrill that arced between us. He drew me off the dance floor and back to our table. Instead of food waiting for us, there were two white bags and a bottle of wine.

Hudson lifted the card dangling from the handles of the bag and grinned. “Magda doesn’t miss anything.”

“What does it say?” I tried to peek around his mountain of shoulders, but he’d already tucked the card away into the bag.

“Thought we might want our meal to go.”

“I’m thinking it says more than that.”

“It’s the salient point.”

Nerves replaced excitement. At least there was wine. Not that I drank it often, but I had a feeling I would need all the adult grape juice I could get tonight.

He tucked the bottle under his arm and took the bags in one hand. With his other, he twined our fingers together once more. “Let the lesson begin, kitten.”