Chapter Fourteen

Jacob paid the bill. He made sure that I wasn't even able to sneak a peek at it, even though I could do the math well enough. This meal probably cost more than my groceries for two weeks did, but I had definitely enjoyed it.

Together we walked hand in hand out the door to wait for his car to be valeted. The delivery of the bill had reintroduced my feelings of guilt, and I watched shamefully as Jacob slid his credit card into the leather folder. Again, I’d wanted to offer to pay, to contribute in some way, but he’d remained positive as he left the payment, almost as if he hardly even noticed the expense, and I didn’t want to change that by broaching the subject again.

As we stood outside the night air was humid but cool and soft, a nice change from the controlled climate inside the restaurant. Jacob dropped my hand and reached to wrap his arm around me. I loved the way his heat wrapped around me, and even though the night air was cool, I barely noticed.

I wanted anything but for the ni