—Ruth—

I willed myself to stay calm. But how could I, with the way he was still looking at me— with my hand still buried in his?

Slowly, I withdrew my hand and lowered my gaze to the floor.

Did I just hear him chuckle?

My cheeks burned.

“So, Ruth, do have any other plans for the evening?”

I lifted my gaze, meeting his again. “Plans?” I asked.

“It’s a beautiful night. Surely you’ve got something else in mind besides keeping these plants company?"

The way he said it made me ...