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movie watching or eating.” I nodded and numbly walked back into the closet and put my pajamas on, my skin still on fire from where he’d touched me.
     

     
    “So here’s a question for you,” I said as we got set up and Fin fiddled with his laptop and the projector to get it in the right place.
    “Yes?” He sat back and I set his tray on his side of the bed.
    “Seeing as how you have these trays and the projector and so forth, did you plan for this date, or have you, um, done this before?” I fiddled with my utensils to try and seem nonchalant.
    “You mean, have I done this with another woman? No. Absolutely not. I’ve never even had another woman in my bedroom besides you. And I never did this kind of thing when I did date other women. Mostly I’d take them out for fancy dinners, the opera, wine tastings. Standard activities. That was what they expected and that was what I gave them. But you’re different.”
    Good. I liked being different.
    “Well, for someone who is supposedly bad at dating, you’re doing a good job right now.”
    He smiled and then turned off the lights and started the movie.
    I’d seen
Casablanca
multiple times before, but watching it in the comfort of Fin’s bedroom with him and with food? Best. Night. Ever.
    “This food is fucking fantastic,” I said as I licked the last of the lobster bisque from my spoon. I hadn’t even started on my beef tenderloin with whipped potatoes and asparagus.
    Fin nodded, his mouth busy with his own meal of grilled swordfish. Dooley Wilson reluctantly sang “As Time Goes By” for Ingrid Bergman and I hummed along. It was one of my all-time favorite songs.
    “I love the version in
Sleepless in Seattle
by Jimmy Durante as well,” I said, leaning back on the pillows Fin had propped behind my back.
    “We should watch that one next time. It’s not quite old enough to be called a classic, but I still think it qualifies,” he said. I shifted closer to him so our shoulders touched, and he grinned at me.
    “Definitely a classic,” I agreed.
     

     
    By the time the movie ended and Humphrey Bogart had said goodbye and put Ingrid on a plane, I was fighting to stay awake. I should have gotten some coffee with my food.
    “Here, lay back,” Fin said in my ear, raising his arm so I could lay on his chest.
    “I’m sorry. I probably should have slept last night instead of staying up with you. But it was worth it,” I said around a yawn.
    “Was it?” he asked and I raised my head and gave him a look like he’d lost his mind.
    “Absolutely. Every minute spent with you is worth it. Every single one.”
    His chest rumbled with a contented sigh and he stroked my shoulder right below where the sleeve of my t-shirt ended.
    “You can go to sleep if you want. Just close your eyes,” he said, and his voice worked like a drug. My eyes finally shut and I curled into him.
    “I’ll be here when you wake up. Promise.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
    The first thing I heard when I drifted back into consciousness was the scrape of pages of a book being turned. I cracked one eyelid and saw the book right next to me, along with a strong hand that held it.
    I opened my other eye and blinked a few times. How long had I been out? The room was bathed in sunshine, the curtains thrown open.
    Fin shifted under me, sensing I was awake.
    “Good morning, Mari Cherry.”
    I lifted my head and met his glorious blue eyes.
    “Have you been here all night?”
    His lips formed a smile and he nodded, clearly pleased with himself.
    “Yes. I was. The whole night. Well, I did get up to use the bathroom and to get some of my books. But other than that, I’ve been next to you the whole time.” He beamed at me with such a sweet boyish smile that I couldn’t resist giving him a kiss, even though I hadn’t brushed my teeth.
    “Shit, what time is it?” I asked, remembering that I actually had somewhere to be.
    “Just after seven. I would have woken you in another few minutes. Or maybe