We approached the round table and he pulled out a chair for me to sit. I thanked him and settled into the cushy seat as he took the one directly across from me. I surveyed everything already placed expertly on top, finding the delicious aroma was coming from beneath the covered dishes.
“The chef just left so everything is still fresh and hot.”
“Chef?” I teased. “You mean you didn’t make all the food yourself?”
“Next time.” He winked playfully and began lifting the metal lids obscuring our meal from view, setting them off to the side.
“Wow,” I mumbled to myself.
“Is it okay?”
“Well, it looks and smells amazing, but I have no idea what most of this is.”
“That’s alright, I didn’t expect you to. Consider it a new experience.”
I loved that he so effortlessly moved beyond my lack of knowledge without making it a big deal. He grabbed a butter knife and began pointing to the items on my on each platter, naming them for my benefit.
“This would be the appetizer, fish and chili cakes salad. The starter, Salmon sashimi, and this,” he pointed directly at the platter in the center of the table. “Grilled fish grilled prawns in garlic butter sauce, Sauteed lobster in cream and Persil butter.”
“This is a ton of food.”
“It’s not everything. There’s a dessert down below in the fridge.”
I shook my head from side to side, still feeling as if this was a dream of some kind.
“Here.” He picked up a fork and scooped up a bite of food from the appetizer dish. “Open for me.”
Jesus.
His words settled right between my thighs. I parted my lips and let him feed me, withholding a moan as my tastebuds rejoiced at whatever the hell, he’d just given me. I honestly lost track on the third item.
“Good?” He questioned with a knowing smile.
I nodded enthusiastically.
The meal continued like this for a good thirty minutes with casual conversation and Cava flowing. He was so easy to talk to, just like when we would text.
“I didn’t know this place could be so quiet,” I commented during a rare lull, looking out at the dark water surrounding us.
“I told you I wanted this to be private.”
“Yeah…wait.” I turned and looked at him. “You’re the reason it’s so empty tonight?”
“Of course, I am.”
“You don’t abide by the usual rules, huh?”
“Where would the fun be in that?”
I leaned back; way too full to take a single bite more.
“I’m guessing you’re not ready for dessert?”
“No, definitely not.”
“In that case.” He slid his chair back and stood up. “Come with me.”
I accepted his offered hand and rose from my seat. He led me to the white leather beach seat in the rear of the yacht, keeping hold of me when he sat down. I sat beside him, unable to ignore how close we were now. I wondered how often he did this, brought women out here.
“You’re the first woman I’ve dated that has set foot on Baal.”
I looked over at him in surprise, finding his attention trained wholly on my face. “How did you know that’s what I was thinking?”
He grinned, flashing his perfect teeth. “Isn’t it natural for you to wonder?”
“I guess so.” I glanced away so that he couldn’t see how much that pleased me. It shouldn’t have mattered, but it did. Plus, he’d confirmed this was a date and now I was having trouble not shouting for joy.
He reached into his pocket and withdrew two red and white candies. “Peppermint?”
“Thanks.” I took the offered condiment and unwrapped it, popping the round candy into my mouth. A question I’d hesitated to ask poked around inside my head, urging me to voice it aloud.
“Do you think Gwyneth would find this weird? That I’m out here with you?”
“She would find it weirder if it weren’t you.”
“Huh?”
“What does your family think?”
“What did you mean—I don’t have a family. I have Isa.” I went to pull my hand free from his, pausing when he tightened his grip.
“Don’t do that, I wasn’t trying to upset you it was as genuine as the question you just asked me.”
I toyed with the mint inside my mouth and looked out at the water. It was still and quiet, so dark it was impossible to see the bottom or gauge how deep it was. As Draven ran his thumb over the back of my hand in a circular motion, I gradually relaxed.
“What do you think is out there?” he asked after a few minutes of silence.
I stared across the lake, looking to where a sheen of fog seemed to dance down its center. I smiled, thinking of my mother.
“Somewhere, a lighthouse.”
“You know about the lighthouse?” I could tell by his tone I’d caught him off guard.
“I didn’t know one existed. My mother used to tell me an old wives’ tale about one being behind a shield of fog, in so many words.”