Taken (Dark Desires 1)

“Are there still gentleman out there?” I asked, hoping to lighten Diamond’s mood a little.

“Of course there are. There are tons of them. They might just be short order cooks at the neighborhood diner instead of multi-billionaires.” As Diamond said those words I saw her eyes suddenly dart to the guy who had just taken over for the cook who had prepared our burgers.

He was a tall glass of water with broad shoulders and muscular arms. And when he turned around to look at Diamond he caught us both checking him out. With a perfect smile he winked.

“And you’ve been scoping him out the whole time I’ve been spilling my guts to you?” I whispered, pretending to be mad.

“How could that be? He just got here.” Diamond said, blushing and smiling back.

“Well, I think we’ve had enough talk about men, don’t you?” Diamond nodded and took one last sip of her water. Reaching for her purse I stopped her.

“This is on me.” I said.

“I can leave the tip.” She offered to which I shook my head.

“Please, let me do it. Consider it payback for when you saved my life.”

“I saved her life, you know.” Diamond said loudly to the cook who was watching us get up to leave.

“Well, you’re a good friend.” He said back, his smile bright and wide, crinkling his eyes in the corners.

“Aren’t I though? And so this meal was her way of thanking me.”

He leaned over the counter motioning for Diamond to come a little closer.

“Does she hate you?” he said still grinning.

Diamond started to laugh and so did I.

“Come back again sometime. I’ll make you my special.” He said, nodding politely and waving bye to us.

As we stepped outside there were a few paparazzi waiting. I hadn’t yet achieved Kardashian derangement but there were a few rookies who seemed to think there was some kind of story behind me.

“This is nuts, girl.” Diamond said, covering her face against the flashes. “And to think some people seek this kind of attention out.”

I tried to smile politely knowing full well that the pictures were not going to capture a sweet woman smiling politely but instead I’d look like a half-wit who should be sitting in a corner with a dunce cap on. I never was very photogenic.

“I know. I’m sort of embarrassed.”

Just then, a black limo pulled up. It was as if the poor driver had just been sitting there, rubbernecking at the door just waiting for us to come out.

“Hop in.” I said as the driver rushed from behind the wheel to open the door for both of us. Diamond climbed in and I scooted right in behind her.

“Great. I wonder what the tabloids are going to say about us getting in this hearse together.”

“Oh my gosh. It’s not a hearse.” I said laughing.

“No. I’m teasing. It is really nice.” Diamond was rubbing her hand over the dark leather when suddenly she stopped. “You guys didn’t do anything nasty back here and now I’m sitting…”

“No. Don’t be gross. We save that for Joshua’s sports car.”

“Whew! Okay. What about Marty?”

I stopped and couldn’t help but get a little dreamy for a second.

“He’s a little more traditional.”

“Oh, isn’t that sweet. Just oral till you kids meet each other’s parents.”