She wasn’t sure she could really explain it. Thankfully, the waitress arrived at that moment and took their drink orders. “Water,” she requested, thinking she should keep a clear head.
“A bottle of merlot,” he ordered. “And two glasses.”
Naya glared across the table at him. “I think that’s a perfect example of why I don’t want to be here.”
He shook his head. “You want to be here with me,” he argued right back. “You know there’s something between us and you’re fascinated. Scared. I can see that. But you’re interested.”
Naya clasped her hands together and hid them under the table. “You’re too confident. Too sure of yourself,” she told him.
“I’m confident that we will be in bed together, very soon.”
That announcement knocked the breath out of her. It took her a moment to stop the images of this man’s naked body. She blinked rapidly, shaking her head to clear those images.
“I don’t think so,” she argued.
The waitress arrived with their wine and water, poured while the two of them remained silent and then departed with an awkward smile.
“You’re making the waitress uncomfortable,” she pointed out, with a smirk.
He laughed. “Drink your wine, Naya. And tell me how you got into the real estate business.”
Naya picked up her glass of water and took a long sip, daring him with her brown eyes over the rim of her glass.
They ate smoked salmon crostini for an appetizer and then he ordered the lobster baked mac-n-cheese for her, despite her objections that she’d have a simple green salad. He had the lobster rolls and it was one of the most delightful meals she’d shared in a long time. Despite her reservations, she found him to be a wonderful dinner companion, talking about any subject, making her laugh at his dry wit and astute observations. The carbs and the cheese were a perfect foil for the lobster and the red wine was delicious. She’d had two glasses without even realizing that she was drinking it.
When a flourless amaretto and chocolate torte arrived at their table, she glared at him. “I’m not eating that,” she announced and pushed her chair back even though her mouth was watering for just a taste of the decadent dessert.
The evil man lifted his dessert fork and tried a taste. “Damn, this is excellent,” he announced. He took another bite onto his fork. “Here. Just try one bite, Naya. You know you’ll regret it if you don’t try it.”
Naya looked down at the fork he was holding out for her, thinking how intimate it would be to eat off of the same fork he’d just used. Her stomach tightened with awareness and she shook her head slightly.
“Come on, Naya. You know you want it. Why are you denying yourself something that could give you immense pleasure?”
Oh, he really was the devil! “Because there are consequences to that pleasure,” she told him, her eyes glancing down at the chocolate and then back to his green eyes. She couldn’t stop her eyes from moving back to his lips. Those lips had been amazingly pleasurable earlier today. And she’d definitely suffered afterwards. Hence the reason she was miles from her house when she normally only walked about a mile both ways after work.
“Ah, but the consequences aren’t necessarily negative.”
“My hips would disagree.”
“Your hips are fabulous,” he argued. “Take the bite.”
“My hips are too big already. This meal has added five pounds to my hips.”
He laughed softly and took the bite himself. “Your hips are perfect. I can’t wait for my hands to be on them again.” And he took another bite. “Take a taste, Naya. Stop worrying about your hips. I’ll do that for you.”
She laughed, thinking he really was a bad man. “You’re horrible,” she told him but she couldn’t stop herself when he lifted the other fork and offered her a bite. “Oh my!” she gasped when the chocolate flavor burst on her tongue. “This is amazing.” Sighing, she leaned back and let the chocolate smooth over her palate. “Really good.”
Luke felt his body harden as he watched her. All evening, he’d been trying to avoid looking at her breasts, which were compressed into what he suspected was a sports bra underneath a knit tank top. She was wearing a loose jacket over the stretchy top, but it had spread out, revealing her lush breasts to his view. And those nipples had been on display all evening!