“Relax. It was nothing. I was just trying to show you that you can act like a normal human being and nothing bad will happen.” He gestured to the wine bottles. “What do you want, white or red?”
“What did you do?” she pressed.
“Nothing. Geez, you’re paranoid. Can we get back to the part where we’re having a date? I didn’t tell those people to show up. This is a happening section of town. They probably hang around all the time.”
She crossed her arms, still pissed that he didn’t follow directions. She had a lot more experience with this than he did. He walked around the bar, pulled her arms apart and wrapped his arms around her.
His voice rumbled in her ear. “Come on, have a drink with me.”
She blew out an aggravated breath, but she didn’t pull away. It was rare for her to be held, and she felt too good to move. He started humming some unknown tune before taking her hand in his while his other hand slid to her lower back. Her anger seeped away as he led her in a waltz.
She sighed and rested her cheek against his warm chest, breathing in his woodsy spice scent. Maybe she’d overreacted. He wasn’t used to the way things were done.
“That’s more like it,” he said, the sound reverberating in his chest.
For some reason, his cockiness amused her more than irritated her. Maybe because she admired his confidence. Some men were intimidated by her big name and were more aggressive to make up for it, a move she always saw for what it was—all bluster, no substance. Jake had an abundance of confidence but with real success to back it up. She was starting to believe that meeting him instead of his twin had been a twist of fate with a strong dose of destiny. He didn’t need to know that, though. Much too early to expose her heart.
She lifted her head, a little alarmed at the intensity of all she felt for him. “Okay, I’ll take that drink.”
He pulled her hand over her head and twirled her around. “Since Marcus split, the big weenie, I guess I’ll be your bartender this evening.” He stopped twirling her when she faced him again, gave her a tender kiss, then nipped her lower lip, giving her a jolt. He kept surprising her, sweet with an edge that kept her on her toes.
He strode over to the bar and lifted the bottle of red. “I’m sensing you’re in a red mood, the color of passion.”
“Did anyone ever tell you how very subtle you are?”
He grinned and unscrewed the cork. “Surprisingly, no. You’re the first.”
She shook her head with a smile.
“Pick a table where you’d like to be debauched,” he said. “I’ll be right over.”
She looked over at the dark wood tables and around the room, considering the crazy idea for a moment. There were only two windows covered by long dark red drapes. And, of course, Frank standing on the other side of the door.
She took a seat on one of the round bar stools. “Keep dreaming.”
He handed her a glass of wine. She took a sip. “This is really good.”
“I wouldn’t take you some place with bad wine. Marcus knows the good stuff.”
“You invest in a lot of bars?”
“No. Just this one. He’s one of the blood brothers I told you about.”
Ah. She wondered if she’d ever meet his family. Maybe if they all went someplace private. Like her hideaway in Maine. Her family was scattered. Her brother in London. Her parents retired in North Carolina.
“What’re you thinking about?” he asked, taking the bar stool next to her.
“I’m wondering where we go from here.”
“Easy. We’re going back to your hotel.”
“Oh, really?” So arrogantly confident. So right.
He took a pull on his beer. “We both know where this is going.”
She huffed and rolled her eyes in a big display of yeah, right.
He tugged on a lock of her hair. “You forget I grew up with Mad. I know all about the big show.” He leaned close. “The drama. Don’t bother to hide how much you want me. It’s in big neon letters over your head—do me.”
She couldn’t help but laugh.
He took another long swallow of beer, his eyes hot on hers. “Fuck the drink. Let’s go.”
“Now, wait a minute, you made a big deal about continuing our date and that’s what we’re going to do. I didn’t just face the gauntlet of paps and stress of an unplanned outing to rush out of here.”
“Okay.”
She nearly fell off the barstool in shock at his easy capitulation. “Okay.”
She reached for her wineglass when he snagged it first. He raised it to her lips, giving her a sip, watching her with a heated intensity that made her gulp the wine down. The merlot was rich with a hint of cherries, warming her. He set the glass back on the bar, and then he traced her lips with one finger, and then traced them again with his tongue. Her lips parted on a sigh, her body heavy and liquid with desire. His tongue swept inside, thrusting in imitation of where she knew this was heading. She moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck. She hadn’t gotten nearly enough when he lifted his head.