Double Dare

Nathan popped the lid on his giant latte and grinned. "In that case, let's hope she thinks you're good in bed. You might get to keep her."

Zac threw him a warning glance. "Now you're just pushing your luck."

But Nathan continued to grin as he left the office, leaving him alone to consider his peculiar state of affairs.

Yet again, Nathan had a point.

Chapter Six

After an afternoo

n where he'd spent every spare moment brooding on his sorry state of affairs, Zac's mood had grown surly and disagreeable, at best. Standing in The Banker's Draft, he knocked back a vodka and tried to shake it off.

He knew why he felt this way. It was frustration at the turn of events. He was about to spend the night with the most beautiful, desirable woman he could wish to have, a woman who he was pleased to give his every moment of time and attention to, and yet he knew he wouldn't be able to speak to her the way he wanted to.

He wanted to ask how her day had gone. He wanted to celebrate her success on the stock exchange and ask her how she knew it was the right time to sell. He wanted to show her his respect for the way she worked and talk about it, because he sensed there was much more to Abby, so many details to discover and appreciate. Fate had not dealt him a good hand, though, and he felt caged by their circumstances.

Perhaps that's why he'd decided to take her to his father's Glykeria restaurant, the smallest of his three London eateries. They could have gone to one of hundreds of restaurants, but no. With a wry laugh he realized that it was almost as if he wanted their secret link to be brought out in the open by chance, but deep down he knew that might throw everyone into chaos. What would she do if it came out now? Depends what her motives are. She'd either leave in disgust because he hadn't said anything, as Nathan seemed to hint, or dump him in annoyance that her own plans hadn't worked out. Whatever those plans were. It looked like a no win situation.

When the door to the pub swung open and she sashayed in, all those niggling doubts began to fall away from him. She was there and she looked delicious, wearing some sort of filmy dress the color of the sea. It floated down into layers around her shins. Slender threads of jewels at her throat and wrist caught the light as she walked over to him. The fabric of her dress pooled enticingly in her cleavage and shimmied over her body in all the right places when she moved. She didn't appear to be wearing a bra. Yes, his attention was all hers.

"Sorry I'm late. I had to wait an age for a taxi."

"No worries. Shall we go straight to the restaurant?"

"Mm, sounds good." She took his arm. "I've got quite an appetite."

"I like how that sounds," he commented before he kissed her, long and hard.

As they were walking, he glanced at her quizzically. She was like a drug, making him forget the doubts he had when he wasn't by her side, making him only experience the pleasure of being with Abby, like a siren of the sea calling to him, entrancing him.

She was observing him too as they walked, her steps perfectly in time with his. "So where are you taking me? This feels is a bit like a mystery tour."

So does our relationship, he thought with a bizarre sense of irony. But she was smiling at him so happily, her eyes bright with anticipation. Yes, he anticipated it every moment too. His more primal aspect urged him to enjoy the moment, to make it last, to be inside her again and again—for as long as it could possibly last.

"I was thinking we could eat at a good Greek restaurant I know. It's not too far from here, if you'd like to give it a try?"

"Oh yes, that sounds great."

She stared up at the sign as they neared the door. "Glykeria, what does it mean?"

"Sweet. It's like something sweet."

It was how his father had felt about getting his own restaurant up and running, the way he himself felt about The Hub, now, in fact. This was the smallest of his father's chain, and the most friendly. The tables were arranged in varied group sizes between demurely placed pillars and foliage. It was his father's first venue and Zac had fond memories of being taken there for a special treat as a child.

He didn't recognize the young waiter who came to seat them, but within seconds Stefano, the restaurant manager, had spotted him and was cutting a fast path through the tables to greet them.

"Zachary, you should have phoned, I would have saved our best table."

"No need, Stefano." He shook Stefano's hand warmly. "I don't want any fuss," he winked, "just a private evening and some of your good food for myself and my guest."

"I understand, follow me, we have something discreet over here." Stefano bowed in greeting, looked at Abby with open admiration, then ushered them to a secluded table. After seating them he supplied them with menus and left them in peace.

"Now this is perfect." She reached across the small table to stroke his hand.

At that moment he felt she would give up everything he owned, just to be with her, to have her body close to his. He felt a fierce desire for total possession of her. What madness is this? "It is. I hope you will enjoy the menu. Do you know much about Greek food?"

"Only a little," she replied.