“You mean because it’s located in an ugly-ass strip mall?”
She laughed around a bite of salmon. “Yeah.”
“One of those hidden treasures that I’d stumbled on purely by accident. I’ve only had the opportunity to come here a couple of times, with Wade.”
“Of course Wade’s been here.” She recalled the Mexican restaurant in Miami. “You know, it occurs to me that he doesn’t share well with others.”
Jonas chuckled. “He likes to keep his cards close to the vest.”
She moaned as she took a sip of her Chianti. “I’ve been so deprived. This wine is excellent, and that’s coming from someone who isn’t a big drinker.”
He winked. “You weren’t going out with the right guy, kitten.”
Deanna’s heart melted at his quiet statement. “Are you the right guy, Jonas?”
“That depends on you.” He cocked his head to the side and asked, “Do you think I’m the right guy, Deanna?”
This was it. Her answer could alter everything and she knew it. Should she be honest and tell him that he was the one? Or should she keep it light and say something flirtatious? Taking a leap of faith, and a deep breath, Deanna said, “Yes, I do.”
Jonas reached across the table and growled, “Good, because you’re definitely the right woman for me.”
And because she was too nosy for her own good, Deanna asked, “Have you brought other women here?”
“No. I didn’t want to share it with just anyone. I wanted to experience it with someone special.”
Deanna squeezed his hand. “I’m glad it was me you brought here, Jonas.”
“There’s more to this night, kitten. This is just the beginning.”
Deanna dropped her fork. It hit the plate with a loud clang, but she didn’t bother to pick it up. “More?”
He brought her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on her knuckles. “When we’re through, I want to take you back to my apartment,” he said, his voice low and intimate. “There’s a surprise waiting for you.”
Deanna’s heartbeat went from a gentle saunter to a wild gallop. “Oh?”
He nodded. “Will you come home with me?”
Yeah, like she was fool enough to say no. “I’d like that, Jonas.”
The waiter came over then and inquired about dessert. They both declined. Jonas asked for the bill and to-go boxes. After the waiter left, Jonas leaned forward and said, “You look gorgeous tonight, by the way. I think the waiter is half in love with you.”
“Thank you,” she said as she felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment.
Since it was going to be their first real date, Deanna had taken extra time getting ready. As silly as it seemed, considering they’d already spent a weekend together, Deanna felt as if she were going out with Jonas for the first time.
He’d told her red was his favorite color, so she’d worn her ruby-red cashmere sweater. With the deep V neckline and above-the-waist hemline, Deanna always felt sexy and confident in it. She’d paired it with her black skinny jeans and black leather high-heel shoes. She’d left her hair down around her shoulders. Judging by the way Jonas kept finding reasons to touch her, she figured the effort had been well worth it.
The waiter came back with their bill, and Jonas quickly paid, then stood and held out his hand. Enchanted by the romance of it all, Deanna placed her hand in his and let him lead her out of the restaurant. Once they were in the privacy of his shiny black Charger, Deanna took a moment to look at him. So rarely afforded the opportunity, Deanna knew that with the darkness surrounding them, it was as good a time as any.
The hard angles of his face appeared even rougher in the low, white light coming from the instrument panel. His dark hair was always a wild, untamed mane, but tonight it seemed as if he’d stepped right out of the jungle. Short tendrils kept dropping onto his forehead, and Deanna had the insane urge to reach out and play with them. Too easily she remembered what he had looked like in the morning when they’d been in Florida. That moment when he’d first woken up, before he’d had the chance to shower and comb his hair. He’d looked positively sinful in that rumpled state.
“You’re looking at me,” Jonas whispered.
“That’s because I think you’re hot,” she answered with complete honesty. No sense in beating around the bush, she thought. Heck, he had to know how she felt about his body by now.
He chuckled. “Do you know that’s one of the things I adore about you?”
Genuinely confused, Deanna asked, “What’s that?”