“You were waiting for me, weren’t you?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m Destiny Kincaid,” I said. I extended my hand to him. “Hello . . .”
“Adrian Martin,” he said. “You’re definitely not what I was expecting.”
I decided to let that suspect comment go. “You’re exactly what I was expecting. You’re gorgeous.”
Adrian looked bored by my compliment. He sat down at the table and ordered Grey Goose on the rocks. I tried to draw Adrian into conversation, but he answered me with curt, one-word answers. His obvious disinterest in me sapped the sexy right out of our encounter.
A green-eyed blonde in a tight red dress walked past our table. Adrian gave her a sexy smile that I wished he would have directed at me. The woman returned Adrian’s look with a welcoming smile and a wink. I felt like I was intruding on their evening. Five minutes later, Adrian announced that he had to leave because of an emergency. He walked out without saying good-bye.
I looked out the window just in time to see Adrian and the lady in red getting into a taxi together. I felt humiliated by Adrian’s behavior, but not enough to relinquish my evening. I ordered a Sazerac and hoped my luck would change with my next date.
Fifteen minutes later, I caught the eye of a guy in a navy suit with dark, framed glasses. He was handsome in a Clark Kent kind of way. I was looking for Superman, so maybe this would work out. I stood up as he made his way toward my table. We exchanged brief introductions. Guy Number Two, Niko Larsen’s, gaze felt vulgar on me. He patted my ass. Then he kissed me like I was a hooker that he had rented for only fifteen minutes. My inner voice told me to leave then, but I was stupid and ignored it.
Niko sat down across from me. He grinned at me.
“I hope you’ve got muscle relaxants and Red Bull, girl,” Niko said. “Tonight is going to be a long-ass night!”
Niko slithered one hand between my legs and cupped my vagina. Before I realized it, I’d punched him between his legs. He yelped like a Pomeranian and cupped his crotch with both hands.
“You fuckin’ bitch!” he roared. Shocked silence fell across the restaurant as several people stared at our table. Niko shot me a dirty look before he limped out of the restaurant.
I drained my drink, then glanced at my watch. I had twenty minutes before Guy Number Three would arrive.
I’m getting the hell out of here!
I was in the foyer of the restaurant when I felt a light touch at my waist.
“Destiny Kincaid?” a deep voice asked.
“Yes,” I said. I felt a sexual jolt when I looked at him. With his confident smile and dimples, this man was everything implied by tall, dark, and handsome. He looked like a walking Armani billboard.
“I’m Nadir O’Neal,” he said. “I’m here to meet you.”
I scrubbed my forehead and sighed. “Look, this was a really bad idea. I’ve already run off two guys tonight.”
“You don’t scare me, beautiful,” he said.
“All right, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” I said.
Nadir laughed, low and genuine. I smiled in appreciation of him.
“Let’s have dinner,” he said.
I led the way back to the table. Nadir’s hand on my waist felt nice. He pulled the chair out for me. After I sat down, Nadir leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.
“I couldn’t resist,” he said.
Pleasure spread over me as I relaxed in the company of a true gentleman. Over a dinner of seafood étouffée, I learned that Nadir was a thirty-two-year-old architect who specialized in historic restorations. He had never been married and had no children.
“Tell me about you,” Nadir said.
I was hesitant about telling Nadir about myself. I did not want sympathy. My life story always inspired that emotion. I wanted Nadir to desire me as much as I desired him. So I told him an edited version of me. Nadir listened as if my every word fascinated him.
• • •
After our dinner, we lingered over coffee.