I couldn’t help but smile. “And you’ll be moving to New York now?”
“Yes, so we’ll be chilling together.”
“I’m pretty shocked that you’re just going to move.”
“I’ve also been dealing with a ‘crisis of identity’ too. This move is just what I need, and you back in my life, that’s a necessity.”
I blushed. “What made you go into crisis?”
“One of my partners—Baptiste’s wife—was killed around two months ago.”
I held my hand to my chest. “He told me that, but I had no idea it was so soon.”
“Yeah. It’s been a rough couple of months.” He finished his champagne.
“And I thought I was having a bad year.” I squeezed his hand. “I’m so sorry, Hunter.”
Our waiter brought over a second bottle of champagne along with a platter of lobster floating on top of a thick white cream. My mouth salivated. The second waiter carried over a bottle of red wine and more caviar heaped on top of toast.
My liver and stomach are going to kill me tomorrow…but I’m going in.
“Let’s dig in,” Hunter said, after all of our food was served.
“I’m ready to do some serious damage to this table.” I stuffed myself with pâté.
He piled lobster into his mouth. We looked like some orgy-induced Romans from ancient times, just back from a battle and ravished with hunger.
The band trio shifted into a soft jazz song. And we feasted. Two new lovers excited for the food, excited for the company. Feeding each other and licking our lips and fingers. Tasting our high-end gourmet dishes and sipping expensive wine. Consuming each other in the middle of it all.
Once the plates were empty, we shifted to enjoying our wine. My stomach was full. My body relaxed.
I sipped and relished in the smooth liquid slipping down my throat. A soft moan escaped.
Hunter watched me with a seductive smile. That gaze caressed me. My body warmed under it as sexual awareness set in. He leaned back in his chair . Under the table, our feet touched, and it didn’t ease the sexual energy rising in my body.
“How are you?” Hunter asked.
“I feel better.”
“I’m going to kill him now. Do you know that?” His words sounded calm. His face screamed death and destruction.
I rubbed my hand against his. “I made peace with that as soon as you showed up. What are we going to do in these next days?”
“Not tonight, Zola. Tonight, we’re just a regular man and woman exploring the possibility of love. Let’s deal with this threat tomorrow. I have Stark and my other men on it.”
“Okay.”
“Tonight, we relax. Tomorrow, I get close to finishing this forever.” He rose from the table and gestured for me to come to him.
Unable to resist, I stood, walked over to him, and let him grab my hand. He took me out onto a small space right in front of the band.
I quirked my eyebrows. “What are we doing?”
“I never danced with you like I wanted to.” He pulled me into his arms. “I’m hoping we can make it up.”
“I love that idea.”
And so, we danced. All night long. Our bodies were the song. The band played the melody, but we performed the notes. Slowly, we grooved, gliding and slipping against each other. I swore I heard him groan as he turned me around and drew me back to him.
Hunter owned the dance floor. How had he learned to dance so well? In high school, he never tried much. Even at his prom, he’d just stood by the wall, watching the others. York had said Hunter danced. But now, Hunter had the passion to move. To twirl me around.
When the band picked up, performing songs with faster rhythms and beats, we really had fun. Instead of keeping us in the space in front of the musicians, he twirled me all over that restaurant, twisting me around tables, guiding me past servers and staff, lifting me up in the air until I shrieked and laughed at his craziness.
“I love you, Hunter.”
And after those words, the dancing ended. He had me up against the wall, and the band slowed up their song a little, skipping notes and probably wondering if Hunter was going to take me right in front of them.
He devoured my mouth with no restraint. “Let’s go.”
We were out of there in no time. Apparently, Hunter had paid for everything earlier.
We rode in the limo, making out like teen lovers. I leaned my body against him the whole time. Our faces remained connected to the other. We didn’t come up for air until the limo stopped.
Breathless, I glanced out the window and stared in shock. “We’re staying here?”
“Yes.” A stern expression pushed through the lust on his face. “Every moment from now on will be odd. Are you ready for that?”
“What do you mean?” I moved away from him and adjusted my dress.