Bought: One Bride

“I can’t believe these prices,” she said as she studied the wine list, a frown on her pretty forehead. “I do like wine, but I always buy it at a discount liquor shop. I’ve never paid more than twelve dollars for a bottle. I know they bump up the prices in these fancy restaurants, but there isn’t a bottle here under seventy-five dollars. Most are over a hundred! Some of them are over two hundred!”

One of which his first date from Wives Wanted had chosen, Richard recalled.

“They’re specialist wines,” he told her, “from wineries all over the world. You won’t find them on any shelf in liquor shops, especially discount ones.”

She handed him back the list. “I’m sorry, Richard, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable drinking wine at fifteen dollars a glass. That’s outrageous. No wonder they didn’t put any prices on the meal menu. I’ll bet the food here costs a bomb as well.”

Richard felt gratified that his character assessment of Holly had been correct. She was nothing like Joanna, or any of the women he’d dated from Wives Wanted. “Why don’t you let me worry about the prices, and the choices? You just sit back and enjoy.”

She opened her mouth, possibly to protest further, but then closed it again with a resigned shrug. “All right. I guess I can manage to ignore my suburban mentality for one evening. It will be something to tell my grandchildren about one day.”

Richard smiled. He could live with that, provided they were his grandchildren as well.

The evening progressed nicely from that point. Holly seemed to relax—even if Richard didn’t entirely. Difficult to be totally relaxed when he felt so aroused. But he discovered lots more to like about Holly during their four-course meal and almost two bottles of wine. She was remarkably well read, and even played bridge, which would make her popular with his mother. Apparently, her father had taught her and they had played together at a local bridge club. She also liked to keep fit and went to a gym three or four nights a week.

Richard thought of the many hours he’d spent in the private executive gym at the bank since he’d buried Joanna, working out his bitterness.

In future, he would work out for a different reason. To look good for this delightful girl. And to be extra fit. He wanted his body to be able to keep up with his mind.

And his mind had him making love to Holly for hours on end.

Midnight rolled around before he knew it. The waiter offered them a complimentary cognac to follow their after-dinner coffee, but Richard declined. Although Holly had consumed more than half the wine, a cognac would surely tip him over the driving limit. So he ordered another coffee and they sat talking for another half an hour before he called for the bill.

“I think I’m a bit tipsy,” Holly confessed when she stood up and swayed on her high heels.

“No worries,” he said, and took her elbow. “You’re with me.”

“Yes…” Something like dismay flashed through her eyes. “Yes, I’m with you.”

Richard thought about that moment during the drive home. Was she still pining for Dave? Wishing she’d been with him?

He resented that idea. A lot.

As much as he admired and desired Holly, there was no point in pressing on with a relationship if she was pining for some other man. If and when he married again, it would be to a girl who gave him her undivided attention and loyalty. This time, his wife would be the one madly in love with him, not the other way around.

“Thank you so much for tonight, Richard,” she said rather primly as he angled his car into the kerb outside the flower shop. “Like I said earlier, it was an experience I will never forget.”

Richard switched off the engine and turned to her. “Was it an experience you’d like to repeat?” he asked.

He could see her face quite clearly, his car parked underneath a corner street light.

Surprise zoomed into her eyes as she twisted in the seat to face him.

“You want to take me out to dinner again?”

“Dinner. Lunch. The theatre. The races. You name it, I’d like to take you there.”

“Oh…” Her mouth fell open. And stayed open.

“But I only want to take you, Holly,” Richard said as he reached over to place a gentle hand on her cheek.

Damn, but it was soft. She was soft. How he ached to bury himself in that softness, to feel her flesh close tightly around his, to lose himself in her.

“I don’t want any third party coming along with us,” he said, his eyes narrowing on her lush mouth. “No ghosts from the past. No wishing I was Dave.”

“Dave!” she exclaimed. “I haven’t given Dave a single thought all night.”