by Lauren Wood
So since I had no other choice, I took another deep breath, hoping that it would help and made my way out to my table that was now occupied. At least it wouldn’t be long before I had to get out of here. It was just another customer. That was how I had to look at it and it wasn’t like it was going to be a bad thing. I mean, he was just a guy.
“Hello. Welcome to Jimmy’s.”
Leo smiled at me with that dimple in his cheek, those blue eyes staring up at me. It made my heart race a little faster in my chest and I could already feel myself melting. Damn it.
“Hi Celia. You are a hard woman to get a hold of. It seems like you were never going to get a free spot.”
He looked around at the empty tables and I tried my best not to feel guilty. I didn’t have another soul in there and it was because my section was getting shut down. My day was almost over after all.
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that. The bussers are taking their time today I guess.”
He nodded like he didn’t believe me, but I both think that we knew that I was lying. “Well I am glad I was able to see you, no matter how long it took. I brought these for you.”
He handed me the lilies and I have to say that they were beautiful. They were unconventional, but I didn’t like roses and I wondered how he knew that. There was something about Leo that still drew me in and I tried my hardest not to smile, but I knew I was beaming. How could I not? He had gone through some trouble to come down here and wait so patiently with flowers.
“So what do you want Leo?”
“I wanted to see you.”
The answer was so simple, but I was still trying to be professional and get his order. I knew that there was something else that he wanted, something that I could give him in the bedroom, but it was nice to hear that he just wanted to see me.
“Well here I am Leo. I don’t know if I was worth all of the trouble and the wait. But I was talking about your order. Do you want something to eat and drink? I mean, this is a restaurant after all.”
His smile faltered just a little bit and it was enough to make me smile a little wider. I was glad that he wasn’t sure he would get his way. He had really bothered me last night when he showed his true colors. I couldn’t help thinking about the woman that he had invited out and then dropped so quickly. I didn’t want to be that woman.
“Um yeah, whatever is good here will be fine.”
I didn’t know what to say, but it became clear that he wasn’t even going to look at the menu in front of him. I had no idea what he liked, but that didn’t matter. I was going to go order something that didn’t piss the cooks off. They were trying to clean up and get out of here before the next shift came in too.
“Alright. If you are sure you want me to order for you, I will bring something out soon.”
He thanked me and I walked away before I could fall for those blue eyes again. I mean, what did he think he was going to accomplish being here?
I got him some sweet tea and put an order in. I ordered the chicken and strawberry salad, my favorite and brought the tea back out to him.
“Are you really not going to speak to me Celia?”
“What do you want me to say Leo? I don’t even know you. You bring me flowers, come to my work…”
“I wanted to see you last night but you disappeared like Cinderella. I didn’t really have a choice.”
“Maybe you should have taken the hint.”
“You know, I was never good at hints. I thought I would come down here and see why you left.”
“It was midnight?”
He laughed and so help me I liked the sound of it.
“Well I will still want to see you, even if you turn into a pumpkin. I bet you would make a cute one.”
I sighed and I could already feel myself losing my resolve. The dimple in his chin was back. He was too devilish and by the look of knowing in his eyes, he knew it.
“Really Leo, what are you doing here?”
“I told you Celia. I wanted to see you.”
“For what though? I don’t think you are really that into it. I mean, why are you here? Do you want to get laid or something? I have a feeling that it wouldn’t be hard for you to get some ass.”
He looked around like there was going to be someone that was overhearing us.
“Why don’t you sit down for a minute so that we can talk?”
“I am on the clock.”
“Well I can wait until you get off and then we can do it then.”
I looked around like he had moments before and sighed out loud. He wasn’t going to let it go so I told him to scoot over and hoped that the boss didn’t see me.
“Okay, fine, what is there to talk about?”
“Why did you leave last night? I thought we were having a moment.”
“We were, but then I overheard you and your friend. I don’t think that I want to be a part of any of that Leo. I don’t want to be the next Sandra.”
“You couldn’t be her. She had no personality.”
I scoffed. “So that is what you are worried about huh? A guy like you doesn’t strike me as the type that is too worried about class. You strike me as a player and I don’t think pillow talk is what you are looking for.”
“Maybe not usually, but things can change.”
I just shook my head. “People don’t change.”
“I can change. Ever since I saw you in the bar last night, all I can think about is you. I don’t understand it either, but I want to see where it goes.”
I sighed again and even though I was trying to make it like I didn’t like what I heard. I did. How could I not?
“So what do you propose?”
“Let me take you out tonight and find out?”
I was going to say no, that was what I told myself as I started to open my mouth, but then a yes came out instead. He leaned towards me and before I knew what he was doing, our lips met and I felt a flood of need run through me. His lips were not only slippery as hell, but they were soft and I couldn’t help but moan a little under my breath. I hadn’t felt this good before and the more I tried to fight it, the more I realized that there was no use. He felt too good next to me and even when I felt his hand on my knee; I didn’t want to fight it.
I whimpered as his tongue pushed in between my lips and I tried my best to fight off the need that was suffocating me with its suddenness.
The buzzer in my apron pulled me out of the moment and I sighed to myself, this time not so aggravated.
“I have to go.”
“Wait, where are you going?”
“To get your order. That’s the kitchen.”
I walked away before I wasn’t able to. My knees felt like rubber and a part of me didn’t know what to do. I had agreed to dinner, but I knew that it was going to turn into something else very quickly. Was I really ready for this? I didn’t think I was, but Leo had a way of getting what he wanted.
Damn I was falling for a man like Leo and I knew that it wasn’t going to be a good idea. He was dangerous and the tingling on my lips just made it all the more clear. I was screwed.
Chapter 8
Leo
“So how did it go with the girl from the club? Did you give her the flowers like I told you to?”
“Yeah. It went better than I thought it would. I took her a little time to warm up to me, but she finally did agree.”
“So…?”
“So we are going out tonight. I hope you don’t have any more plans for me.”
“I don’t. My wife and I are going out, but I will drive us. You go and get the girl. Maybe you will be in a better mood then because I am sick of seeing your sour face.”
I smiled at him through the rearview mirror. He was happy for me, even if it was hard for him to say, I knew that it was the case. I had a lot of things to do and the more I tried to push it all out of my head, the more I thought of Celia. I was going to make this work, no matter what.
“Where should I take her?”
“I don’t
know. What does she like?”
“She likes to bust my balls.”
That got a chuckle out of Grey. “I think I like her already.”
“I don’t know where to go or what to do. I don’t want to take her to a restaurant, she already works at one.”
“Then make it more intimate and make something for her at your place. Women dig that shit and then you are already there for when you want to take her to bed.”
It was along the same lines that I was thinking of and I knew that it was a good idea. I wasn’t the best cook, but being a bachelor for all of this time, I was sure that I had a few dishes that weren’t too bad. I always did make a good andouille sausage dip. If I could make that a meal, I would be good to go. I wasn’t trying to impress her with my cooking skills, but if I could just enough to get her naked in the bed, the rest would speak for itself.
“That’s a good idea. Is that how you got Cameron?”
“I went to her work and fucked her up against the door, but I don’t suggest it. There was a lot of drama when her boss found out. I ended up paying him off and when he came back for more, I had to resort to threats. I don’t recommend that route.”
I remembered something about that, but I never got that many details. It was amazing what he would do to get a girl and I was sure that I was going to have to do the same. There was a reason that Grey had always had all of those women wrapped around his fingers. He was smooth in a way that I wasn’t. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I knew that getting her over to my house was the best case scenario. From there, we could get to know each other real good.
“Well I did go to her job and we kissed, but nothing else. She made me wait for almost half an hour to get a seat in an empty restaurant.”
Grey was laughing again and I was getting irritated. He was having far too much fun with this, but in retrospect, I had as well when it had been his turn for ball busting.
“That’s good. If they make you work for it, it means that they are worth the chase.”
“I think so. I don’t know Grey, but I have a feeling this one is different.”
“Good Leo. Different is good in a city full of women only out for one thing.”
I had to agree, but I was one of those guys in the city that was only interested in one thing. That interest hadn’t changed, but what I wanted after had changed. I wanted more than one night. The one night was just going to guarantee that I got another chance the next day. I already knew that Celia was not a woman that could be fully appreciated in one night. Even if I stayed up all night to explore her, I was going to need a lot more time to fully appreciate all of her.
***
I picked Celia up from her apartment a little after eight. I tried not to be early, so I ended up going around the block a couple of times to make sure I wasn’t. It was hard not to feel jittery. I felt like something big was going to happen tonight, I just wasn’t sure what. I had an idea, hopes even, but that didn’t mean that it was actually going to happen.
“Damn you are looking good Celia.”
She looked down at her clothes and kind of shrugged. “This old thing?”
Her long hair was down and flowing around her shoulders. It was the type of hair that I wanted to bury my hands into before I started another day. I could already envision it flowing around my chest as she rode me. Her green eyes sparkled when she looked at me and I held the door open for her to get in. It was really a ploy to see her ass in the little black dress she was wearing and I wasn’t disappointed. It jiggled a little as she walked and my hands itched to touch her.
Celia was thicker than her clothes had suggested before. All of her curves were lush and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her. It was all I could think about and the more I looked at her, the more I knew that I had to have her. It was an attraction that was multiplying as I got into the car next to her. She smiled at me as I took in the sweet perfume that she was wearing. It had filled the car up in the short time that she was in it, but it wasn’t strong or overwhelming. It was slightly understated like she was. It was then that I noticed the small diamond in her nose. How had I missed that before and what else was I missing?
“So where are we going?”
“I was thinking that we could have dinner at my house. I made my specialty and it would be a quiet place where we could talk with no distractions.”
She giggled and I wasn’t sure why.
“Well at least you won’t have another girl invited there, right?”
I groaned a little out loud and that made her smile a little wider. “I am joking, okay?”
She wasn’t joking though. Last time she had walked away without looking back and this time I didn’t want that to happen again.
“I was thinking more like it was closer to home so we could drink a little more and see where the night takes us.”
“Now the truth comes out.”
I hadn’t started the car yet and I leaned in for a kiss. This time there was no worries of anyone being around and I heard a soft moan out of her lips that drove me crazy. There was something about her that really drove me wild and I started to move over onto her side, wanting to feel those luscious tits against my chest. I wasn’t able to get far before she pushed me back and told me that we were going to have to see where it all led. It was a good enough answer for me.
Taking the not too subtle hint, I started towards my house and hoped that I made it there without putting my foot in my mouth. Why did this woman have such an effect on me? It was hard to tell, but I knew that I was going to have to calm the fuck down before I made an ass out of myself.
I looked over at Celia once, just to remind myself that she was next to me and soon I would have her underneath me. She may be playing like she is shy right now, but I knew better. She wanted it just as bad as I did and I had a feeling this night was going to be one that we would both not soon forget.
Chapter 9
Celia
“Dinner was actually really good. I was a little worried about the menu, but wow, where did you learn to cook like that?”
“I think I have spent too long as a bachelor. My mother taught me how to cook when I was younger and it has really come in handy. But I should let you know that I only have a few things in my repertoire.”
“And humble too.”
“Just about my cooking.”
He was giving me those eyes again and I couldn’t help but feel a tingle below the belt. He had the nicest eyes that I had ever seen and they were so expressive, it was hard not to feel something when he looked at me. The man was constant in his innuendos, but there was a lot more to him then what first met the eyes. I had thought that I knew his type and in a way I was right about him being a player, but there was a whole other side of him that I didn’t understand quite yet.
It was clear what he wanted to do, but there was also a clear need in myself as well. I didn’t want to see what happened. I knew what was going to happen, but with all of the smooth talk aside, he had yet to make a move. I was starting to wonder if I was going to have to do it myself.
“So is there any dessert?”
He looked panicked for a moment and answered that there wasn’t. “I have an idea of what I would like for dessert, but I have a feeling that you are not going to want the same.”
Again I had an idea of what he was talking about, but again it was all talk. There had to be more to this. I could see that he wanted me, so why was he stalling so much? Couldn’t he see that I was dying for it just as badly as he was?
“So how long is this verbal spar going to go on Leo?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I mean that I have been here a couple of hours now. Dinner is over and I am waiting for you to make your move. You looked like you were going to jump my bones at the bar last night, but here, with no one around, nothing. What gives?”
The man grinned and before I could say anything else, he was bending towards me on his stool and kissing my lips. They felt as soft
as before and I couldn’t help but feel a shiver run through me. I was glad that I finally had pushed the right button, because I didn’t know how much longer I was going to be able to take the teasing. It was just how it felt and the more he kissed me, the quicker I was getting turned on. I was already in it as deep as I could get, so there was no sense in going back. I wanted him and as he pulled me closer and I came off of the stool to stand in front of him, I didn’t regret the prodding that the man seemed to need.
When Leo pulled back, he had that needy look in his eyes again and I was unable to control myself. I asked him where his bedroom was and he smiled brightly at me like he hadn’t thought of that before. Did he really not think that this was going to happen?
“I wasn’t sure… hell Celia; I don’t know how to act around you. I am afraid of you running off again if I say the wrong thing.”
“Well give me a reason to stay.”
Leo nodded like he finally understood and the look on his face was one of need that I was sure mirrored my own. I was done pretending that I didn’t want him. I was done pretending that he hadn’t pulled me into his web and turned me on. I was ready for what came next, no matter what it might be exactly.
I followed him into the bedroom and watched him move towards me. I started to pull my clothes off slowly, liking the way his eyes darkened. I could tell that he liked what he saw and when he moved closer, I tutted him and told him to take off his own clothes. I wasn’t used to being the aggressor, not with a man like Leo anyways, but it was clear that he was having trouble coming to terms with what we were doing. He was nervous, something that I hadn’t expected, but I liked nonetheless. I liked the idea of making an alpha male like him so nervous.
“You are so beautiful Celia.”
I was naked now and though I was a little shy, I tried not to cover myself up. I wanted him to see all of me, as I wanted to see all of him. I wanted our bodies completely bare and ready to see each other fully as we were. I had never been perfect, but I knew that men were visual and Leo was rock hard when he finally took his pants off. In the end that was all of the answer that I needed about what he wanted to do.