“It’s a surprise.”
I was still fairly certain he was going to take me to a fancy restaurant. Wasn’t that the status quo for dates? He’d buy me a nice meal, order a bottle of wine and then take me back to his place. It wasn’t an exciting prospect, but I was alright with it. I just wanted to get through the night so my life could go back to normal. I just wanted to stop thinking about him.
We drove through the loud streets and I took in the multitude of people filing along on the side walk. The mix of culture and influence in New York was part of the reason I was drawn to the city. It was something different, something wild and full of hope. It was the place I’d always dreamed of being. My phone was buzzing in my purse, but I wasn’t going to answer. I already knew who it was. It was my dad and I just didn’t have it in me to deal with it tonight.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?”
“Nah. I’ll take care of it later. I’m on a date right now. Isn’t that kind of rude?”
He smiled and turned his attention back towards the road. “I think you’ll really like where we’re going.”
“Well, I trust you know what you’re doing. I’m sure you’ve taken lots of girls out on dates, hmmm?”
He smirked a little. “Well, I’m not one to brag.”
At least he wasn’t trying to lie. We made small talk until the car rolled to a stop at the opening of a small alley where people had gathered. “What is this?”
“This is little Italy. Haven’t you ever been here?”
“Not really,” I murmured, standing and closing the car door.
Jami tipped the valet and offered me his hand, which I took surprisingly quickly. He pulled me along the alley until we came out on the other side, underneath the neon lights that announced the name of the small alcove. The light radiated down onto us and when I looked around I couldn’t help but smile, watching children run through the streets with sparklers, giggling and squealing with joy.
“What is this?”
“This is the Italian light festival. It’s something a little different. I thought you might enjoy it.” He said with a soft smile.
“Wow, Jami. I didn’t think— “
“You thought I was going to take you to a fancy bar and get you drunk.”
My cheeks went hot and I nodded, smiling a little. He shrugged and squeezed my hand. “That’s alright. Given my current track record with women…I don’t blame you.”
At least he was self-aware. He gave my hand a tug and I followed him into the street. We spent the evening sampling food from various restaurants. The people who spooned pasta onto our plates were dark haired man and women who’d owned their restaurants since they immigrated from Italy. Lively music played in the streets and every hour, on the dot, a flock of paper lanterns were released into the sky. I watched them in wonder, my heart beating faster.
I hadn’t expected a date like this. I hadn’t expected something so wonderful and unique and I certainly hadn’t expected to end up in his arms at the end of the night, build close to his strong body as we swayed together to the sounds of Italian instrumentals.
The cool wind blew through my hair, tickling my shoulders and neck. I looked up at him and smiled, putting my head on his shoulder as we moved in perfect sync. “This is nice.”
“You really think so?”
“Yeah. I’d say you knocked the ball out of the park.”
He chuckled and pressed his hand into my lower back. “I didn’t think a fancy restaurant or bar was a good date for a chef. Besides, you can cook better food than any restaurant I could have taken you to.”
He spun me round and I was grinning when I faced him again. “You know how to butter a girl up, don’t you?”
“It’s one of my many talents.”
Damn this guy was charming as hell. Everything he said and did caught me off guard. I hadn’t expected myself to be so happy to be here. I had expected a lackluster date and instead I got my first taste of culture since being back home.
The veranda was filled with other couples, moving to the sound of the music and I couldn’t help but feel like we were just like them. There was just as much hope and promise in our budding relationship.
As the music ended, Jami pulled away and smiled, nodding towards the inside of the building. I followed him through the ornate structure, brushing past hand painted murals and rich, oak tables. We finally came to the other side of the veranda where a single table sat with a bottle of wine. I crossed my arms and chuckled to myself.
“Mmmm…So you did pull some strings.”
He smiled and pulled one of the chairs out so that I could sit. “Just a few.”
I rolled my eyes playfully but settled in the seat, looking up at him. “This has been really nice. It’s better than I expected.”
“I’m glad I could exceed your expectations.” He poured us both a glass of wine and sat down as well, holding a glass up.
I clinked mine against his before taking a long drink of the sweet, pungent liquid. This was good wine. “So, what is with this whole playboy persona, huh? I mean, when I told Miguel about it, the first thing he told me was to beware of the big bad wolf. He said you were going to try and seduce me and then run off.”
“He wasn’t wrong to warn you. That is my calling card around town.”
“Why?”
He glanced up at me and sighed, sipping his glass. We were both already tipsy from the drinks we’d had earlier in the night and our lips were already loose. I figured now would be the best time to really get to know him.
Jami sighed and leaned back in the wrought iron chair, inspecting the drink in his hand. “Why? That’s a good question,” he mused. He set the glass down and looked at me for a moment. “Because I never wanted to get attached. I didn’t want to end up in a situation where I’d fallen in love with someone only to realize they didn’t want anything other than my money,” he said bitterly.
The words had a whole lot of hurt behind them. I could practically feel the pain pulsing through him. He’d been hurt before and I couldn’t even blame him for keeping people at arm’s length. I’d never, and probably would never, have the kind of money he had. I’d never worried about people using me for my money.
“That makes sense.”
He turned to look at me, slightly surprised. “Really?”
“Yeah. I’ve never been in your situation, so I’ve never really thought of that scenario before, but it makes sense.”
He paused and glanced at me, sighing. “Most people lecture me and tell me that I shouldn’t be so cynical.”
“Well, you know what you’re doing. You know how to protect yourself. When someone you think is worth it comes around, you’ll make the right decision.” I offered him a smile and tapped on the rim of my glass.
He poured me more wine without question, topping off his own glass. “Since we’re getting to know each other…Why did you spend so much time abroad? Don’t you have family in the states?”
I stiffened a little and took a long drink from my glass, nearly draining half of it before setting it down, grunting softly. “Yeah. I have family in the states,” I murmured.
“It just seems hard to stay away from your family for that long.”
I sighed and closed my eyes, shaking my head slowly. “it’s not really that hard when you don’t get along with them.”
He seemed to realize the conversation had gotten tense and cleared his throat. I was happy we seemed to understand where each other’s boundaries were. I set my glass down and turned towards him, scooting my chair closer so that I could rest my head on his shoulder. My heart was beating just a little too fast, but I didn’t care. I was drunk enough to ignore all the warnings in my head. I knew I shouldn’t have opened my mouth. I shouldn’t have asked him about his past and I shouldn’t have told him about mine. Those were my first two mistakes.
I sighed a little and closed my eyes “Thanks.”
“
For what?”
“For taking me out. I’ve had a really nice time.”
He hesitated, but gently wrapped his arms around my shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze. We looked out onto the balcony together and I smiled as fireworks wound their way through the sky, exploding above our heads. It took my breath away and I leaned against him, my eyes closed. He was warm and the breeze was cool.
I looked up at him and saw the reflection of the fireworks in his eyes. I was unable to ignore it and sat up, pressing my lips to his in a long, needy kiss. He moaned and cupped my cheeks, pulling me close. It wasn’t as passionate or desperate as the kiss we’d shared in the kitchen, but it was just as electric. Goose bumps rose on my arms and when we parted, my cheeks were flushed. My lips parted and I whispered the words that had been stuck in my throat.
“Take me home?”
Chapter Seven: Jami
We stumbled through the front door of her small, but well-kept apartment, unable to keep our hands off each other. Her finger roamed my body, pausing at my waist to hastily undo my pants. Every single movement screamed of desperation. She wanted me, and I wanted her just as badly. I couldn’t ever remember wanting someone like this.
By the time, we reached the bedroom, we’d left a trail of abandoned clothes that led to the queen-sized bed pushed up against the blush colored walls. Her knees hit the back of the bedframe and we tumbled into impossibly soft sheets, our arms wrapped around each other as our lips crashed together for the hundredth time that night. We hadn’t stopped kissing since we’d left the restaurant and it still hadn’t gotten boring. I could have done this all night long, but there were things I wanted even more.
I pulled away, panting softly, the throbbing between my legs becoming damn near unbearable. “Tell me what you want.”
Her fingers threaded into my hair and she gave a solid pull. “I want you.”
That was all the invitation I needed. My lips traced the delicate curve of her neck and I couldn’t help but feel the need to bite her and nip at her neck. I wanted to see my mark on her. I wanted the world to know she was mine.
The tender nips elicited a low moan and she arched against me, her perfectly round, bare breasts pressed against my warm skin. I couldn’t resist reaching up and cupping them, giving them a firm squeeze before brushing my thumb over one of her perky nipple. Another moan fell from her lips and she leaned her head back, one hand reaching for the head board
I watched her draw her bottom lip between her teeth, biting it until it turned red from the abuse. She pulled me closer for another kiss, her eyes half lidded with a desperate desire that made the heat in my belly rise. God. What was she doing to me? No one had ever done this to me before.
My lips brushed the high bones in her cheeks and soon they flushed bright red. She gripped my wrist with a surprising strength and guided my hand further south until my fingers found her womanly mound. She was already slick with nectar and I couldn’t help but moan as my fingers began to tease her delicate folds, tracing slow circles along the part I knew would bring her the most pleasure. Tonight, was about her. That’s all I wanted.
That little bit of stimulation was already making her moan and writhe beneath me. I watched as small, mousy sounds escaped her lips and her body went pink underneath my skilled fingers. I knew what she wanted and I was more than ready to give it to her. Still, a little bit of teasing was never a bad thing, right?
Once I’d decided she’d had enough, I slipped two fingers inside of her, enjoying her body’s warmth. She let out a choked sound of pleasure, her hips rocking back and forth. She moaned my name over and over again, her breath hitching between words. I wanted to hear more of those desperate moaned so I began to thrust my fingers in and out of her at a desperate pace, pleased when she began to cry out, coming completely unhinged.
“N-No more! Fuck! Please! Give me what I want!” She was pleading now, her head tossed back against the pillows and her hair a wild mess.
Her begging drove me wild and I gripped her hips, holding her down and taking control. She seemed like the type of woman who liked to control everything around her, and those were the ones who often wanted a break and wanted to hand over that control to someone else. Even if it was just for a night.
She moaned my name when I entered her and the sound made me shudder with excitement. I settled inside of her and waited, allowing her to adjust to my size, but I wasn’t able to hold back for long. Soon I was rocking my hips back and forth, whispering her name and sweet nothings in her hear as her velvet cavern engulfed me, making me want even more. She was so warm and so welcoming. I wanted this to last forever.
I moved with deliberate thrusts, wanting nothing more than for her to scream my name as she came again and again. I’d always been told I was a good lover, but my skill hadn’t been on purpose. I’d never been so focused on my lover’s pleasure before, but tonight I wanted her to feel like a queen. I wanted her to have the night of her life, because I wanted her to come back.
Fire was burning in my belly and liquid pleasure was starting to spread through my entire body. I knew I was going to finish at any second. Each thrust was more desperate than the one before it and soon I found myself holding her down, my fingers leaving angry little red marks behind. Marks didn’t usually do anything for me, but tonight, I wanted to see them on her body.
Those marks were the last thing I needed. My voice caught in my throat and I let out a low, guttural growl as I finished inside her. I felt the soft walls of her womanhood contract around my shaft, milking every last drop of my essence. She was whispering my name like a prayer, her arms wrapped around me and her fingers digging into my shoulders.
We lay in each other’s arms, panting as the soft breeze from an open window licked at the thin sheen of sweat on our skin. Lena laughed softly, looking up at me with glassy eyes.
“That was amazing…” she murmured, her eyes already closing.
I nodded and collapsed on the bed beside her, wrapping my arms around her. “It really was.”
She pressed herself against my chest, falling asleep without a second thought. As I held her, I couldn’t stop thinking about how good she felt in my arms and how I didn’t want this to be the last time we laid in bed together. As I laid beside her and stroked her beautiful midnight hair, I couldn’t help but think a terrifying thought.
I wanted her around…and not just for sex.
Chapter Eight: Lena
The next morning, I woke up in a bed that wasn’t mine. The space next to me was empty but still warm. I lifted my head and grunted, putting a hand to my temple to try and ease the pounding in my head. I’d worked in restaurants and bars my entire life, but I was still a lightweight. It didn’t take much for the hangover to set in.
I sighed and slipped out of the bed, walking over to the wall and picking a robe up off the hanger. It wasn’t mine, but I was sure Jami wouldn’t mind. As I walked down the stairs I could hear bacon sizzling and smell the sweet, buttery taste of homemade syrup. Looks like I wasn’t the only one who could cook.
I settled on the bar stool and smiled at Jami, my chin in my hands. I hummed softly and he glanced over his bare shoulder, grinning. “Morning.”
“You gonna make me breakfast before you kick me out?”
“I ain’t gonna kick you out,” He said sliding a fluffy pancake onto a plate.
“I didn’t know you can cook.”
“I can make a decent breakfast, but that’s about it,” he said, placing the heaping plate in front of me.
I shoveled a large bite of eggs into my mouth, groaning softly at the edible hangover cure. This was all I’d ever wanted. I sighed and shook my head slowly, giving him a thumbs up. “This is great. Just what I needed.”
He put his own plate down and sat beside me, starting to eat big bites of pancakes. His hair was down, tucked behind his ears and his arms bare. I was surprised at just how much I liked waking up next to a half-naked hunk making me breakfast. Most people fo
und out I was a chef and just assumed I was going to cook for them all the time.
“I had a really great time last night.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed our date,” he said, smiling and giving me a peck on the cheek.
I chuckled and nudged him. “I meant the whole thing.” I paused for a moment, moving a pile of eggs around before looking at him seriously. “You know. This started as a way for me to get over you. Something about you hypnotized me and I didn’t know how to handle it. I didn’t want to get mixed up with my boss and I figured if I just slept with you…You’d be out of my head.”
“Maybe it’ll work. You haven’t been away from me yet.”
I cocked a brow and sighed. “I don’t think that’s the way it’s going to work.”
Unprepared Daddy: A Second Chance Romance Page 95