by Siera London
“There’s a reason I’m a regular here and at my neighbor’s dinner table.”
“You don’t cook?”
“Can’t, is an accurate description. My mom was the original Food Network sensation. I never wanted to learn.”
“No one eats out every night.” Turning she looked out over the ocean. He watched as she inhaled a deep breath, pushing her cleavage up and then down. Her shoulders relaxed and so did his. Mesmerizing.
“You should eat before your food cools.” Time to change the subject. Compliments get you everywhere, he thought.
“I’ve never seen you in a dress.” He whispered across the small table dressed in black linen.
She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Compliments rattled her. He made a mental note to rattle her more often.
He leaned down closer savoring her sweet scent.
“Your legs are man tamers.” Shock registered on her face.
“What did I say?”
“You’re saying too much for a casual dinner between co-workers. My legs are compliments of sixty minutes of kickboxing four days per week.” He was not repentant about his comment regarding her legs.
“I am not apologizing for telling the truth. Where I come from men compliment women.” He liked her bold style, her intelligent eyes, and her body. Statuesque didn’t fully capture the essence of the woman before him. Everything about her was built to suit a grown man. It was reflected in her runway fashion style, the body she wasn’t afraid to showcase, and the witty banter she had for one and all.
“Thank you for the compliment,” she said sitting back in her chair.
“Come here.”
“What?” Cautiously she leaned into him. She must have thought better of it because she then pulled back. “Just tell me from here,” she tossed a sideways glance in his direction.
“With your Ali bob and weave moves, it would be better if you leaned in close. You’ll thank me later.”
She moved within striking distance, and he trapped her chin between his thumb and forefinger. He brushed his thumb over the left corner of her mouth. She tensed, he let his hand fall.
“There was a drop of cream on your lip.” Never taking his eyes off of her, he slowly raised his thumb to his mouth and licked. “Tastes sweet.”
She must’ve been spring loaded, the way she shot out of her chair.
“I’m going to the ladies room. If our server comes, order me a grape crush cocktail.” Seeing her like this, he was tempted to burn all of her work wardrobe.
“You need a stiff one to finish dinner with me?” A strained smile covered her face.
“A woman’s got to do, what a woman’s got to do.” Confident and poised she remained, but she was on edge. He could feel pulses of her energy tracking him.
He reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out his personal cellphone. Extending his hand, he offered her the device.
“Add your information to my list of contacts.” She didn’t reach for the phone.
“Come on,” he coaxed her. “I want to be prepared if that cough of yours should cause you trouble.” She took the phone from his extended hand.
“Do you always hand your phone over to women you barely know? You’re not afraid I might find incriminating pictures of you?”
He saw her eyes stretch wide, probably at discovering her name and address were already programmed into the phone. He smiled to himself. She tried not to notice how many feminine names were in his phonebook. She was about to return his phone when he spoke.
“You only added one telephone number.” Thank goodness he paid attention to detail. “Give me your land line and your cell.” She grinned, then did as he asked.
“There,” she said handing his phone back to him. “Now, you have everything.” She entered the restaurant, hips swaying to an inaudible beat made just for her.
Gideon watched as men, young and old, fixed on Lina’s feminine stride. Those gorgeous legs carried her away from him. She’d said that he had everything. Smiling.
“Not yet, but I will.”
Her heart beat faster than the lead drummer at a rock concert. Her entree wasn’t the only thing steaming hot at the dinner table. At his touch, her body transformed into an overheated chocolate fountain without a shut off switch. He made her feel desirable and special. It was a sobering thought, as all her man problems started with those emotions. She could not like Gideon. As she walked away from the table, she renewed her chant in earnest. Do not like him. Do not fall for him. Please let a unibrow troll replace Gideon in the next five minutes, she begged the universe.
She tried to look unaffected by his charm, focus on the musical score and the buzz of conversation around them, but her blood pressure rose with each visual caress. Gideon was a gentleman, but with a raw edginess that appealed to her on a primal level. The way he swept her into his arms and held her close, had her body pulsing with need. If Jace tried that move, they would both be on the floor, with him writhing in pain. She rounded the stone waterfall sculpture leading to the ladies’ room. She opened her purse, approached the mirror, and reached for a make-up compact, while regarding her appearance. Beauty looked back at her. Beauty that men admired, craved, but never claimed. Would Gideon be any different? Her heart couldn’t pay the cost to find out. When she returned to the table, she would put as much distance as physically and emotionally possible between the two of them. Numb was her goal. Let it happen, but do not feel it. Yes.
The banging at the door had her jumping for the ceiling. She did a quick check of her surroundings before looking in her purse. Keys-check, wallet-check, lipstick-check, pepper spray-check. Purse in hand, she took a deep breath, steeling her resolve to handle the rest of dinner in cool detachment. She collided with a wall of muscle as soon as she exited the door. Her feet had stopped, but the force of the impact had her body moving backward. This wasn’t going to be pretty. She closed her eyes readying herself to make contact with the stone floor. An arm wrapped around her waist pulling her up short.
Gideon.
She instinctively grabbed hold of his shoulders, needing to hold onto something solid. Her nose was in the hollow of his neck and she took a deep steadying breath. He smelled of warmed cedar on a breezy summer day. Her mouth watered as his scent filled her nostrils.
“Thank you,” she said on a breathy note. She allowed her head to rest on his shoulder as his scent and body heat co-mingled into a sensual cocktail.
“I’ve got you, sweetness.” His hand stroked along her spine in a soothing gesture.
“I didn’t see you standing there. It was my fault.” His cheek pressed against her temple.
“Shh, it’s not your fault. You weren’t expecting me to be at the door.”
She laughed. “That is true. I don’t remember inviting you with me to the ladies’ room.” Through her palms resting on his chest wall she could feel the rumble of his laughter.
“You left the table fifteen minutes ago. That’s an invitation to chase in my neck of the woods.” She released his shoulder, to look up at him.
“Neck of the woods? I haven’t heard that term in years. What part of the country are you originally from?”
“I was born and raised in West Virginia.”
“Big city or small town West Virginia?” He raised an eyebrow at her line of questioning.
“They are one in the same in mountaineer country.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“I did, trust me. Now, allow me to escort you back to your seat. You garner a lot of attention, Lina.”
She stiffened. Had she misjudged him? Guardian angel of curvy women please don’t let him be a Jace Harper disciple.
“I have to follow you around to make sure no other man snatches you away.”
The tension slowly left her shoulders.
“I’m a big girl, Gideon.” She gestured her hands up and down her body. “This is not a snatch and grab sized package.”
“I’m a big man and I like handli
ng a package just your size.” She blushed. Thank goodness he couldn’t see it with her darker complexion. She admitted to herself that she did like Gideon. More importantly, she accepted that she couldn’t act on that attraction. Focus on protecting yourself. Boundary management would be her last course for the evening.
Chapter 6
He didn’t know what he did or said, but their connection from early in the evening was officially gone from high-speed to dial-up. Gideon could feel the distance between them, tangible as the shirt covering his back. It was a quarter past ten when they arrived at her condominium. Even the night creatures kept a low profile in the humidity. He was thankful Lina hadn’t balked about him not wearing a tie. She hadn’t recoiled in horror when he slipped up, responding to her question with yeah instead of yes. Gideon could be himself with Lina. He freed his second button as he rounded the car. She wasn’t running to her door. That was a good sign. Opening the passenger door he extended his hand palm up for her. It warmed his insides that an independent woman, such as Lina, could defer to a man the courtesy of allowing him to get her door. She hesitated a moment before placing her much smaller hand in his. He maintained his grasp on her hand as they walked to the stairway. He shouldn’t ask, but he didn’t want the night to end.
The scent of flowers assailed him when they reached the landing to Lina’s place. He looked down to find they both were stepping on crushed, white rose petals.
“What’s with the flower covered walkway?” Lina pushed out a breath, shaking her head.
“Jace must’ve stopped by while we were at dinner. The roses started after our break-up. I told him to knock it off.” Gideon regarded her with skepticism. She shrugged her shoulders in bewilderment. “I guess crushing them was his way of retaliating after my confrontation.”
“He seems determined.” Jace’s actions were disturbing. Lina didn’t appear to be concerned about her safety, but he was. “Is there a chance he believes the two of you could reconcile?” He searched her face. Women could hide their emotions in plain sight. He knew that from experience.
“Not humanly possible.” She formed a large cross with her forearms. Then added head nods in the negative. “He’s been a brat since he dumped me.” Gideon’s mouth slackened. His thoughts scrambled. What man in his right mind would ever leave Lina behind?
“Jace Harper ended your relationship?” Disbelief clouded his better judgment and reached for her. Closing his hands around her bare upper arms.
“You doubt me after one night?” He liked her joking with him.
“I never doubt a lady, but it’s about the stupidest decision I’ve heard of a grown man making in recent years.”
“Keep up the flattery. It’ll get you nowhere, but it’s nice to hear.”
“I’m serious.” He looked down at her. Taking in her firm upper lip and the stubborn chin, it was clear she didn’t believe him. “One man’s rhinestone is another man’s diamond.”
She laughed, but it didn’t reach her eyes. The reminder of being discarded was far from amusing. It reminded him of his own humble beginnings.
“You are good for a woman’s ego.” He caressed her shoulders, but the playful Lina was gone. Before he thought better of it, he pulled her into a warm embrace.
“You are worth more than diamonds, rubies, and pearls.” The words whispered at her ear had no effect. What words could he say to draw her out of her head and back to him?
“In my neck of the woods, we have a saying. One man’s fling is another man’s future.” Challenge issued. Would she take the bait?
“Oh…that’s good, Gideon. The problem is every man I encounter tells me, I’m his future. The onus is on me to realize when I’ve been downgraded from future to fling.” She stepped out of his embrace. The night seemed cool without her warmth. Words like humble beginnings had been used to describe his childhood. A camouflage for being poor and unwanted. To have humble beginnings attached to your family name was a politically correct phrase for abject poverty. It made social and economic inequality more palatable to the societal elite. In his hometown of Waverly Falls, his birth name was synonymous with worthless. That was the reason he’d taken his adoptive family’s last name-Rice.
“Everything about you is pure platinum.” He didn’t think it was possible, but she backed up against the door creating what felt like a canyon sized space between them. He didn’t like it.
“You are like a brainiac, eye candy, and a hallmark card all rolled into one. The ladies need a stealth detector around you,” she said.
“I’m only interested in one lady.”
She gave him an “is that so” look.
“How interested?”
“Is there anyway you’ve changed your mind about me coming inside?” She raised her eyebrows, eyes stretched wide.
Raising both his hands, palms facing her. “I just want us to talk.” She sighed as if coming to a decision.
He pressed his luck, hoping favor rested on him tonight. “Invite me in.” He sent up a silent plea to fate.
“You have about as much chance of getting inside, as me frying my brain cells with a curling iron. I’m well acquainted with that type of interest. You coming inside is a bad idea.” He released a sigh.
“What’s stopping you?” A crease formed between her brows. She took a deep breath, then slowly released it as if reinforcing her force field. There was one more step before she would be on the other side of a closed door. He played his hand.
“You’ve spent the last four and a half hours in my company. You are safe with me and you know where I work. Let me, come in.” She laughed at his last comment.
“Why do I get the sense we are talking about more than you entering my house?”
“I am, but, we both know nothing will happen if there’s only one interested party. So, are you interested in getting to know me?” She narrowed her eyes with suspicion before taking a step back. That first kiss must have scrambled his brain. He was sending the wrong signal.
“Why did you ask me out tonight?” The wide stance, and arms crossed over her chest said she was ready for battle. It was a mistake to hint at more tonight.
“We have a connection. I enjoy talking with you. You’re no longer entangled with what’s his name.”
“Gideon we work together.” He could see where this train was leading.
“And technically, you are assigned to my clinic. I’m not your boss.” She placed both hands on her generous hips. He grinned at her. He would not make it easy for her to get rid of him.
“I never knew you were such a smooth talker. Seriously, we’ve seen each other every day for practically nine months and you’ve never shown any interest in me until today. And before you mention the kiss, that doesn’t count because it was for charity.”
“Wrong on both counts. You have never noticed my attentions until today and any kiss between us counts.” She was looking at him with a curious expression, then she frowned.
“You know that Jace will keep trying to get me transferred at best, fired at worse.” Something akin to pain crossed her face, then it vanished.
“I overheard something about that. I know things went wrong between the two of you. I did what I could to help you.” Her back went ramrod straight, then she took another step away from him. He didn’t like the way she looked at him.
“I don’t want your charity date, Gideon. I have never needed a man to take care of me, and I certainly will not start tonight.” Anger colored her words.
“I know you can handle yourself. You did a darn good job of handling my clinic, too.” The smile she gave him, had him hitting himself upside the head for waiting until tonight to comment on how efficient she ran the clinic.
“Thank you, Gideon. I really appreciate you telling me I made a difference.”
“You came to my rescue this morning.”
“The nurse rescuing the Marine? Sounds like we both felt charitable today.”
“When I look at you the last thing on my mind is
charitable works.” He took a step closer to her.
“Since you broached the subject. What is swirling around in that big brain of yours, if you were to get into my house? How do you see this playing out?” She pointed to herself then aimed her index finger center mass at his chest. “What’s your angle?”
“I told you earlier today. I don’t have the tolerance for games.” His statement seemed to unruffle her feathers. Her posture relaxed again.
“I’m going in the house. Thank you Gideon, I had a perfect evening.”
“Perfect. That’s an interesting choice of words, how so?”
She groaned aloud. “When will I learn? I should have known better. Never say the word perfect in the presence of a mental health professional. Gideon, let’s end the night without a psychoanalysis.” There was a bit of hostility as she spoke his name.
“Lina.” He touched her left cheek. He made slow brush strokes across her right cheek with his thumb. “Tell me what made the evening perfect, because I want to know what pleases you.” He’d revealed too much, but the damage was done.
“I’m listening, Lina. Tell me what you want.”
He’s interested in my pleasure. He wanted to know her. Her heart skipped two beats. She parted her lips taking a deep breath to regulate her pulse rate.
“I loved our ocean view seating. I prefer water, large or small over gardens and woods.” His touch was soothing, but this contact wasn’t like earlier before they left for Drury’s. This touch was sensual, the pressure was slightly deeper and the movement was slower. A lover’s caress.
“What else did you like?” The rich tone of voice penetrated her thoughts. His fingers were strong and sure.
“It’s nice to share a meal with someone who enjoys a variety of food. I like jazz and R&B, so sharing great food with live music filling the air is a heady combination for me.”
“And?” He prompted.
“And...I enjoyed your company.”
“So, having me near you helped to create your perfect evening?” He was stroking her lower lip now. Deliberate, but feather light. The pad of his thumb grazed the border of her lip en route to her cheek. Then he would repeat the trek.