I'm All Yours

by Vanessa Devereaux

  She lifted out the garter belt and fingered the tiny red bows on the top. She’d worn a garter belt just once and that had been when she’d been her cousin’s bridesmaid. She’d liked the feel of them against her skin, so hey, why not wear them tonight? Who knows? I might get lucky like I did in the elevator.

  ****

  Kyle ordered a mineral water while he waited for Evie at the restaurant. He’d asked that his limo pick him up ahead of hers because he wanted to be there before she arrived. He wondered if she’d be wearing the underwear he’d sent her that morning. Guess he’d just have to wait and see. That was if their date concluded how he hoped it would. He’d asked Sadie to request a private room at the restaurant so no one spotted them dining there and alerted the media He wanted to get to know Evie without having photographers hound them. He had to say he was more than impressed at the service and every little detail Perfect Pairing supplied. Sadie had even made sure the red rose he’d ordered was waiting for him. He lifted it and took in its scent.

  Kyle put it back on the table when he heard the door opening. His heart beat double time, and for some strange reason his legs turned wobbly as he saw the maître’d holding open the door and Evie stepping inside the private room.

  She stopped in her tracks when she saw him. He stood, hoping he wouldn’t need to run after her. Fortunately, Evie continued walking toward him as the maitre’d shut the door.

  Kyle stood. “Surprised?” he asked.

  “Shocked would be a better word. I suppose you’re going to gloat that I resorted to using a matchmaking service. I mean if this is what this is all about. Setting me up. Maybe having a secret camera in the salt or pepper shaker.”

  He held up his hands, palms flat facing her.

  “It’s for real, Evie. Trust me on this one.”

  He signaled for her to sit but not before he rushed around to the other side of the table and held the back of her jacket as she slipped it off her shoulders.

  Wow, tonight she wore a black dress that was a little on the tight side but all the more alluring. She had curves, and the dress clung to her waist and hips. Her black pumps had tiny bows on their backs. Very sexy.

  “Something wrong?” she asked.

  He realized he’d been staring, hadn’t budged, and was still hovering at the back of her chair.

  “Nope, just thinking how nice you look.”

  “Thank you.”

  He held the chair, and she sat. He reached across the table and presented the rose to her.

  She took it and fingered its petals.

  “I have to say I’m impressed with all this,” said Evie. “Did you think of it, or was it all Perfect Pairings’ doing?”

  “A little of both,” he said sitting down.

  “And you just happened to be a client of theirs, too.”

  He raised his eyebrows. He hoped this new relationship with her was going somewhere, so he’d be up front about everything and not lie.

  “I joined after I found the business card you dropped in the elevator.”

  “I could have been doing an interview with them.”

  “I took a gamble.”

  “And just happened to get paired with me.”

  He shook his head. “I requested that I be matched with you.”

  “Sort of cheating, don’t you think? I mean you’re probably not my perfect mate.”

  “I’d have to disagree with you on that one.”

  “Surprise, surprise. Us not agreeing about something.”

  “I thought if we went on a few dates, got to know one another, we’d find out just how compatible we really are.”

  “A few dates?”

  “Please, Evie, just give it a try, and if you don’t think I’m the right guy for you then you’re free to have Perfect Pairing try to match you up with someone else.”

  “Okay, but I’ll hold you to your word.”

  Chapter Seven

  Evie rested her back on the chair as the waiter entered the room. She couldn’t believe that Kyle had gone to all this trouble. She wanted to believe him about them getting to know one another, but still part of her worried that he was setting her up for something awful and embarrassing as revenge for the martini-throwing incident. After all, it had happened in this very restaurant. If that wasn’t poetic justice, what was? And yes, although she’d never apologized to him, after she’d done the deed she’d been sorry and mortified at herself. Her irrational behavior that night had been so unlike her. She’d cried after she resorted to making a follow up phone call to him, boasting about her victory, and then wished she could take it back. And she couldn’t even blame it on her PMS because it hadn’t been anywhere near her time of the month when it had happened.

  “Can I get you something to drink?” asked the waiter.

  “I’ll have a glass of white wine,” said Evie.

  “Mineral water for me,” said Kyle.

  “I’ll be right back with those, and I’ll let you study the menu while I’m gone. Our special tonight is lobster linguine.”

  He walked out of the room as Evie studied Kyle and not the menu.

  “You driving home or something?” she asked him.

  “I never drink. Haven’t for about, oh, eighteen months now.”

  “AA?” asked Evie.

  “Nope, don’t have a drinking problem but just woke up one day thinking I was probably better off without it.”

  Evie shrugged her shoulders and turned her attention to the menu. Everything looked so damn good that it was hard to narrow it down to one choice. And the lobster linguine sounded mouthwatering. The restaurant did have the reputation of having the best homemade pasta in Southern California.

  The waiter returned with the drinks, placed them in front of them along with a basket of bread and lit the two candles on the table, suddenly casting the room into a low romantic glow. Evie picked up the rose again and took in its scent. This really was one of the most romantic dates she’d been on in years.

  “Do you need more time to look over the menu?” asked the waiter.

  “I’m ready,” said Kyle.

  “Me, too,” said Evie.

  “So what can I get you folks?”

  “The lobster linguine,” they both said at the same time.

  “Sorry, I guess that should have been ladies first,” said Kyle.

  “No problem if you both picked the same thing,” said the waiter. “I’ll get this order in straight away.” They both watched as he left the room and closed the door. Neither of them said another word for a few seconds.

  Evie glanced over at Kyle, who was pushing his middle finger around the rim of his glass. If she didn’t know better she’d say he was nervous.

  “See we already have one thing in common,” he said.

  “Yeah, that was sort of strange. Don’t think I’ve ever dined with someone who’s ordered the same meal as me. So how’s work? I heard that you start your new movie next week?”

  Kyle nodded. “In Montana, just outside of Missoula.”

  “Nice place. I have few friends who live on Flathead Lake. That’s not too far from there.” She took a sip of her wine.

  “I hope it is because I’ll be there for a month, maybe more, depending on how the weather cooperates for shooting.”

  “You might get some skiing in. That is if you ski?”

  Although he was a public figure, it dawned on Evie that she really didn’t know that much about Kyle. Guess that’s what first dates are for.

  “Love it.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Hey, that’s two things we have in common, and we’re only fifteen minutes into our date,” said Kyle, checking his watch.

  “Okay, tell me about where you grew up and your family,” said Evie. She’d give him credit that he was giving this whole date thing and the Perfect Pairing service a try, so she should put in the effort, too.

  He pulled on his tie and tugged at his shirt collar but hadn’t responded to her question. Evie interviewed lo
ts of people and knew when someone was avoiding things. Her question had obviously probed into an area of his life he wasn’t happy about opening up to a stranger. Now that’s interesting.

  “I grew up in lots of places,” he finally said.

  He picked the lemon out of his mineral water and squeezed it so the juice zigzagged down the edge of the glass.

  “Was your dad in the armed forces?”

  “Sort of.”

  Evie, top-notch interviewer, usually wouldn’t settle for that sort of response. But the cameras weren’t rolling, so she wouldn’t press the issue.

  “Siblings?” she asked.

  He shook his head.

  “Me, too. I mean I’m an only child. And, yes, three things we have in common.”

  “So you grew up in L.A.?” asked Kyle.

  “Portland, Oregon.”

  “It’s a nice place.”

  “Very nice. I go back as often as I can because my parents still live there.”

  “How about you? Do you spend time with your folks?”

  “My father’s dead, and yes, I try and spend as much time with my mom as possible.”

  “Sorry to hear that. I mean about your dad, not the spending time with your mom part.”

  “So, Evie Winters, is there anything about you that I’d be surprised to hear? Some hidden talent maybe?”

  He took a sip of his mineral water. She noted how he’d guided the conversation away from family, which intrigued her more.

  “Let me think. Well, I paint in my spare time although I’m not very good at it.”

  “Really. My mom paints, too. They thought…”

  He stopped in mid-sentence.

  “Thought what?”

  “It would be good for her. I mean now that she’s a widow and all on her own.”

  “It can be therapeutic.” Evie reached for a slice of bread and spread butter on it.

  “Wow, the first woman I’ve been on a date with who actually eats bread and isn’t shy with the butter. I thought they were off limits to just about everyone in this town.”

  “I’m a fat and carbs type of girl. What can I say? Although I suppose I could do with losing five pounds, maybe more.”

  “I wouldn’t say that because you felt pretty good in the elevator. I’m not a guy who likes holding skin and bones.”

  Evie felt herself getting flushed again. “Yeah, about what happened in the elevator. I hope you don’t think I go around doing that sort of thing all the time.”

  “Didn’t even enter my mind. It was great, wasn’t it?”

  Evie had to admit it was pretty fantastic.

  “Yeah, I guess getting stuck in the elevator isn’t all bad,” she said.

  The waiter came back carrying their two entrees and placed the plates on the table, along with a silver dish housing the famous house Parmesan cheese blend.

  “Can I get you another mineral water, sir?”

  “That would be great,” said Kyle.

  When the waiter left, both he and Evie burst out laughing.

  “You laughing about the same thing as me?” asked Evie.

  “The cheese?”

  Evie nodded and laughed again.

  “Should I hide it?” asked Kyle.

  “Nope, you’re safe tonight. You’ve done nothing to piss me off … so far.”

  “While we’re on that topic – can I say that I’m sorry about what I did? I mean standing you up on live TV. It was a shitty thing to do.”

  “It really was, but I guess I shouldn’t have thrown the drink and cheese at you.”

  “And brought out the press…”

  Evie colored up again this time, not from embarrassment but regret. She’d overreacted to the whole thing, and it had been downright mean to bring along the reporters that night.

  “Let’s agree not to talk about it again,” said Evie.

  “That’s more than okay with me. How’s your food?” asked Kyle.

  “It’s great.”

  “Yeah, mine, too, but I think it needs a little more cheese.”

  He picked up a spoonful and held it above his plate, and they both laughed again.

  ****

  Kyle watched as Evie finished up the last of her pasta. He realized he’d wronged her for so long. Him thinking she was nothing but a self-centered bitch. And after the drink and cheese throwing incident, a bad tempered one, too. Now seeing her in a different light made him feel a complete jerk. He was glad they’d run into one another in the elevator, him finding the Perfect Pairing business card, and him taking the bold step of asking to be matched with her. Yeah, he liked Evie a lot.

  The waiter stepped into the room as they finished the last of their pasta.

  “Are we thinking about dessert?” he asked.

  “Oh, I’m always thinking about it, but I know my dress has gotten tighter while I ate that delicious linguine,” said Evie, sitting back and rubbing her stomach.

  “How about you, sir?”

  “My dress doesn’t feel tight at all, so I think I’ll have some. How about your famous tiramisu trifle?”

  “Excellent choice.”

  “Oh, and bring two spoons because I know Evie’s going to want some, too, once she sees it.”

  “I’ll be right back with that.”

  Kyle leaned back and stretched out anticipating the mouthwatering dessert, and the rest of the evening in Evie’s company.

  “Do you ever have to watch what you eat?” she asked.

  “Not really. I work out a lot, so it burns up all the calories. And I worry a lot, too.”

  “About what?”

  Boy, he’d set himself up for that one. He wasn’t about to tell her about the problems with his mother. That was off limits. At least until he knew Evie better.

  “Odd stuff … the usual.”

  The waiter returned, put the dessert in the center of the table and set down two spoons, one in front of him and one beside Evie.

  “Anything else I can get you?” he asked.

  “I thought of something,” said Kyle. In fact, the idea had popped into his head the minute he’d seen Evie walk through the door that evening. However, he wanted it to be a surprise for her, so he beckoned for the waiter to bend over so he could whisper his request into his ear, without her hearing a single word.

  The waiter nodded, smiled at Evie, and then left in a hurry. Kyle handed Evie one of the spoons.

  “So what are you up to?”asked Evie.

  “Nothing bad, really. And at least try one spoonful of this trifle,” he said.

  “If I split my dress I’m holding you responsible.”

  Evie dug into the custard and cream and put it into her mouth. Just watching her do that was both pure agony and delight because she even made eating seem sexier than hell.

  “Good, isn’t it?” he asked.

  “You’re right. It’s divine.”

  “Go on, have another bite.”

  She did so without hesitation, and Kyle dug in as well. It really was refreshing to see a woman who wasn’t afraid to eat. And Evie had nothing to worry about in the weight department. She had curves, which he liked a lot. She’d felt sexy and warm in the elevator. He knew it was wrong because they were only in the getting to know you phase, but he couldn’t help wondering what she looked like completely naked.

  The door opened, and three musicians strolled in carrying guitars and a keyboard. Kyle had requested they play a few tunes for him and Evie in the privacy of the room.

  “I didn’t want you missing out on the music because you were stuck in here,’ said Kyle.

  They began playing, and Evie smiled, which gave him another idea. He didn’t know whether she wanted to or even liked dancing, but he was about to find out. He stood and offered her his hand.

  “You want to dance?”

  She stood. “One of my favorite things to do.”

  “Me, too.”

  Soon they were cheek to cheek, her hand in his, her arm around his neck, his around her wa
ist. Perfect. Once again he couldn’t help himself. He was rock hard, and he guessed she knew that as he pulled her in close to his body. The familiar smell of her perfume rose up to greet him, and he snuggled with her some more. Kyle took in the scent of her hair. It smelled like a summer’s day after a rainfall. Fresh, light, intoxicating. He closed his eyes for a few seconds before opening them as they moved around in the small space they had in this private room. He wished they could stay like this forever. She ran her fingers along the back of his neck, and it made his body tingle. In fact, he thought he’d gone to heaven.

  Right now he wanted to make love to her more than anything. Make love. I didn’t call it sex. It’s been a few days of firsts for me.

  Kyle was tempted to kiss her, but the three guys were looking straight at them. Could they be trusted not to tell everyone that Kyle Daley and Evie Winters had been dining at Ghiderelli’s and had kissed as they’d serenaded them?

  For once in his life, he’d take a chance. He put his mouth on Evie’s and pulled her in as close as she could get. She tasted of a mixture of tiramisu and strawberries, which he had guessed was the flavor of her lip gloss. Intoxicating combo, but then Evie was spellbinding herself.

  He pulled away, and they looked at one another without saying a thing. He maneuvered her around, making sure they didn’t bump into a nearby chair. He ran his hand down her back, and yes, over her butt.

  A man only has so much restraint.

  He smiled because by the feel of things she was wearing the garter belt he’d sent earlier that day. Kyle couldn’t wait to see her in it, to take it off her body…

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m about ready to leave,” he whispered.

  “Me, too.”

  “Is it okay if we take the limo back to your place?”

  “To see if we can find more things we have in common?” she asked.

  She gave him a naughty look, raising one eyebrow and grinning. It was a look he’d never seen on her face before but hoped he’d see again and again.

  “I’m sure we’re going to find a lot more. I’ll let the driver know we’re ready, and I’ll pay the bill.”

  ****

  With their past history, Evie couldn’t believe that she was opening her front door and inviting Kyle into her home. She’d thought the incident in the elevator had been some type of fluke. However, at this very minute the same type of stirring she’d felt yesterday while they’d been trapped was making her pussy convulse. She wanted to pull him inside her townhouse by his tie, rip off all his clothes, and demand he fuck her until she couldn’t take one more thrust.