by Anthology
Cam patted the table. She brushed the edge of the plate and smiled when she ran into contact with the food. “How tall are you?”
“Six feet, three inches. Why, worried you’ll miss?”
“Not at all. Well, maybe a little, we are in the dark.” A new burst of bravery propelled her to engage more into the game. She leaned forward and slid her palm up his chest, finding a solid wall of delicious muscle. “Mmm.” Crap. Her touch lingered on his pectoral a second too long. Jonah lifted her astride his lap. Cam squirmed. Dear God, she sat right on his groin. A very aroused muscle flexed deliciously against her. So much for worrying about being extra fluffy and undesirable.
“Did you just say something?” So breathless, she almost didn’t recognize the words coming out of her mouth. She slid onto his thigh, her body not forgetting the feel of his rigid cock for one second.
“Sounds like to me like one lucky lady is enjoying her dinner,” he spoke, tracing the shell of her ear with his lips and spanned a large hand over her midriff.
It’s getting super nova fucking hot in here. I am out of my league with this man.
She hurriedly tossed a bite into his mouth, afraid if she got any closer to him she’d embarrass herself. “Don’t be afraid, I don’t bite. Not on the first date, at least.” He hugged her closer.
But I want him to bite and so much more. She licked her lips. Her body burned for more than food. “What is that delicious aroma?”
“Mmm. I smell a sweet citrus dish. We have new food to taste.”
“Cesaire is like a ninja. Silent and quick.” He plied them with food and drink, but did not communicate often. “They aim to give us privacy, I guess. Open up,” Jonah said.
She obeyed, loving the order coming from him. Again she fantasized about his face, what it would be like to feel his lips ghosting over hers. Would he command her as he penetrated her? God, she could only hope.
Her nose twitched at the hot spice she couldn’t place. “Smells hot and sweet.”
“I’ll help you handle the heat, baby.” He occupied the fine line between arrogance and confidence, both refreshing and sexy. Cam parted her lips. Pineapple and grilled chicken curry flooded her taste buds. The citrus soothed the fire scorching her palette, but not the rest of her.
Chapter Two
The flames licking inside her were too much to take, along with his roaming hand. She leaned forward and grasped the chilled wine goblet as a lifeline. When he nudged her lips to take a second taste, she pressed them together, holding her finger up and then laughing because he couldn’t see it in the dark. She took a long cool sip, more from Jonah’s effect on her than the food. She licked her lips then tucked herself against him, momentarily satisfied.
“Better?
“Mmm.” Cam sighed. “When’s it your turn? I’m having all the fun.”
“I’m having a good time feeding you.”
“You’re not hungry?” In the dark, his heart pounded against her cheek. “I’m hungry, all right. Ravenous, even.” Jonah caressed her thigh. Cam had no doubt his eyes would scorch her to her very soul. His lazy trail along her skin left her smoldering in need. She let him ply her with another skewer to distract from the throb at the apex of her thighs. She sucked a piece of pineapple he held between his fingers. Juices trickled down her chin. He mopped the stream of liquid with the pad of his thumb and nosily sucked it off. Holy bananas, she wanted a taste of him now. Her mind kept rewinding to the feel of his finger parting her lips.
“I uh…need to use the ladies’ room.” Cam pressed the button on the table for assistance and slid off of Jonah’s lap and into her seat. Seconds later, her guide assisted her out of her chair and slid it back in.
“Here we go, Ms. Knox.”
She stepped awkwardly away from the table. Along the way, she heard soft sighs and giggles. Definitely some hard-core kissing action. The idea of giving in to the dark side and making out in public heightened her ardor. A loud bang startled her. She jumped, almost losing Cesaire’s grasp.
“Don’t worry Ms. Knox. Almost there.” A few more steps and he ushered her into a space where dim lighting burned her dilated pupils for a moment before her eyes adjusted. He sat on a lounge chair between two doors marked Men and Women. The dim glow brought her normal self-conscious thoughts raging forward. In the dark Jonah couldn’t see her physical flaws. Would that change once he saw the real her?
“Take your time. I’ll be here waiting when you’re finished.” Cesaire pulled her from her thoughts.
“This area is gorgeous.” Her gaze traveled over etched cherry wood paneling, dark leather chairs and low, occasional sitting tables. Leaving him behind, she slipped into the bathroom. At the far end, a woman dressed in a white blouse and black skirt sat at a table scattered with mints, perfume, small sample lipsticks, and revitalizing spray. “When you’re finished, let me know if you’d like a spritz.”
“Thank you for the offer. I think I’ll just use the facilities and rejoin my date.” Finished, she tucked her clutch under her arm and walked over to the sink to wash her hands. A flushed face surrounded by mussed hair stared back at her from the mirror. After a few deep breaths to bring her raging hormones under control, she unpinned her chignon, collected all the flyaway wisps and hurriedly worked her hairstyle back in place, slipping in the pins to secure it. Her mind flashed back to the rumble of Jonah’s voice, the erotic murmurs of other guests. Heat raged within her. She took one final look and exited the restroom, no more relieved than when she’d entered.
She’d fled to avoid planting a kiss on Jonah. She couldn’t place his nationality or ethnicity. The touch of his full lips had her envisioning a Greek god like Apollo, a Latin lover type, or a sweet bit of chocolate. Not the one-dimensional type she normally dated. She was sick of men who cared only about how a liaison with her could advance their political careers. For once it would be nice to have someone like her for who she was, not for her family’s status.
“Ready?”
“Oh. Yes. I’m sorry.” Cesaire tucked her arm into his, and it was safe to be on the move again into the obsidian interior.
“You should be proud of yourself.” His sweet words brought a smile to her face. Gone was the not-gonna-admit-to-being-frightened woman. The experience was too exhilarating to dissect. Groans of pleasure pulsated around her. They must be passing the lovers making out again. Cesaire chuckled as he whisked them to her table in record time.
“I have a message for you.” Cesaire helped her into her seat and passed her a folded card.
She opened it and laughed. “We’re in the dark. How am I supposed to see this?” She ran her fingers over the intricate raised dots on the sheet of heavy paper.
“It’s in Braille.” How cool, only I don’t know how to read it.
“Yes, it is. I wanted you to experience it for yourself. Now let me tell you what the message says.” Cesaire lifted the page from her grasp. “Hmmm. ‘Mr. Dawson, Ms. Knox, I hope by now you are having a delightful evening. There are times when people get in their own way on a quest for happiness and completion. Do not clutter up a beautiful start to a perfect night with oversharing. Enjoy the sweetness of life and let the chips fall where they may.’” Cesaire wrapped her fingers around the note, and she slipped it into her pocket—a cryptic memento. “And with that, I will leave you to sample your pleasures.”
A clink of china heralded the arrival of the next course, and a slender stick was pressed into her hand. “Dragon fruit, to cleanse your taste buds,” Yet another server. Does every male working here possess a tone meant to seduce? Cam sighed, eating the exotic treat. Refreshing.
“I love the sounds you make while eating.” Jonah linked his fingers with hers and drew her out of her seat. “Why don’t we pick up where we left off?”
“With me hogging all the food again?”
“No, with you eating out of my hand.” His tone moved from husky to comedic and she covered her mouth to suppress her involuntary bark of laughter. He tug
ged her onto his lap, the controlled jerk of her body to his eliciting a gasp of air from her lungs. His raw power and magnetizing presence left her a bit loopy. “Oh,” she managed to half-ass respond. Being locked in the dark with a sexy stranger was the stuff of fantasies. Except she was living it. “So how about that dessert?”
The sexy man responded by shifting her almost completely into him. She braced her palm on his chest, making sure she maintained distance from his cock.
“I think you’ll like this.”
“How do you know what you’re feeding me?”
“Shhh. I just do.”
“Now open up.” Familiar words. She expected a chocolate covered strawberry or some exotic, orgasm-inducing piece of candy. Instead, her tongue closed around crisp pastry filled with strawberries, pomegranate, and some unidentifiable exotic tangy fruit she couldn’t place, in a crème sauce to die for. Scrumptious. She chewed slowly, the flavors bursting in her mouth.
“Ready for more?”
“What I really want is a kiss.”
Firm lips closed over hers, persuaded her to give in to his demanding touch. He swept in, teasing her to distraction.
Cam pressed into him, tangled with his tongue, and fell into heaven as he kissed the hell out of her. She pulled back, breathless. “More.”
“You taste sweet, like the berries you just ate.” Jonah deliciously assaulted her for a second kiss, demanding entry. Her cunt pulsated in want, she groaned and ground her pelvis over him. He woke a somnolent need within her. One she hadn’t given freedom in a long time. She’d never wanted anyone so badly. Her skirt shoved up to her hips, she unbuckled his belt, not caring where they were.
He muttered some indiscernible phrase and stilled her hands. “Cam, when I take you, and I will, it will happen in a place where I can see every glorious inch of you, not here in the dark, like this.” He placed a kiss at her collar bone and tugged her skirt down.
“I’m s-sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” She mentally kicked herself for her brazen behavior. The rest of her apology fled and mortification kicked in.
“I believe you’ve had enough dessert. What say we move onto the next part of our date?”
“I’m pretty full.” She’d had one bite of the delicious pastry, yet she agreed. For once her appetite for food took a back seat to another, more erotic desire. She rejoiced he simply meant not here and wanted to continue things later, but her frenzied need clamored for satisfaction. Struggling for control, she murmured, “That sounds perfectly fine.” She clicked the button for assistance, then jumped when Jonah nuzzled her neck and lightly bit.
“I thought we were having a cool down moment?” What mixed signals. She clicked her teeth in agitation.
“Forgive me. You smell so damn good, I wanted another taste.” No man had ever said things like that to her. He had the power to break through her reserve to drive her to forget decorum. No, her mother wouldn’t be proud of that. But then, her mother wasn’t there.
She shivered as his lips reached the sensitive hollow of her throat and lingered. “I didn’t spill anything sweet there.”
“Trust me, you didn’t have to.”
“Yes, Ms. Knox?” Cesaire, answering her request for assistance. What timing.
Cam didn’t want to end their unique rendezvous, but she so badly wanted to discover Jonah by sight. She’d already mapped his torso with her fingertips while straddling his lap, an extremely sensual way to get to know someone. She also wondered what he’d think of her appearance. Would he be pleased or turned off?
“We’re ready to leave, Cesaire. Thank you for your excellent service.” Jonah slipped his fingers into hers, drawing her into his side. She held onto their host’s arm on the other side. As they navigated the maze, she squeezed Jonah’s hand. Soon, very soon they’d be face to face.
“Please stop for a moment,” Jonah said. “I can’t wait to see you, Camilla.” He released her and stepped back. “I have an idea. I will find you in fifteen minutes. Go on ahead.”
“How will you know me?”
“Trust me, I’ll find you.”
So sure of himself. If he wanted to play hunting games, she was up for it. “All right. I’ll be waiting.” Cam let Cesaire lead her away. “Oh, and Jonah?”
“Hmm?”
She tilted her head in the direction of his reply. “Don’t be late.”
Chapter Three
Jonah blocked out the hum of conversation buzzing around him, searching for his date. After a few passes through the area he found her. To make certain, he walked past her a third time after inhaling her unique perfume. She muttered something under her breath. Impatient? The sound made him smile. He took a long good look at the Latina beauty with flawless olive skin. While he admired her classic elegance, if he’d not had the pleasure of dining with her, she wouldn’t have been on his radar. He rarely dated outside of his African American ethnicity or anyone as conservative as Camilla.
She tapped her fingers on the bar, scanning the crowd in every direction. His cock hardened when the sight of her long legs drove a spike of lust through his being. He wanted to muss up her appearance to fit with the fun he’d had during their dining adventure. Christ’s blood, he itched to pull the pins out of her hair. No doubt she’d spent her entire fifteen minutes away from him repairing the damage from their make-out session in the dark. Too much makeup adorned a flawless face, making him wonder what caused her to hide beneath the layers of cosmetics. He wanted to shake that perfection loose, to make her lose that untouchable air, to find her vulnerability and really see her as he had in the dark. He longed to fist his fingers though her raven tresses, ached to mold his hands around her ample breasts—span his hands over her thick hips and drive into her. She fidgeted, moved to smooth a knee-length skirt not designed to seduce, but which did nonetheless. During dinner he’d wanted nothing more than to indulge in a hedonistic fantasy—to let go, shove the dishes to the floor and take her right there in the velvet darkness with food adorning her body instead of clothing. Self-discipline got in his way…always got in his way.
He damned Madame Eve for making him want something he couldn’t have long term. A beautiful creature like Cam wouldn’t be interested in the type of man he was.
A promise…was a promise and true to his word, he’d try to be open to more with her—to give her a chance to accept him. He continued to stare at the way she moved, her habit of touching the nape of her neck. The more he took in her voluptuous body, the more he sensed he’d seen her before. They’d uploaded vague profiles. Cam listed no dating habits. An intriguing element he found mysterious and appealing, yet he still believed pursuing a future with her would be fruitless. He didn’t share the same optimism as his friends who’d found themselves life-mates from Madame’s services.
The dance floor cleared once the music changed to a fast upbeat song. With five minutes to spare, he was tempted to take his time, even be a minute late, just to see a spark of delightful temper. Fire and Ice. Two words to sum her up. He gave in to his eagerness to rejoin her and pressed his way through the throng of people separating them.
She sat on the left side of the bar, a hand resting on the next stool. Saving it for him, he dared to hope. “Camilla?” She craned her neck to the side, instead of turning her body. A shame, since he was dying to take in the full front view of his sexy date. “So we meet again. I’m Jonah Dawson.” He eased onto the stool next to her and looked into her shocked face.
“Hi.” Her soft tone didn’t match the eyes scoping him out. Most called him a lumbering giant for his height and lean build. He let her look her fill while he drank in her lush beauty. Her smile lit her warm, brown eyes.
“Have you ordered yet?”
“No. I was waiting for you.” A small crinkle in her brow enchanted him. “I have been thinking about visiting Perfect Ink. I’ve never seen been inside a tattoo parlor. I can’t believe there’s one here in the resort.”
“There’s also a spa, boutique, an
d horse and buggy ride.”
“I’m more interested in Perfect Ink though.” Pure seduction. She reminded him of the local radio host’s throaty voice during her love song segment.
“By all means, then, let me lead you there.”
“Really?” Excitement illuminated her face. “I’m sure this isn’t how you envisioned picking up where we left off.”
“It’s all good, Cam.” Shortening her name again felt right because of her sweet smile. “We have plenty of time to take things to the next level. You know what’d make me happy right now?” He paused to garner her attention.
“What?” Jonah watched her face change from a poised composure to panic stricken.
“Take your hair down.”
Questioning eyes gazed into his. Her face blushed a heady pink hue, her eyes wide as saucers. “Why would you want to see that?”
“Humor me, please.”
She began to systematically pluck out the pins. He waited for what seemed forever, and then thick black tresses fell into a curtain of silk about her face. Fuck, he wanted to sink his hands into every glorious lock.
“It’s really thick and too straight to do much with and only tamed when held hostage by a few packs of pins. She opened her handbag and dropped the pins inside.
When she hopped off the stool, Jonah rose and interlocked their fingers. He grinned, looking down on her. “I like it down.”
“Oh, thanks.” Her smile reached her twinkling eyes. Good, she liked the compliment. Whoever had advised her to wind all that up was an idiot.
“Do you have a tattoo in mind?”
“Me? Um. I don’t know maybe.” They walked across the lobby in perfect sync.
“Does your job prevent you from having one?”
“Yes. No. I mean we aren’t supposed to be talking about our professional lives. Right?”
“I forgot.” He forced himself to take measured steps instead of his long stride so she wouldn’t have to run to keep up with him.
“The bartender handed me a note that told me….to embrace change and live out at least two fantasies.” She took a step-hop to catch up and he slowed a little more. “What are your fantasies?”