“That flutter in your tummy when you look at me? That tingling sensation that shoots across your skin when I touch you?” He nodded. “You’re a very attractive man, Daniel, but I think it would probably be best if we just called it a night.” He nodded slowly in agreement. I turned to head for the door to my apartment building, when Daniel reached out and grabbed my arm.
“Wait,” he said. When I turned to face him, he dropped his hand from my arm “Look, I already have a reservation. As a friend, won’t you please join me for dinner?” he asked, sounding hopeful.
Standing there for much longer than I should have just staring into his eyes, I was surprised to realize that I really did enjoy spending time with him. He really was a great guy even if I was not attracted to him in that way. “As a friend, I’d love to join for you dinner.” He smiled and led me over to a slick-looking sports car parked in front of my building.
***
It was a quick, short drive to our destination on Fourth Avenue in downtown. My heart sank just a bit when we pulled up to The Capital Grille. I know I haven’t been in Seattle for long, but I knew this place was known for its romantic setting and fine selection of steaks and seafood. Obviously, Daniel had been planning on wining and dining me this evening. When I glanced over at him, he gave me a sheepish look and a little shrug of his shoulders.
Once we exited the car, he held his arm out to me. Smiling, I threaded my arm through his as we headed into the restaurant.
The young woman behind the hostess stand perked up when she saw Daniel and me approaching. She stood a little straighter and stuck her chest out a little further. I kept from rolling my eyes at her.
“Good evening, Mr. Hugh,” she said, happily greeting him by name.
I looked up at him in surprise, but he refused to look at me. Obviously he must come here often.
“Good evening, Diana.” He flashed her a killer smile and I swear she swayed a little while looking at him dreamily. I chuckled and she snapped her eyes to me. Giving me a less than sincere smile, she focused back on Daniel. “Reservation for two,” he said, looking at her expectantly.
“Uh, yes, Mr. Hugh. Your usual table?” She asked as she gathered menus.
“Yes, that will be fine,” he said, sounding a bit embarrassed. Well, just how often does Mr. Hugh come here and with whom?
As she led us through the restaurant, I took in the opulent surroundings. The walls, tables, and chairs were a rich mahogany. The floor was covered in an Oriental-patterned carpet that felt thick and plush under my feet. Lavish, life-sized portraits of famous Seattle figures such as Jimi Hendrix hung from the mahogany-paneled walls while large, antlered stag heads hung from the staggered mahogany columns. Huge round lights hung from vaulted ceilings and small lamps on each table provided a soft, warm glow throughout the place.
I frowned at a small group of ladies sitting at the bar. They were all dressed in expensive-looking designer dresses and they seemed quite interested in Daniel’s arrival. They did not conceal the hungry looks they were giving him even when they made eye contact with me, causing me to slow down a bit as we headed toward our table.
I felt Daniel gently pull on my arm. When I turned to look at him, his face blanched when he noticed the ladies at the bar. Turning back to me, he gave me a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes, causing my suspicions to rise. Who were those women and just how well did they know Daniel?
The hostess stopped at a table tucked in the back of the restaurant near some private dining rooms. Several of the tables were occupied near the front of the restaurant, but I quickly noticed that all the tables within our vicinity were conveniently empty, including the private dining rooms. This was Daniel’s usual spot? Secluded in the back of the restaurant? Interesting.
He pulled my chair out for me and pushed me in as I sat down. I was handed a four-paged, poster-sized menu that was rather intimidating. The wine list was extensive, taking up more pages than the actual menu. Daniel must have realized I was getting a bit overwhelmed. His hand pushed my menu done and I was met with twinkling blue eyes.
“Allow me?” He nodded toward the menu and it did not take long for me to realize that he was asking if it was okay for him to order for me.
Feeling relieved, I smiled and nodded at him. “Yes, please.”
A handsome young man with a roguish smile dressed all in black with a long white apron tied around his waist approached our table. I was surprised to see him carrying two wine glasses and a bottle of opened wine. When he too greeted Daniel by name, mentioning that he brought him the usual, my eyes snapped to Daniel, who again refused to look at me.
The young man proceeded to place the wine glasses in front of us and poured the wine. Daniel tasted it and nodded his approval then he rattled off our order to our waiter. My mouth watered as he rambled off the prawn cocktail as our starter to be followed by the Caesar salad, and then the filet mignon with the grilled asparagus and Parmesan truffle fries as our main course.
As soon as our waiter disappeared, Daniel finally met my eyes. “So, you obviously come here often,” I said. His cheeks reddened and he actually looked embarrassed.
“Yes. My mother and I frequently bring clients here and often use the small private dining room for meetings,” he said smoothly. Way too smoothly. As if it was practiced. My suspicions of Daniel possibly being a man whore were on the rise.
Immediately following our appetizer and salads, Daniel looked over my shoulder and frowned. Before I could turn around, he stood, placing his napkin on the table. “Excuse me a moment,” he mumbled.
I turned to find him walking toward two of the women from the bar that appeared to be making their way over to us. As he began talking, they peered over his shoulder to look at me. They frowned and focused back on Daniel and the conversation seemed to get a bit heated, causing my hackles to rise and I started putting two and two together. It was at that moment when I felt my phone buzz in my clutch that was resting in my lap. It was Jake.
Jake: How’s dinner going?
Ember: I’m being lavishly wined and dined by an apparent professional.
Jake: Explain.
I had to chuckle at his immediate response, picturing the scowl that was no doubt gracing his face at this moment.
Ember: I’ll explain when I get back. Relax, Jake. I’m fine. ;)
As soon as I put my phone back in my clutch, Daniel returned to the table.
“I’m sorry about that,” he mumbled, bending to take his seat.
“Who were they?” I asked, watching him intently as his movements faltered while lowering himself into his seat. He paused for a moment too long. You could see the wheels turning in his mind as he tried to come up with a logical answer.
“They’re just friends of my mothers,” he said, unable to look me in the eye.
The lying bastard. I cannot believe I had Daniel pegged wrong. He was nothing but a lying womanizer. I am so glad that I never had feelings for this man, because they would have been crushed over this realization. Needing a moment alone, I excused myself to the ladies room.
As I walked through the restaurant, my steps faltered slightly as a familiar exotic and spicy scent assaulted my nose. Pausing, I quickly glanced around at the other occupants, but that gorgeous, dimpled man was nowhere in sight. Continuing on to the ladies room, I groaned in frustration. I had to be going crazy if I thought I smelled Evan in places now.
I reached the ladies room and pushed the door open. I had barely taken one step into the room when I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist. His arm pulled my back into his front and he held me there tightly as he walked us further into the room. Not frightened by it this time, a huge smile spread across my face at the familiar touch. The spicy scent of his cologne combined with a scent that was all male filled my nose as his head dove for my neck. Burying his face in my hair, I closed my eyes as he inhaled deeply before letting out a shaky breath.
“Fucking hell, woman. You always smell so incredible,” he said
softly. His hot breath sweeping across my ear caused goose bumps to bloom across my skin.
“Do you have a thing for the ladies room, because I’ve got to admit that’s kinda kinky, don’t you think?” I said jokingly. Pulling his head back, he took his free hand and swept my hair off my neck. I struggled to control my breathing as he dragged his nose up my neck, inhaling deeply.
“What are you talking-” A deep, husky laugh suddenly escaped him, rumbling against my back. The feeling of his lips on my neck as they curved into a smile made my knees go weak. “I know I have a thing for you, baby. But the first time I have you, it will not be in some ladies room like a sordid affair. You’re much too special to be treated in such a way. When I claim you as mine, and you will be mine, it will be in my bed where I can worship your body with mine for hours,” he said huskily. I think I just melted into a puddle of goo on the ladies room floor.
Before I could respond, he spun me around and grabbed my face in his big, warm hands. He was as tall as Jake, if not taller, and his long fingers swallowed up my face, curling around to cradle the back of my head.
Bending down to meet my eyes, I stared into his brilliant greens filled with lust. For me. It was a heady feeling knowing I was the cause of that look. As if he could not resist anymore, he smashed his lips onto mine. His tongue dove into my mouth, claiming me completely.
My hands wrapped around his biceps tightly when he began to walk me backwards into the room blindly. He was forced to stop when my back bumped into what felt like the counter. I gasped breaking the kiss, but his lips only dove down to my neck, biting and sucking softly.
“What are you….oh my god.” His lips were velvet soft on my skin while the rough amount of stubble he had brushed against my neck. The combination of soft and scratchy felt like heaven. “What are…..mmm.” Closing my eyes, I reveled in the feel of him on me. “What are you doing here?” I asked in a rush, finally able to get all the words out.
He broke away and gazed down at me with hooded eyes, running his massive hands down my neck, shoulders, the length of my arms, and onto my hips. “I just got done having dinner at the bar and was coming out of the men’s room when I saw you getting ready to enter the ladies room.” His hands drifted down to my thighs and gripped the hem of my dress, bunching it up to the tops of my thighs. Without breaking eye contact with me, he lifted me up by the waist and set me down on the counter in-between the sinks.
As I sat perched on the edge of the counter, he stepped closer, pressing himself into me. My hands flexed on his thick biceps as I felt the hard ridge of his arousal press into my core. Desire for this handsome man flashed through me as quick as a lightning bolt as a dull ache began to build in my core. Cupping my bottom, he held me close to him.
Just staring into each other’s eyes, I watched as his pupils dilated and the green darkened. Our breaths were quickly turning into pants as my desire for him was reaching a fever pitch.
Unable to take it any longer, I wrapped my hands around his neck and pulled his mouth back to mine roughly, forcing a grunt of approval from Evan. He swallowed my moans as our tongues tangled frantically.
We were so absorbed in each other that neither one of us heard the older woman enter the ladies room until she let out a loud gasp, causing us to break our kiss. Pushing him away from me, I jumped off the counter and ran my hands down my dress to straighten it back into place. I could feel my face heat with embarrassment while I tried in vain to get my breathing under control.
“Oh my god. What am I doing? This isn’t me,” I mumbled, completely horrified by what I almost did in a public place. Without another thought, I bolted out of the ladies room, leaving a bewildered-locking Evan behind.
Dashing through the restaurant, I made my way towards Daniel. I could just imagine how awful I must look with my eyes wide and my flushed face. The smile on Daniel’s face quickly faded as I reached the table.
“Ember, are you all right?” he asked, jumping up from his seat.
“Yes, I’m fine. I just…I just need to go. I’m sorry.” I tried to quickly grab my cardigan off the back of the chair, but his hand covered mine gripping tightly. My eyes snapped up to his.
“Listen, Ember, I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have brought you here if I had known they would be here.” He glanced over my shoulder in the direction of the bar. As I turned around, I saw the women from earlier shooting daggers at me once again. “I’m sure you probably think I’m nothing but a womanizer, but it’s not what you think.”
He thinks I am offended because of those women? Obviously, they are not friends of his mothers like he originally said or worse they are and he has been intimate with them anyway. Something happened between them or he would not be concerned with them being here or calling himself a womanizer. My suspicions were just confirmed.
I turned back to him with narrowed eyes. “My current state has nothing to do with you or those women at the bar, but thank you.” He frowned at me. “You just confirmed my suspicions that you are nothing but a lying womanizer.” Ripping my hand out from under his, I pulled my cardigan off the back of the chair. “And don’t lie to me. It’s exactly what I think,” I said before storming out of the restaurant.
As I made my way to the door, I could feel the eyes of those women at the bar still on me. The daggers they were shooting at me caused the hair on the nape of my neck to rise. I paused, making eye contact with each one of them. “He’s all yours, ladies,” I hollered, pointing in Daniel’s direction. “Have fun.”
Stepping out onto the sidewalk, I closed my eyes for several minutes. Lifting my face up into the cool, moist air, I took several deep breaths. As I stood there wondering how the hell I was going to get home, the deep, throaty rumble that could only come for a motorcycle came ripping down the street and stopped right in front of me.
Opening my eyes, I found a black Ducati stopped at the curb. The leather-clad man sitting on the bike had his face hidden behind a helmet with a black visor. His head was turned in my direction. Removing his hands form the handlebars, he sat up straight in the seat and flipped his visor up. My eyes widened at the familiar emerald eyes staring back at me.
“You need a ride, beautiful?” He gave me a half smile, causing a deep dimple to pop out and wink at me. I stared open-mouthed for several seconds before I shook my head at him. “Come on. Let me take you home,” he said, holding his hand out to me.
“I don’t see a spare helmet.” He rolled his eyes at me and I turned to walk down the street. The bike rumbled as he accelerated a little to catch up with me.
“Come on, Ember. Let me take you home,” he yelled over the growl of the bike. I kept walking, ignoring him. “Please,” he begged shamelessly. “I’ll even give you my helmet.”
Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I could hear his leather jacket creaking as he moved. When I turned to look at him, he had his helmet removed and was holding it out to me. A glorious smile was on his face with those damn dimples on full display.
Stepping forward, I reached for the helmet much like you would approach a wild animal: hesitantly and with extreme caution. Grabbing my arm, he pulled me in close to him, causing me to yelp as he took the helmet from my hands. “Come here. I won’t bite. Well, not unless you want me to.” He gave me a dimple-filled, cheeky smile. “Let me help you,” he said softly, securing the helmet on my head. The intoxicating smell of him was so strong inside the helmet. I closed my eyes and inhaled it deeply, taking his delicious scent into me.
When he flipped the visor up, my eyes sprung open. He paused for a moment, giving me a funny look. I had been caught. “You smell incredible,” I said, shrugging my shoulders.
Shaking his head, he gave me a wink and a half smile before doling out instructions on where to safely step to climb onto the bike. “Grab onto my shoulder, place your foot here, and swing your leg around.”
I hiked my dress more than halfway up my thighs and caught Evan staring at my legs with rapt
attention. Smiling to myself, I placed my foot where he told me. Putting my hand on his leather-clad shoulder, I swung my leg around careful not to flash my panties to those on the street.
He turned his face in my direction. “Have you ever been on a bike before?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. You know to lean into the turns then. Where am I going?”
Shit. I’m going to have to give him my address. I had not thought this through. “Pioneer Square. The complex in front of CenturyLink Field on Occidental,” I said before flipping the visor back down.
He nodded indicating he heard me. “Wrap your arms around my waist and hang on.”
I hesitated for only a moment before doing as he said, linking my hands together low around his waist. He reeved the engine a couple of times and then we were off.
Squeezing my thighs tightly against his legs, I peered over his shoulder as he flew through the streets of Seattle. My whole body vibrated as the engine rumbled beneath me. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest at the excitement of flying through the streets or maybe it was just because I was snuggled up behind Evan. Either way, it was exhilarating. I found myself wishing I lived farther away so I could prolong this. But all too soon, we pulled up and stopped in front of my building.
I carefully stepped off the bike and straightened my dress. Evan reached over and grabbed my arm to pull me close to him. Reaching up, he undid the helmet and lifted it off my head. I could not remove the huge smile that was stuck on my face. He smiled in response, momentarily stunning me with his gorgeous features and flashing those damn, deep dimples.
“Did you enjoy that?” he asked. I nodded enthusiastically in response. “You can straddle my bike anytime,” his said, his voice all husky. I could feel my face flush.
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