by Ellie Danes
“I work for a marketing firm, hardly boardroom material. Jennifer’s the one with the top floor experience.” I could tell Aimee was putting her marketing spin on me, trying to sell me off to Cain. It seemed to be working.
He leaned forward in his chair and took a sip from his Crown and Ginger. “Really? Tell me more.”
I reached over and touched the sleeve of his starched shirt; I couldn’t help myself. “No cheating, Cain. That’s not fair.”
Aimee’s eyes widened. “Hey…my lips are sealed. No more info from me, Cain. You’ll have to unwrap her on your own.”
Cain chuckled. “I look forward to that.” He reached over, gently touching my fingers. Electricity flowed through my body. I wanted to feel his hands elsewhere. I couldn’t help myself. I pulled my hand away and glanced around the room. I had to find something—anything—to take my mind off of the situation.
I wasn’t used to this kind of attention; I didn’t know how to respond. But I promised myself that I would just let things happen. The music changed and I found myself somewhat moving to the rhythm. I smiled. “ I love this song.”
Without a word, Cain was standing beside me, pulling me to the small dance floor in the center of Tarrant’s. I couldn’t argue, nor did I really want to. The music throbbed through me. Cain’s firm, fit body pressed against mine ever so gently. Is this really happening?
Cain placed his large hand on my waist, slowly leading, pulling me toward him and pushing me where he wanted me to go. He was smooth, and it was obvious he knew what he was doing. Like two parts of a machine, we synced together quickly, and for someone so muscular, Cain moved with sensual confidence.
“Is this OK?” Cain pulled back just far enough for our eyes to meet. He waited for my answer.
“Perfect.” I smiled, and realized my guard was finally completely down. It felt good.
Amber lights fell around us and he pulled me closer. His eyes watched me and I could see the smile on his face. I smiled back, my dark hair swinging softly to our movement, rubbing against his hand. I breathed him in. I wondered how I was doing—it had been a long time since I had danced with anyone.
My uncertainty must have shown on my face. Cain leaned toward me and I waited for the kiss. Instead he whispered in my ear, his voice low and husky, his breath tickling it. “You’re doing great.”
I looked him fully in his chiseled face, with an attempt to exude the same confidence he did. “And so are you.”
Another deadly smile spread across his fine features. I was in over my head and I didn’t care. At least for the moment. The song ended and some tune from the 80s called to the crowd while we retreated to our table.
Aimee had left, again, leaving an empty glass behind and a smiley face drawn on a napkin. Her timing is always impeccable. I can’t say that I was disappointed, even though Cain and I didn’t have much to say, other than some small talk about the music, the people, and the food.
I didn’t want another drink, I wanted another dance. I opted for an alternative diversion. “Okay, I give. Tell me one thing I should know about you.”
He looked at me intently, his blue eyes piercing mine. “Only if you promise not to ‘observe’ me and just listen. I have enough observers in my world.”
I showed him the Girl Scout sign. “Scout’s honor.”
Cain thought for a moment. “I daydream during meetings.”
I laughed, even though I promised myself I wouldn’t do that. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t what I was expecting at all.”
Cain chuckled. “I’m full of surprises. Now you.”
I took a sip from my drink. I tried to think of something exciting, enticing, daring. “I always wanted to surf but can’t get the balance right. I mostly fall.”
He shook his head. “I don’t believe that for a second. You’re so fit, athletic. I bet you’ve just never had the right teacher. Maybe that’s something we can work on together.” A sly smile swept across his face.
“Oh, you surf?” He didn’t look like the surfing type, although I could easily picture his well-defined body in a small swimsuit.
“I told you. I’m full of surprises. I lived on the west coast for a while and I taught myself to surf. It was a way for me to unwind. It’s very relaxing.”
For a second I could see him reaching for his memories. His eyes faded off to my left. The instinct to observe was overwhelming and I had to force myself to stop.
“I still have a house there. Maybe sometime we could…” He left the statement hanging and waited for my reaction.
“Maybe…” It was all I could get out.
Cain glanced at his watch. “Well, I know tomorrow is Saturday, but I have a meeting in the morning.”
I leaned in close to him flirtatiously. “And so you need something to daydream about?”
His smile disappeared and I could see his dark blue eyes focusing on my lips. I hoped he would kiss me, but we just stayed there, close, neither of us moving.
Slowly I whispered. “I guess I should go too…”
Tarrant’s was packed and we hadn’t gotten a few feet before our waitress was cleaning the table for another small group of friends.
“I’ll walk you. Which way are you parked?”
I pointed and we walked into the balmy evening. I pointed to my white BMW. “Here I am.”
I fumbled for my keys, lost somewhere in the bottom of my purse. My hair blew on the evening breeze, whipping around my face. I felt his hand on my elbow, gently turning me to him. He put his other hand under my chin and tilted it up. I drew myself close to him, still clinging to my purse and my keys.
I felt his breath, sweet and warm on my skin, and his full, warm lips pressed against mine firmly. My arms reached for his and I pushed my body full length against his hard contours. The kiss was fire, the embrace gasoline.
It was a long, deep kiss that made my body flush with excitement. Cain knew how to kiss. For a moment after, we paused, staring at one another. I didn’t say anything, just hit the unlock button on the car and walked quickly around to the passenger side.
Jennifer, what are you doing? I struggled with what I was about to do, but the desire was too much for me to hold back.
Cain climbed in the driver’s seat and reached for me like a starving man. “Cain,” I couldn’t help but whisper. His lips were on mine again, seeking and hungry. My hands pulled on his crisp shirt, wishing I could feel his skin next to mine. I kicked off my shoes, cleared the console and climbed on top of him. It was a bold move, but I wanted this.
My hair fell around us and his hands dove in my curls, searching for my face. He guided me where he wanted me to go. His hands were on my face, neck and finally under my shirt. His strong hands gently kneaded my breasts as I slid my hands inside of his shirt. He felt great. Wonderful, actually.
I felt his hardness beneath me and I pressed against him. His hands turned my head slightly, exposing my neck to his warm kisses. I reached for his belt, knowing all of this was so wrong. Suddenly, the alarm on a nearby car went off and we froze, like guilty teenagers. The moment demanded a pause and it was probably good that we did. I came very close to having him in my car.
With a nervous laugh, I moved my hair away from my face and smiled at him.
Cain smiled back. He took a slow, deliberate breath. “Have dinner with me tomorrow night.”
I nodded, without any regrets. He gently kissed me again, and carefully opened the door, sliding out from underneath me and gently placing me in the driver’s seat. “Until tomorrow.” He smiled and closed the door without giving me time for a response.
I started the car and slowly drove away, watching him slowly fade into the washed out lights of the parking lot. It was a night to remember.
Chapter Eight
Saturday morning began with an unexpected visit from Aimee. She plopped a bag on the table and the smell of freshly baked treats wafted into the air. “Here you go! Blueberry muffins from Pearl’s, and coffee.”
My ha
ir was piled on top of my head and my traditional weekend attire of a disheveled tank top and pajama pants equally matched the way I felt. “Thank you. Exactly what I need, right now. I’m feeling the effects of last night a bit.” I skipped the muffin and went straight for the coffee.
“So, you obviously made it home last night. Did you have company?” Aimee sat cross-legged on the comfy couch, hanging on my every word.
I didn’t play coy. “Nope. Home alone.” I smiled and held back a bit.
“Dammit, Jennifer! Tell me! It’s finally my turn to hear a good story.”
I told her everything from start to finish, not leaving out a detail.
“Damn, he’s gorgeous and such a great dancer. If you’d have asked me, I’d say nobody who looks like him should be able to dance like that.” Her eyes were large with amazement.
“You’re right, he’s too perfect.” I sipped on my coffee, thinking about his kisses—his perfect kisses.
“I didn’t say that at all. I just said he was gorgeous and a great dancer. Jennifer, don’t you dare kick him to the curb. You have a date at… what time did you say, seven?” She was already on her feet, looking in my closet. “Oh no, we’ve got to shopping. All that’s in here is work clothes. Come on, get dressed.”
I put my cup down and went to the closet to protest, but Aimee was right. There was nothing to be found but boring office-wear. It had been too long since I went date night shopping.
“Get dressed, we’re hitting some boutiques. It’s time to get you something sexy.” Aimee was way too excited for this early in the morning.
“Look, I’ll throw on some clothes, but I’m not getting glamorous. Let’s just a hit a few stores.” Deep down I knew I needed to look sexy. I wanted him to want me more than he did last night. More than he had ever wanted anyone.
Half way through our shopping session, I was ready to call off the date. Everything Aimee picked out showed way too much skin. Everything I felt comfortable wearing didn’t show enough. I wasn’t a prude, but I certainly didn’t want to look like a slut.
“Jennifer, you have to stop dressing to please your dad and start dressing to please men. You’re sexy. Fit. Show it off, already. Give him just enough to want more.”
Aimee was right. In her own way, she made me realize how screwed up I’d become over the last few years. Between my dad and then Christopher, I was a mess.
“I’m going to hate myself for this, Aimee, but let’s go with black one.” I smiled at my decision. It was the complete opposite of anything I would ever have picked, but I knew it would turn heads. Especially Cain’s.
“You’ve got that silver chain with the sapphire pendant, that’s perfect.”
I agreed with her. There wasn’t any use in arguing, anyway. Aimee always seemed to make the right choices. She was much more stylish than the conservative way I was raised.
By the time we made it home, somewhere around 2pm, I was tired and ready to cuddle up with my laptop. My date wasn’t until seven, and I had plenty of time to kill. It occurred to me again that if I had bothered to ask Cain his last name, I could have unearthed any skeletons he had in just a few minutes.
I was shocked and appalled that I had been kissing a guy who I only knew by one name. I moved that question to the top of my mental checklist of “things I should know about you.” I guess I had been so caught up in the mystery woman game that I hadn’t bothered to ask. Instead of snooping on Cain, I checked personal emails, visited a few of my favorite blogs and clicked on the tiny heart icon on my desktop. It was a notification from The Arena, letting me know that someone had been watching my profile.
I’m ashamed to admit that I was a little excited to see that. I had gone from no love life to jumping in with both feet. I clicked on the icon that took me to the website. I spent the next hour flipping through profiles, silently mocking the faces that went there looking for love. The thought occurred to me that I was one of those people. I didn’t know what to think about myself or The Arena crowd. Well, Jennifer, you’re one step closer to not being part of this crowd if Cain turns out to be a real gentleman.
I quietly laughed at the idea. Me and Cain. It was the last thing I was looking for, and the last thing I had ever wanted; I was so caught up in my work and proving myself to my father, running away from my past. Cain’s presence hit me like a blast of cold air after walking out of my cozy apartment.
I closed the laptop and my eyes. I remembered how he felt beneath me in the car. How strong his hands were on my back, holding my waist. The way he slowly and gently tilted my chin upward to meet his full, soft lips. I smiled and slipped into a dream.
Oh goodness! The afternoon had gotten away from me and I woke up shaking. I realized I was already running late for the date I didn’t want, but wanted more than I could ever imagine.
I headed to the shower and heated up my straighteners—I was going for chic and sleek tonight.
Once I finished my shower and shave session, I dried off and searched for my long-neglected lingerie, stuffed in the back of a drawer. Instead of remembering Christopher, I thought of Cain. Big, strong, masculine Cain. The thought of him seeing what I was picking out made me excited.
I was wearing black tonight, but I wanted to feel sexy. I reached for a sapphire blue bra and panty set made from satin and lace. I loved the way the set fitted my body; I knew I looked a million bucks. I spent days in the gym and hours running, always for myself. Now someone else was going to see the hard work I had put in. Oh yeah, I’m wearing this.
I looked at myself in the mirror; it was like looking at a stranger. The same blue eyes stared back at me. The slightly upturned nose, the same dark eyebrows that tended to get unruly if I ignored them for a few days. Nothing different, except for one thing: I was smiling. Wow, definitely new.
I climbed into my car, catching a lingering whiff of Cain’s cologne. I loved the way he smelled. I drove to the restaurant and left my car with the valet. It was my first time at the city’s newest fine dining restaurant, Noja, and I was quite excited. It had been a long time since I had ordered a meal that wasn’t passed to me through a drive thru window. Mostly, I cooked small meals for myself and tried to eat as healthy as my moods allowed me.
My heels clacked across the lobby of the restaurant and I gripped my black clutch as if it were a life preserver. The hostess, a tall thin woman with a smarmy attitude, asked for my name.
“Jennifer Dunning, I’m meeting…” Before I could finish she cut me off.
“Yes, he’s already here. This way, please.” The hostess strolled through the dim restaurant, leading me to Cain’s table.
I could see him watching my approach and I couldn’t help but take exaggerated strides, swinging my hips to show off my curves. My date stood to greet me, a broad grin on his face. “I’m so glad you came.” He slid the upholstered chair out from under the table.
“Did you think I wouldn’t?” If he only knew how many times I had reconsidered showing up.
Cain sat down next to me. His black suit hugged every line of his body; I couldn’t take my eyes off him. “You didn’t think about changing your mind, did you?”
I picked up the menu and pretended to read it. That must have amused him, because he laughed quietly. A white, unscented candle burned on the table and the accouterments sparkled and shone. Soft, classical music was playing somewhere, setting the ambience for an elegant, romantic evening. I couldn’t help but wish there were a dance floor nearby, and some peppier music. I longed to be close to him again.
“How was your meeting?” I nervously took a sip of water, trying to make small talk. All I could think about was undressing him. I wanted him more than I was willing to admit to anyone—even myself.
“Long and boring—but I had plenty to think about.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud and he smiled with me.
“I see. Daydreaming again, were you?” I tried to pick up from where we left off the night before. I hoped he remembered. “Which part did you think
about most?” I felt strangely confident but truthfully, only to a certain degree.
Cain leaned across the table. “The part when you climbed into my lap.” His dark blue eyes fixed on mine and then he softened. “What about you? Did you think about me at all?”
I hesitated for a moment. “That’s why I’m here.” Before we could go any further, the waiter arrived at the table with the wine.
“I hope you don’t mind. I ordered a nice red. Marlborough. New Zealand wines are amazing.” Cain seemed confident in his selection.
“That sounds perfect. I’ve always wanted to go there.”
He smiled. “I’ve been there a few times. We’ll need to go.”
I noticed the future tense of all of his comments. Already committing to the future. I liked it, but I didn’t dwell on it; I couldn’t keep my eyes off of him and the present was much more interesting than the future. He looked perfect. His gray suit hung perfectly from his broad shoulders and his cream shirt stood in contrast to his golden skin; it was slightly unbuttoned and my eyes honed in on the glimpse of his toned chest underneath. When he had stood to pull out my chair earlier, I couldn’t help but notice how his pants fit snugly in all the right places.
“So, you seem to do a bit of traveling. Does work take you all over?” I tried to get more out of him. I wondered how such a young, put-together man, was so well traveled. Well versed.
“A bit. My business used to keep me moving all over the world. I decided a few years ago that I preferred to stay put and travel for pleasure, not business. That’s what I have business partners for.” The more Cain revealed, the more I felt he was much more than a manager, but he tried not to let on.
We continued the small talk, exchanging glances and brief, intimate touches. It wasn’t that we didn’t have much to say, more that we both would be rather doing something else. Each other.
The waiter hesitated before finally breaking our gaze. “Sir, can I bring you some dessert?”
Cain looked deep into my eyes and smiled back at the waiter. “I think we have all the dessert we need, tonight. Just the check.” The waiter fumbled for the check before handing it to Cain. He turned to leave. “Here you are…” Cain briefly looked at the check before slipping three crisp hundred dollar bills into the check fold. “Thank you.”