“So are you going to tell me what you two were arguing about?”
“We weren’t arguing, we were talking.”
She looks up at me doubtfully. “About what?”
I shrug. “Not much. Mainly she just said how happy she was I was taking you out, and told me how much more attractive I’ve gotten with age.”
She throws her head back and laughs at the blatant lie. The sound and sight of it does funny shit to my chest and brings a smile of my own. “Yeah right. I’ll bet that’s what she said,” she giggles, shaking her head. “You, Ryder Jameson, need to get over yourself.”
Reaching my vehicle, she pulls on the handle and opens the door. Catching her off guard, I move in behind her and crowd her into the open space. She releases a startled gasp when I wrap one arm around her waist and the other possessively across her chest, bringing her body back snug against mine. Her sweet scent consumes the air around us and infiltrates my senses. I lean down, bringing my lips to her ear. “Now, Emily, you aren’t trying to tell me you disagree, are you?”
“What if I am?” Her breathless challenge has my dick aching to fuck the sass out of her.
“Then I say you are a liar, because I see the way you eye-fuck me, baby. The way those pretty, blue eyes of yours beg me to do all sorts of dirty things to you.” I know I’m being an asshole, calling her out, but it’s the truth. The way she looked at me yesterday when she turned the corner – it took every ounce of restraint I possessed not to haul her ass into her apartment and fuck the shit out of her.
She scoffs but it’s shaky. “In your dreams, Jameson.”
I chuckle. “Oh, Em, you have no idea what I do to you in my dreams, but I promise you, everything I do, you fucking love it.”
I hear her quick intake of breath and feel her heart pound against my forearm, almost to the same force as mine. Before I’m able to stop myself, I lightly lick her earlobe then graze the tender flesh with my teeth. She releases the sexiest moan, and thrusts her tight ass back into my aching cock.
Oh fuck! Growling, I grip her hips firmly in warning. “Baby, I’m going to step back now, because if I don’t I’m going to end up lifting up this sexy dress of yours and fucking you right here, bent over the seat for everyone to see.” Since my control is hanging by a thread, I don’t wait for her to respond. I press a quick kiss to her soft cheek then give her a boost up into her seat.
She looks down at me, her face flushed with arousal and her eyes heavy-lidded with desire, yet I also see hesitancy in her gaze. She’s scared, which I already knew. I knew that’s why she kept declining me. Whether I want to or not, the past is something we are going to have to talk about, but not tonight.
As we drive to the restaurant I try to make small talk, but there is so much sexual tension in the vehicle it’s stifling. It’s going to be a long fucking night.
“Do you still have your bike?” she asks softly.
“Actually, I just bought a new one from Hector.” I think about my meeting with my old boss. I have kept in touch with him over the years, but I hadn’t seen him since the day I left, that was up until a few days ago. It was good to catch up with him and be back at the garage. Business seems to be doing well and I couldn’t resist buying his latest project. I’ll be riding it back to Florida instead of flying. He agreed to be part of my cover, but I didn’t miss his apprehension. I know he’s worried because of Michaels. He thinks the asshole is too powerful to bring down, but he’s wrong and I’m going to prove it.
Emily nods then clears her throat. “Where are we going for supper?”
“Crustacia,” I reply, telling her the name of the fancy, upscale restaurant I would never, ever step foot in any other time. The bill will probably be more than my month’s salary, but I know she is used to places like that so I figured it was a safe bet.
“I- I have never been there before.”
“I know. It’s new, they just opened a few weeks ago.” I glance over to see her looking fucking panicked. “Is there a problem?”
She shakes her head and gives me a wobbly smile. “No, of course not. I’ve heard good things about it. I’m sure it will be great.” The girl is the worst liar in the world, but I decide not to push her on it.
When we arrive at the restaurant, Emily’s unease only seems to increase. She excuses herself to the bathroom as soon as we enter and it takes her a while before she comes out. By the time we’re seated and the waiter comes over, she is a nervous mess. What the fuck is up with her?
“Good evening, my name is Halthzaar, and I will be your waiter for the evening. Can I start you off with something to drink?”
When Emily doesn’t answer first, I order some sort of fancy beer I’ve never heard of and hope it’s good. The waiter looks to Emily and I see her visibly swallow. “Um… can I just order whatever house wine you have?”
“Yes, of course. White or red, miss?”
“White, please.”
When he walks away she glances back down at her menu, so I do as well. I look over all the weird fucking names trying to figure out which one is steak. When I glance back up at Em, I see her hands trembling as she stares in a daze at the menu.
“Emily, what is the damn problem?” I ask firmly, my patience starting to wear thin. She finally lifts her eyes to mine and I see them glassy with tears. What the fuck? Leaning over, I cover her shaking hands with my own. “What is it, baby?”
She bites her trembling lip and mumbles something I can’t hear. “What? Speak up, I can’t hear you.”
“I can’t read,” she grinds out a little louder, her voice thick with tears.
I falter in surprise at her response then sit back in my chair stunned, feeling like a complete ass. Her head lowers as if she’s embarrassed, but not before I see her first tear escape, and it makes me feel as if someone just punched me in the fucking throat. I look around the upscale restaurant, a place I would never come to, and realize I made a mistake.
Before I can say anything, the waiter walks back over and sets our drinks down in front of us, oblivious to Emily’s upset. “Have you both decided what you would like to order? I could go over some of our specials if you would like?”
Emily swipes at her cheek. “Yes, please. I…”
“Actually, no. That’s okay,” I interrupt. “We’ve changed our minds, but thanks anyway.” Standing up, I throw down a few bills to cover more than our drinks then take Emily’s hand and pull her from the table. I lead her out of the restaurant quickly, leaving our waiter in sputtering shock.
“I’m so sorry I embarrassed you,” she whispers just as we reach the vehicle. And it’s those soft, sad words that finally do me in.
Spinning her around, I pin her against the truck. I register her shocked expression just before my mouth lands on hers. She gasps against my lips and is only stunned for a second before she wraps her arms around my neck and finally gives in to what we both want. I pull her in closer to me and lick the seam of her lips, asking for permission, and she eagerly grants me the access I crave. A low growl erupts from my throat when her familiar taste of innocence, one I’ve never forgotten, explodes in my mouth and rushes through my veins. Jesus, I forgot how good this girl tasted. I swallow her sexy whimper as we get lost in each other, remembering the past and exploring the new.
It isn’t until the sound of a horn blares that I quickly remember we are on the sidewalk, out in the open. I pull back slightly, keeping her face framed between my hands, and stare down at her closed eyes and soft expression. When she opens them a moment later, the ice blue orbs hit me like a blow to the chest. She is fucking beautiful.
“First, let’s get one thing straight. There is nothing about you that embarrasses me,” I say firmly. She tries to look away but I hold her face securely. “I’m fucking serious, Emily. You’re perfect!”
She stares up at me with tears in her eyes. “I tried calling Rosa and Cece in the bathroom, to read me the menu online, but I couldn’t get ahold of them.