***
“You keep feeding me,” I say to Eli as he escorts me, hand in hand, down Royal Street to the pretty little restaurant that he’s taking me to for dinner.
“You like to eat. I like that in a woman.” I laugh up at him, and then sigh as he leads me across the street, protectively laying his hand on the small of my back.
“How was your day?” He links his fingers with mine again as we stroll down the street.
“Long. I found out that I have to leave tomorrow morning for a business trip to New York. I also kept thinking about getting you alone. Do you know what a pain in the ass it is having you in the same building as me all day long and not being able to walk into your office and kiss you whenever I want to?”
“No, why don’t you tell me.”
His lips quirk as he glances down at me. “You’re sassy. One of these days I’ll just have my assistant send down for you and you can come to my office.”
“Just so you can kiss me?”
“We can start with that, yes.” His voice is suddenly rough, and my knees turn to jelly at the thought of being in Eli’s office with him, and all the things we could do in that office.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. People will talk, and we can’t have that.”
“So professional,” he murmurs, then stops us on the sidewalk and leans in to whisper in my ear. “I can’t wait to see you all flummoxed and writhing and unprofessional beneath me, cher. Trust me, we’re about to get as unprofessional as possible.”
My breath catches in my throat as he leans back and pins me in his hot stare. He drags his fingertip over the pulse in my throat. “I see that thought turns you on.”
Heck yes that turns me on! I can only swallow hard and watch as he pulls away and leads me to the restaurant.
“Café Amelie,” I read aloud. “That’s a pretty name.”
“And good food.” He turns to the hostess. “Reservation for Boudreaux.”
“Of course.” She grins and grabs two menus. “Would you prefer courtyard seating?”
Eli raises an eyebrow at me. It’s cooler this evening, and the courtyard is pretty with lights in the trees above. “The courtyard is beautiful.”
“The lady wishes to sit in the courtyard,” Eli replies with a soft smile, his eyes never leaving mine.
This man is potent.
We’re seated in the corner of the courtyard, giving the table an intimate atmosphere. Soon, a very tall, handsome waiter arrives to take our drink order and to tell us about the specials.
“I’d enjoy a lemon drop martini, please.” I smile at Eli as he orders his own drink and tells Joe the waiter that we need a few minutes with the menu.
“You’re not ordering for me?” I ask when Joe leaves.
“Do you want me to?” Eli asks. “I certainly can.”
I shrug a shoulder. “It’s not necessary. You just usually enjoy ordering for me.”
Joe delivers our drinks and takes our order. Eli orders an appetizer of Brussels sprouts sautéed in butter and bacon with dates, and assures me they are to die for.
“They’re Brussels sprouts.”
“You’ll like them,” he insists, and takes my hand in his as I drink my lemon drop.
“This is delicious.” I take another sip. “So, you’re leaving tomorrow?” I try to keep my voice nonchalant, but my stomach is suddenly tight. I don’t want him to leave.
“Just until Friday afternoon.” He kisses my palm. “I’ll miss you.”
“You’ll be too busy to miss me.”
“I’ll miss you,” he insists. “How was your day?” he asks and leans in, giving me all of his attention.
“It was good, despite not getting a lot of sleep last night. A handsome man sent me lunch.”
“He did,” he replies with a satisfied grin. “Did you enjoy it?”
“Yes, I loved it. I also shared it with a co-worker, because it was way too much food for just me.”
“And this handsome man? Do you like him?”
“Well, he can be frustrating, but he’s also fun and charming. Yes, I like him.”
His eyes heat as he watches me talk. His thumb is tracing circles over the back of my hand.
“Another lemon drop, miss?” Joe asks as he walks by.
“Yes, please.” Joe nods and leaves. “Thank you for lunch.”
“You’re welcome. I would have delivered it myself, but—”
“But people will talk.” I chuckle and shake my head. “It’s okay. It was a nice surprise.”
“I have to tell you, I’m a bit confused as to why I didn’t know you were recently divorced.” His face sobers with the change of conversation, and I cringe, the subject of my ex being the very last thing I want to talk about.
“It really isn’t a secret.” He raises a brow. “It’s been several months since the divorce was final, but I haven’t lived with him in more than two years, Eli. It’s not something I talk about freely, certainly not with someone I don’t know well.”
“Why did the divorce take so long?” he asks and leans back, but doesn’t let go of my hand. I eagerly sip the fresh drink that Joe just set at my elbow.
“Because Daniel is a selfish, proud, arrogant man who didn’t like having the word divorcee after his name. Well, until he was ready to marry again, anyway.”
“He’s remarried already?”
“One week after the divorce was final, yes.” I sigh and then just shrug. “Honestly, I didn’t care. I wasn’t in a position emotionally to be dating anyone, and the important thing was to simply not be living with him anymore. The rest was just gravy.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“Oh, he hurt me more than any one person should be allowed to hurt another,” I reply easily, but sip my drink to hide my face behind the glass for just a moment to gather my wits around me.
“Look at me.”
I raise my gaze to find Eli’s eyes hot with anger and his jaw ticking, but the hand holding mine is still amazingly tender. This man has amazing control.
“Did he hit you?”
“Yes.”
“Fuck,” he whispers.
“But that wasn’t the worst part.”
He cocks his head and raises a brow when I don’t want to answer. My lips are starting to feel numb.
“These drinks are strong. They make my lips talk.”
His sexy lips quirk up in a smile. “They make your lips talk?”
“Yep.”
“Okay, so keep talking. What was the worst part?”
I shake my head and finish the second drink, then signal to Joe for another. I can’t tell him the very worst part. Not yet. “He would yell at me. He was a bully. Sometimes it’s better if they just hit you once and then get on with their day.”
“Bullshit,” he says calmly. “I could teach you some self-defense, you know.”
“Oh, I took self defense classes.” I wave him off and drink the new lemon drop. “He used to call me a whore.” I giggle, barely noticing that Eli has pulled his hand away and curled it into a fist. “Which is actually pretty funny.”
“Why in the fucking hell is that funny?”
“Because, counting him, I’ve only been with…” I count in my fuzzy head. “Two and a half men. Hey, isn’t that a TV show?”
“How is it possible that you were with half of a man?” he asks with a surprised laugh.
“Because he never got it in. It didn’t count.” I slap my hand over my mouth and giggle. “These drinks are really delicious. You should have one.”
“That’s okay, one of us will have to get you up to your front door.”
“I can walk.” I compose my face and sit up straight. “See? I’m perfectly sober.”
“Right. So, back to what you were talking about. Why couldn’t he get it in?”
“Who couldn’t get what in?” I ask with a frown, and then prop my chin in my hand as I watch Eli smile across from me. “Gosh, you’re pretty.”
“Excuse me?” He laughs and tucks my hair behind my ear. His fingers feel good on my skin.
“I bet they’d feel good everywhere.”
“I think I just missed half of that conversation,” he replies. “You’re hilarious when you’ve had too much to drink. I think you’ve had enough.” He takes my drink away, earning a scowl from me.
“I have not.”
“What would feel good everywhere?” he asks, distracting me.
“Your fingers.”