"Alligator!"
He grinned as he pulled out a chair for her. "Tastes like chicken."
Lucy wanted to laugh at the horror on Nicole's face but decided nothing that seemed to be a form of making fun of her would be a good idea. They wanted to have a nice evening. And while Jordan and his sister had made some strides last night, things were still touchy.
"I've been thinking about turning vegan," Nicole said. "Now might be a good time to start."
"They also have pan roasted duck if you change your mind."
"Oh sure, make me think of Daffy at a time like this."
Lucy smiled. Watching brother and sister tease each other was like getting hit with the warm rays of the sun.
The server appeared at their white linen – ­covered table-­a gorgeous blonde with a narrow waist and long legs in a pair of perfectly fitted black pants. Her bustline filled out the simple white shirt like nobody's business. She arrived at their table with a smile that let Lucy know before the woman even spoke that she was on very familiar ground with Jordan.
"Hey, handsome. I haven't seen you for a while. I thought you were going to call me when you came back into town."
"He's been busy," Nicole snapped. "Our parents were killed in case you didn't know."
The server's flirty smile fell. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."
Jordan's expression shifted between the amusement of his sister's response to the server's flirting and the horrifying truth of their parents' deaths.
"Well now you do," Nicole grabbed her cloth napkin from the table, settled it on her lap, then looked up at the blonde with big innocent eyes. "So maybe we could have another server who doesn't know our personal business?"
"Of course." The woman turned on her heel and disappeared into another part of the restaurant.
"Nicki, that was rude." Jordan's stern look failed to impress.
"I don't know." Nicki lifted a shoulder. "Her coming on to you when she didn't know who either me or Ms. Diamond were was pretty rude if you ask me."
Jordan looked at Lucy who shrugged. "She has a point." Not that she was really anything to him, but the blonde didn't know that.
Lucy knew Jordan had been with women like the server. She'd seen dozens of pictures of him out on the town with similar females-­women who were long-­legged, busty, and gorgeously blond. But last night he'd been with her-­kissing her in places that had never been kissed. Licking her in places she'd never imagined. He made her see stars and rainbows by giving her the most unbelievable orgasms she'd ever had. From now on, her battery-­operated boyfriend didn't stand a chance.
Afterward he'd held her in his arms and made her feel special. Cared for. Wanted. Thanks to him, she now knew what sexually satisfying for both partners meant. Tonight she'd make sure she gave Jordan just as much satisfaction as he'd given her.
They had a long time to look at the menu before the new server appeared at their table, a young man this time, who humorously appeared equally as smitten with Jordan as their previous server had been. After Jordan ordered roasted pecan salads with fried green tomatoes for all of them, Nicole excused herself to use the restroom. Once she disappeared, Jordan reached across the table and took Lucy's hand.
"Nervous?" he asked with a cagey smile.
"About what?"
"What I'm going to do to you tonight when we get home."
Lucy thought about the server who'd flirted so openly. She thought about all those other women who'd caught Jordan's eye. Before she became completely intimidated she dismissed them. Because for the first time she was living in the moment. Reaching for the brass ring on a quickly spinning merry-­go-­round. It was time she stepped outside her comfort zone and grabbed hold of a dream, even if she woke up in the morning and everything disappeared. At least she'd have taken a chance.
"Maybe . . ." She squeezed his hand. "It's about what I'm going to do to you when we get home."
Okay. Forget about stepping outside that comfort zone.
She'd freaking leaped.
Dinner had been a Southern feast without the grits and fried chicken. Jordan had selected an Italian rosé for their meal while Nicole grumbled about having to drink a virgin mint julep. The conversation mostly centered on a new song Nicole was creating and Jordan's upcoming game. Lucy had little to add to the discussion other than that she'd like Nicole to hand in her lyrics for extra credit on her final grade. She didn't mind her lack of participation in the conversation. Because watching the man she cared so much about reconnecting with his sister was like opening an early Christmas present.