She nodded and then glanced at her watch. “I've taken enough of your time. Is there anything else you'd like to ask me?"
He didn't want her to leave just yet. “Is there somewhere you need to be?” The last thing he wanted to appear was pushy, and the question was pretty bold of him, since he'd just met her. Still, it felt like he'd known her through her dream; the fantasy would be the catalyst that hopefully got them together. His wanting to spend time with her astounded him, being that she'd been in his presence for a mere twenty minutes.
She arched a brow and crossed her legs. “Do you have any other appointments after me?"
He glanced down and tried not to salivate at the sight of her creamy white upper leg, which was now delightfully exposed. What was it about her that drove him to this point? Was it the mixture of tentativeness, or the part of her that refused to back down from his questions as she stared directly at him? “No."
She smiled. “Then no. I have nowhere else to be. I was just giving you the courtesy in case you did."
John marveled at how truly delightful Ariel was. “Would you like to discuss this further over a drink then?"
She bit her bottom lip before answering. “Am I the first to ever receive such a proposition? I only ask because you stated twice you never get involved with your clients."
John smiled. “What I said was I've never been involved in the fantasies itself as it played out. But I highly doubt taking you for a drink and discussing your dream would count as being sexually involved."
She blushed, and he fell for her just a little more.
"Well then, John, a drink would be wonderful."
The lounge he'd taken her to was dark, but with an edge of richness to the decor that showed its upscale appeal. And she had to be a fool not to notice that he seemed to be a regular here, having not even giving his name at the door. Instead, the hostess immediately ushered them to an upstairs level.
Ariel slid into a round, small booth.
The hostess waited. “Your usual, Mr. Martinez?"
John turned to Ariel. “What will it be?"
She hadn't had any alcohol in years and wasn't about to start now. “Sparkling water if you have it."
He turned to the hostess. “I'll have my usual."
She nodded, then walked away, and Ariel was alone with him. She licked her dry lips, trying to calm the quick pounding of her heart. What was it about this man that made her insides melt? She'd be a fool to lie to herself and think that he didn't affect her in any way. But mixing business with pleasure was never a good thing. She needed to remain detached, but it was a hard thing to do with him so close.
He leaned closer to her, and she didn't have the protection of a normal table between them. Here, there were only two small stands, one to her right and another to his left for their drinks. So that left him inches from her, their knees a hairbreadth from touching. She inhaled the scent of him in, masculine and earthy. His smell seemed to wrap itself around her insides, and it made her want to climb on top of him, to beg him to fuck her. It sent her libido into overdrive, and she just barely prevented a moan from escaping. What the hell was going on? She needed to control herself, and she was still curious about his invite for a drink.
John draped his arm around the top of the booth. “You're a beautiful woman. Any man would be lucky to be with you. Has it truly been difficult to find that one special man?"
He thought she was beautiful. She didn't know why it was important what he thought of her, and she wouldn't dissect her brain now, figuring it out.
She supposed he was right, but it had her wanting to protect herself and seal the door against any potential hurt. Still, she answered his question. “A relationship would take time to build, and then there's trust. It isn't easy finding someone you can trust with your fantasies."
Ariel watched as the hostess placed the drinks on the stands and left.
"Trust is a valuable thing, Ariel. And I consider it an honor that you've placed it in the hands of our company."
She reached for her water and took a sip. “What made you start a company like this?"
His knee brushed against hers, and though he was fully clothed, it didn't lessen the tingle of sensation, which brushed the pit of her stomach.
His gaze darkened as if he'd noticed how he'd made her feel. “After the marines, Sean and I were looking for a venture that was unique,” he answered. “Sean read an article where they polled how many women had fantasies which are never fulfilled. Then it clicked for us. Our company would cater to women who wanted a safe avenue to explore their darkest desires. It took us six months to just map out the idea of Capture Inc., and then we hired an attorney to secure every avenue legally for our company. The process took over a year before Sean and I felt assured we had covered all angles, and we began to look for office space that suited our needs. Enough about me. I'm curious about you."