I was a mess inside, but it was a good mess.
The restaurant’s inside was dark with minimal lighting. Candles rested on the window frames and the front desk. A hostess stood behind it, and as we came inside, she came out from behind. She was tiny and beautiful: Dark eyes. Dark hair. A rack most guys would love, and she folded her hands in front of her tight-buttoned shirt and skirt. “Mr.—”
“Cole.”
She blinked once. “Cole. It’s wonderful to have you tonight. The usual seating?”
He nodded. “That’d be great.”
The back corner booth was big enough to seat six comfortably. Cole waited until I slid in and then sat beside me. The hostess handed us two menus before heading back to the front. A server came over right away, pitcher of water in hand, to fill our glasses. He disappeared, only to return with a bottle of wine. Two more glasses were soon filled with wine, and the bottle sat beside the table in an ice bucket.
Cole handed me one of the menus. “Did you want wine? Or would you like something else?”
I cracked a grin. “Uh, wine will go right to my head. Maybe coffee? Is that an option?”
The corner of his lip twitched. He stopped a server walking by. “Could we get a pitcher of coffee as well?” He asked me, “Cream and sugar?”
I hadn’t thought my cheeks could get any redder. I was wrong. “I’m sorry. I was joking.” I glanced from the server to Cole. “Sorry. Bad joke.”
The server left, and Cole shifted to face me. “Are you nervous?”
I laughed. “Have you ever been around yourself? You’re a bit much.”
“I am?” His eyebrow lifted.
“Your whole presence. You’re just…I’m not used to people like you.”
“Dorian mentioned you have a friend? Sia?”
Of course he’d know about Sia. “Sia Clarke.”
“That name sounds familiar.”
“She’s the event coordinator at the Gala down the street. Do you know her?”
“No. Dorian mentioned she had a ‘forceful presence.’” Cole’s eyes twinkled in amusement. “I imagine she propositioned him or something like that?”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. She can certainly be direct.”
“See?” His hand touched mine. It was a soft and gentle tap. “I can’t be the only one.”
“But you’re the only one I want to—” I caught myself and closed my eyes, horrified. I was going to say I wanted to sleep with him. My hormones had been asleep for a year, but Cole woke them up. They screamed for attention. “Nothing. Never mind.”
“Nothing?” The half-grin he’d been giving me stretched to the other side. He knew damn well what I’d been about to say.
I groaned. “I’m already embarrassed.” I waved between us. We weren’t touching, but we were side by side. “This is a lot for me.” Water. I needed to quench my throat. I scooted around the corner of the table so we weren’t right next to each other anymore.
Cole moved into the space I left and sat back.
God, those eyes. They never left my face, and the longer they watched me, the more I felt I was losing some sort of battle. Over my will power. Or his intentions for after dinner. Whatever battle it was, I knew there was little chance I could withstand it.
We didn’t talk. Minutes passed, and still we gazed at each other. The pull between us was crazy, and the longer I held his gaze, the faster my heart beat. I reached for my napkin blindly and pulled it into my lap. My hand fisted it into a ball, and I held onto it so I wouldn’t do anything else. I had no idea what, but it was useless.
I was going to sleep with him.
The understanding spread through me.
“Would you like to leave?” His eyes darkened in stark hunger, and he leaned forward. He saw my reaction.
Okay. There it was. We were going to talk about it. “And do it in the car?”
“I was hoping for your place.”
A dry laugh ripped from me. “I don’t do this.”
His eyebrow moved up again. “Seems like you’re going to.”
“No, you don’t understand.” I gestured between us. “You and me. I am not used to this sort of thing.”
“One-night stands or casual sex?”
A second laugh bubbled up. “You’re already labeling it that way?”
“Well…” He looked around, but no one was near. His hand lifted.
I didn’t look. I didn’t know what he was gesturing for, and I didn’t care. He was right. We were two minutes from walking right back outside, and I wasn’t going to regret it. I couldn’t. This power, whatever he had over me, it was making me do things I never thought I would. But after this past year—I didn’t care anymore. The pain. The sadness. The loneliness. I wanted it wiped out, even for just one night. One goddamn night.