“Best dumplings, huh? You know that is a bold statement? Care to put your money where your mouth is?” I say lyrically.
“What do you have in mind?” His voice drips with sensuality, while he shoots me a wicked smile.
“Get your head out of the gutter.”
“No can do. I reside there.” A rumbling laugh escapes.
“I was thinking if they suck I buy you dinner.”
“So let me get this straight. If the restaurant that is known for having the best dumplings in the world has crap, then you buy me dumplings?”
“Yeah, so how do you like your odds?”
“I should just hand you my credit card,” Ryder says as he reaches into the back pocket of his distressed jeans.
“You’re so funny, Ryder.” I blatantly roll my eyes at him.
“Did you just roll your eyes at me?”
“Yup.” I wink at him
“You’re in trouble later.” His words blaze with heat. Is it getting hot in here?
“Promise?” One can only hope.
“Yes.”
I feel fidgety. My fingers rim the edge of the cup, making circles around the circumference. I take a tiny sip. After I place the glass down, I turn to Ryder.
“So tell me a little bit about yourself.”
“What do you want to know?” His face grows serious.
“Anything, you don’t really talk about yourself much.”
“No, I don’t.” There is an undertone in his voice I can’t put my finger on.
“So…”
“I would much rather talk about you.” I can tell he’s sidestepping, but I’m desperate for more info so I press on.
“Are you from the city?”
“No.”
“Okay, so where are you from?” I can’t quite put my finger on his accent.
“Jersey,” he mutters.
“Really, you don’t really have a Jersey accent.”
“And you’re the expert on accents, now?” His voice is clipped.
I feel uncomfortable all of a sudden. It must have shown on my face as he reaches for my hand to comfort me. He gives my hand a little squeeze. “I’d rather talk about how beautiful you are.”
“Not really, but thanks.”
“Have it your way.” He laughs, the sound so perfect it makes me melt. It makes me forget my previous discomfort.
“So how is the new book going?” I inquire, changing the subject.
“It’s actually almost done. Just need the big ‘What The Fuck’ moment, and then it will be finished.”
“And what, pray tell, is the WTF moment?” This I got to hear.
“Don’t you worry your pretty little head over it. You’ll find out when I hit pub.”
“Are you doing ARCs this time?”
“No, I don’t do ARCs. My work sells itself.” He sounds a bit forceful when he speaks.
“I just figured it couldn’t help to give some—”
“I’m good. I’m not in the business to give free stuff away.”
“No, I totally get it but—”
“My fans love me. They will buy my book even if I don’t have opening day reviews.”
“Oh, yeah, okay.”
“So, did you finish ‘Changing Faces’ yet?”
“I did.”
“And?”
“I loved it. I can’t believe what a depraved man the main character is.”
“Depraved, huh?” He chuckles to himself.
“Yeah, I mean who would do that? Break a woman for, what, sport?”
“You would be surprised.” I am taken aback by his answer. I just don’t understand how that could happen.
“And worse than that, how did she not know or see it coming?” I shake my head in disbelief.
“Well, Ava, quite simply,” he pauses, his gaze unbroken, “people hear what they want to hear.”
Just as I’m about to speak, the waiter walks up and asks for our order. Ryder tells him we want dumplings, dim sum, and that we’ll share the Peking duck. I’m happy he took the reins on ordering. It feels good to have someone take care of me. Alexandre never paid enough attention to bother.
As soon as the waiter walks away, I start to speak. “So, I’m thinking of going to the Museum of Natural History tomorrow.”
“Oh.”
“Yea, it’s my favorite place on Earth.” He doesn’t respond as I continue on, “Have you been recently?”
“Nope, can’t say that I have actually. I’ve been very busy writing. These serials don’t write themselves.”
“I just love it there, it’s so much fun. It makes me feel like a kid all over again.”
“Yeah.”
“Or you know what I can do instead?”