Niko(Love Me Harder #2)(10)

She opened her eyes looking for a line of buildings, signaling the next bar or club she would be walking into. It should be some after-hours joint right about now, but she found nothing.

She was in a big parking lot. No bar around here, she was certain of that.

“Where are we?”

He got out and came around to open her door, helping her out. That was a lost art, men opening the door for women. She looked around again and allowed her eyes to settle on the Eat N Park.

“No. That’s not where I wanted to go.” Was he dense? Was the man playing some sort of game with her?

“It’s open all night long, baby and serves a multitude of drinks.”

Her spine stiffened. Had he just called her baby? No one called her baby. Ever. Baby was the nice little pet name you called something, or someone you cared about. That’s why her car was her baby. She actually cared about it.

She tried not to let her agitation show. If he knew how that simply worthless name affected her, he would have the upper hand.

“I wanted an alcoholic drink, and you know it.” She needed it more right now than she had needed it earlier.

He put his arm around her body, pulling her close. She smelled that musk that was all his own. It couldn’t have come from a bottle. His unique smell reminded her of wildness, the anticipation of an animal on the prowl, if someone ever figured out how to bottle it, they would be rich. More importantly, every man would be wearing this scent, driving the female population to masturbate in cars, elevators and even on the street.

This was all his scent. How had she resisted the temptation this long?

They walked into the brightly over done orange and beige Eat N Park. The waitress took one look at her and probably classified her as a high class call girl or street hooker.

Her short black mini was out of place in this establishment. Her stilettos were so out of place here. The waitress was wearing the kind of shoes that were practical and sensible, while she gave Niko a hungry smile.

Dee put her hand on Niko’s arm. Mine was the message she sent to the smiling waitress, who looked like she was falling under Niko’s do me smell.

“Table for two.” They followed the waitress back to a table big enough for six and smiled thank you.

“So do all the women fall for those eyes of yours and that thick musky smell you have?”

“What musky smell?”

He smelled himself looking around, hoping no one had seen him. She laughed. She couldn’t help it. He was so approachable at that moment.

“You might as well stop sniffing yourself. Your smell is natural, so you will never smell it. It’s just who you are.”

“Then it’s a good thing you like the smell of me, baby.” The waitress was back before she could reply.

“Can I take your orders?”

This was a different waitress. She was younger than the first. The waitress took one look at Niko and put in her own order. Dee rolled her eyes.

“I will just have a cup of coffee.” The waitress’s took her eyes off Niko to focus on Dee. The more the waitress stared at him, the more pissed off Dee got. He wasn’t on the auction block, which of course upset her more because she cared.

She never cared about her one night stands, not that he would ever make it that far with her.

“It that all you want?” Her eyes gave Dee a once over and pegged her.

Dee wondered if she had been pegged correctly, slightly anorexic, way too thin, allowing the men to feel like fucking Hercules when they were with her. Allowing them the thought of control, but never the real thing.

“No,” she answered softly, eyeing Niko. “I am full.”

***

She was starving, punishing herself for something she had no control over. Welcome to my world baby, Niko thought. Your days of being in control of every situation have come to an end. He had watched her long enough. She needed him.

The flip side of that coin, the hell he wasn’t ready to admit was that he needed her too.

“Can I get you something, sir?”

The waitress had turned that all too sweet smile on him. He smiled back at her for several reasons. One because it pissed off the kitten sitting across from him. Dee was all sharp angles, claws and a raised back. She was a kitten to his animal and his animal wanted to stroke her.

“Seems I am hungry.” He ordered two breakfast specials, two steaks salads and a burger and fries.

The waitress’s eyes had grown larger, the more he ordered. Then he topped it off with two thick shakes and the ever present cup of coffee.

“Hollow leg?” Aww his kitten was testing her baby fangs on him.

He shrugged, “Guess I am hungry.”

“I think you ordered enough to feed a family of four.”

“I think if you’re hungry, you should eat.”