Searching for Beautiful(88)

Gen spoke briefly to the hostess, who led her to the table. She dragged in a breath and pushed all thoughts of Wolfe aside. Not tonight. For the first time in a while, she felt sexy, confident, and daring. The ink still stung on her lower back like a naughty reminder. Visions of falling in lust with her date, scrambling back to her place to have a satisfying bout of sex, and sharing her space with another male who was neither friend nor enemy teased her like a mirage.

No wonder women bombed so many times on dates. Talk about high expectations for a first meeting.

Gen stopped and smiled at the attractive man before her. Whoa. Very hot. He stood up quickly, smiling back, and shook her hand with a warm, firm grip she enjoyed. Light brown hair matched his eyes, which seemed open and inviting. Lean, angular features, a proud Roman nose, and actual dimples screamed out one awesome word.

Score.

She took her seat. “It’s quite lovely to meet you, Gen,” he said, a gorgeous accent curling like smoke around her. Yum. She couldn’t seem to place the geographic location, but she wasn’t surprised. She’d almost flunked history. Twice.

“Me, too. I’ve been looking forward to it.” They settled on drinks and food, and launched into casual conversation. “Forgive me, I can’t seem to place your accent.”

He laughed and clasped his hands together on the table. “I’m originally from France but have been in the States for a while now. I studied pharmacology here, settled down, and never looked back. I enjoy visiting, but I consider New York home.”

A pleasant glow buzzed around her. How long had it been since she’d been interested in another man? Even before David she barely dated, too busy with medical school, grades, and general achievement. His attention buffed her skin to a healthy shine better than any expensive exfoliator. “I’ve always wanted to visit France. I haven’t traveled much.”

He sipped his wine, his long, tapered fingers wrapped around the glass. “Understandable if you’re a surgeon.”

“Still a resident,” she corrected.

“Do you love what you do?”

The question threw her. Did she? Funny, Wolfe had asked her the same thing on the dock that night. She never stopped to analyze her emotions or happiness regarding her career choice. It had always been something she was committed to and never looked back on. But lately, now that she’d stepped away for a while, a dull ache rested low in her gut, reminding her of what she had left behind. She longed for patients, and the surge of energy when faced with a case, and the calmness within the storm at the first cut of the scalpel. The world fell away, and she was reminded of who she was. Her destiny.

“Yes,” she said softly, staring into his eyes. “For a while I’ve been a bit lost, looking for confirmation I made the right choice.”

He leaned forward. “I think we all do at one point. If we didn’t question, would our final choices be worth it?”

She smiled. “You speak like a philosopher rather than a scientist.”

Charles laughed. “I guess I do. I’ve always been what you would term an old soul. I made mistakes along the way but I can’t regret them.”

“Agreed.”

Their food arrived, and they fell into easy conversation. Besides emanating a delicious sexual energy, Charles was sharp, polite, and funny. By the end of the dinner, her heart pounded with a mad glee. She might have been out of the game for a while, but she’d bet her life they had electricity. As they walked out of the restaurant, he held her elbow in a firm grip, steering her down the sidewalk toward her car. Anticipation flowed through her veins, as sweet as the sauvignon blanc she’d drunk. Oh, how badly she wanted to take a wild leap and do something crazy. To allow her body to finally release all the constraints of her mind and past time with David. To stop questioning her ability to attract men, surrender to sex, and please her mate.

“I’ve had a wonderful time meeting you, Gen,” he drawled. They stopped near her Ford Fusion. “It’s quite rare I have such an in-depth, interesting conversation on an initial meeting.”

She loved the way he spoke, a combination of scholarly and lilting syllables, like music paired with the perfect lyrics. Gen turned and tilted her head up. His brown eyes were soft, and twin dimples winked at her in the moonlight. Ignoring her pounding heart, she leaped into the unknown and swore to enjoy the fall.

“I feel the same. Perhaps we should continue this fascinating conversation at my place?” Her voice trembled so slightly, Gen prayed he wouldn’t notice. She pursed her lips just a bit to give him a bit of temptation. Hopefully. Her palms sweat. This was scary. But she wasn’t far off, there were vibes coming from him that told her he was attracted.