“Guess it’s a good thing you came then,” he says. The lake across the street goes dark, the show officially over, leaving us lit by a flickering candle in the center of the table. He takes my hand down from the glass and faces me. “Maybe we can start with a meal. Will you stay for dinner?”
“Only if I can apologize first?”
“For what?” He repeats what I said to him earlier.
“For letting my own insecurities judge you instead of taking you for who you’ve shown me.”
His hand touches my cheek gently, and he says, “No need for sorries. I’m new at this too.”
“You’re new to dating?” I ask, joking with him.
“No. Just new to dealing with real feelings.”
Silence, as my breath is taken away, stolen by him just like my heart. I want to kiss him, but I don’t.
Moving behind me, he reaches and pulls out my chair. After sitting down across from me, he subtly bites his bottom lip. I remember him doing that last night and liking it.
A waiter introduces himself and I place my order, “I’ll have another one of these please.”
Dalton orders the same, then leans forward, and whispers, “Thank you for coming. I didn’t know if you would. You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” I glance down and pull my napkin into my lap. “I’m glad I did, but why did you want to meet here?”
“I hated how things were left. I did that. I’m sorry. Our time together meant more to me than you know, you mean more. Already.” He chuckles to himself, embarrassed. “I feel crazy thinking stuff like this much less saying it.”
“I’m just a girl. There’s nothing special going on here.” I lean forward to whisper to him, but the waiter arrives with our drinks, setting them down in front of us.
“We’ll need a minute more before we order. Thank you,” Dalton says to the waiter.
Watching him speak, it’s hard to imagine he’s the same guy who was singing on that stage tonight. His body is relaxed and I sense he feels calm, safe around me.
When we’re alone again, I say, “I’m not fishing for compliments here. I can get a date, but you’re trying so hard. What are you trying to convince me of?”
“I don’t know,” he says, looking into my eyes. “I trust you. Even though you’re not fishing for compliments, I have a million I can give you.” He spins his glass slowly between his fingers with noticeable strength and agility. I don’t fill the moment between us, wanting to hear more. “You’re different, Holliday. I don’t need a week to know that. I knew the minute I met you.” Shaking his head, he smiles. “I still can’t believe you agreed to leave with me.”
“I’m in Vegas and you know what they say when you’re here.”
“That’s not how I see you.”
My tone comes out flatter than I intend. “You keep saying that, but that’s who I wanted to be this weekend, just for a weekend, someone else, someone carefree again.”
“I wanted to be Jack Dalton again.”
And with that simple comment, my heart melts for this man—a man who just wanted to be who he is on the inside. I get up and walk around the table. He slides back in his chair unsure of what I’m going to do. I straddle him, not caring how it looks to the few people working. After wrapping my arms around his neck, I kiss him, leaving him no outs or choice in the matter. He wants the same. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pulls me closer and deepens the kiss. Our tongues meet and slowly mingle; my hips start a slow gyrate.
“I want you,” he murmurs against my mouth, refusing to give up the kissing for words.
Moving up his cheek, I place kisses all the way to his forehead and down on top of his eyelids. His hands hold my hips against him and I feel him grow beneath me. A moan escapes as I drop my head back, enthralled by the feel of him between my legs.
“Shhhh,” he whispers in my ear. “They can hear you.”
My eyes open and I take a deep breath. “We should leave.” I maneuver my leg from over him, standing up. “Like right now.”
“Fuck, let’s go,” he says anxiously. He grabs my hand and turns me fast, pulling me behind as he rushes toward the bar where the waiter is stationed. “We’re gonna go. You have my card. Give yourself a big tip and thank you.”
“No dinner, Sir?” the waiter calls after us, confused.
Dalton’s pace never slows as he heads for the elevator. “Nope. Thanks.”
I keep my mouth shut, fighting all the tingles bursting beneath my skin while trying to regulate my breathing. I don’t think I’ve ever been so hot for someone in my life and the thought of a cab ride… damn, it adds to the whole experience. How am I not going to have sex with this man in that cab? That will be the tricky part.