“It was long and boring. I prefer having lots of customers, not only for the tips but because time flies.”
“Yeah, I like keeping busy, too,” he told her. “And I like speed,” he added with a waggle of his brows. She was a little nervous being in the Porsche after that comment.
“How was New York?” she asked. “I think it would be pretty exciting to go there.”
“Trust me, it’s not as fancy as people think. I got into JFK from Los Angeles at about six last night and got to the hotel at eight. Then back to Seattle today and here I am, a true miracle of modern science and ingenuity,” he responded.
“Well, it would be a thrill to see all the cities. I’ve traveled a lot, just not from the front seat, and not to anyplace people would choose to vacation.”
“I’m not going to downplay the front seat. You have a view from there unlike anything you could imagine. Maybe I’ll sneak you up there with me on one of these flights. You can ride shotgun.”
Stormy’s heart thundered at the statement. The ride in the front seat that immediately came to mind wasn’t exactly PG either, dang it.
Cooper hit the freeway and then Stormy’s breath was taken away for a whole other reason. The wind whipped through her hair, and she quickly reached into her bag for a rubber band. She tied her hair up and laughed with glee as they shot down the road, going well above the speed limit.
Passing cars on the left and the right, she couldn’t help but notice that Cooper handled the car like a race car driver, not slipping across the lines a single bit as they sailed down the highway. When he pulled off at an exit about thirty minutes south of Seattle, she missed the speed as they crawled through a small town.
“This is a small restaurant, but one of my favorites,” he told her, pulling up to a building she wouldn’t expect someone like him to frequent. “Don’t judge it by the looks. This has the best food in all of Washington.”
He put the top of the car back up, then told her to wait while he came around and opened her door. She wasn’t in a hurry to get out because she wanted to put her hair back into place and add a dash of lipstick.
“Do I look completely windblown?” she asked. She hadn’t been expecting to go out in public.
“You look stunning.”
The way his eyes darkened as he looked at her made the flutters reappear, and Stormy wondered why she was pushing this man away. She had to be insane.
It was a little early for dinner so the place wasn’t crowded, but the older hostess greeted Cooper with a smile and hug before turning her eyes on Stormy, making her feel like she was coming up short.
“Table for two?” the woman said.
“Yes, Sally, out back,” he said.
“Ah, looking for some romance are we?” she said with a cackle.
“Of course,” Cooper said, then turned to Stormy with a wink.
She, of course, blushed and looked to the floor. What was she doing?
They were led through a small dining hall where the wooden tables were decorated beautifully with cloth and exquisite settings, fresh flowers in the middle, and a lit candle, the atmosphere romantic.
They were taken outside, where patio lights and heaters were strategically placed around the deck, though they didn’t need them quite yet.
“We’ll have some appetizers and drinks, and then eat dinner while the sun is setting,” Cooper told her.
She wasn’t even handed a menu. For a moment that offended her, but then she was impressed when he placed an order. Most of what he asked for sounded delicious.
When the Escargot Royal with a toasted bagel came out, though, she passed. Cooper laughed at her as he took a bite. She sipped on her red wine, surprised when she enjoyed the smooth flavor. Normally, she was a white wine sort of girl.
“Sometimes it’s important to try new things. I learned that long ago,” he told her, offering a bite of the escargot.
“I don’t mind stretching the boundaries, but I’m not eating snails,” she insisted. Instead she picked up a coconut-encrusted tiger prawn and dipped it in Thai chili sauce. That was much better.
They talked and slowly the wine relaxed Stormy as she gazed out at the stream trickling by and ate her roasted beet and baby spinach salad, the tangy raspberry vinaigrette dressing delicious.
“You must really enjoy living in this area and finding places like this,” she said.
“I grew up in Gig Harbor and spent my entire life there. My dad worked in the city, but didn’t want to live stacked on top of people, and my mom fell in love with the small harbor early in their marriage.”
“Are both your parents still alive?” she asked. She’d only heard him make one comment about his mother.