Voyeur Extraordinaire(32)

I shivered from the expression on his face. My eyes darted to his lips and I began to lean toward him when my door was opened. I jerked back and came face to face with a man in a black suit. “Welcome to Dan Daniele,” he drawled.

I’d never been to a restaurant that had someone who helped customers out of their cars. I smiled and swung my legs out, taking care that my dress didn’t ride up and flash my red lace panties at the man. Adrian appeared at my side and handed his key to the man. “The reservation is for Black. I need my car parked.”

“Of course, sir.”

Adrian touched my waist and gently guided me toward the restaurant. My skin warmed where he touched me and I wondered how it would feel to have his hands all over my body. Small bistro tables were sat up in front of the entrance, right on the sidewalk. A low fence with a canopy of glowing garlands protected the customers seated at the tables from passersby and the chaos of the traffic. It was a warm and beautiful evening and I wished we had a table outside, but every single one of them was occupied.

Adrian and I stepped into the restaurant. There was a reception desk with a vase of white orchids; a young woman in a black dress waited behind it. She looked up and her face brightened. “Mr. Black, it’s wonderful to see you again. Your usual table, I presume?” I couldn’t stop myself from wondering if there had ever been something between the woman and Adrian. She was lacking the subtle bitterness of a shunned lover, so probably not. But the way she eyed Adrian, it was obvious that she wouldn’t mind sharing his bed.

“Yes, Gianna,” he said in a pleasant but cool tone. Gianna’s gaze swiveled to me for a moment and her smile became less warm. An older man with a gray moustache and a bald head strode our way, his arms spread in a welcoming gesture. He was wearing checkered pants, a white shirt and a red bow tie. “Mr. Black, welcome back!” he half-shouted with a strong Italian accent.

For a moment, I was sure he was going to hug Adrian, but he just gestured wildly with his arms as he talked. “It’s been almost two weeks since your last visits. I was already worried you’d left the country!” He let out a deep belly laugh, then his twinkling eyes zoomed in on me. “And who’s this beautiful lady?” He reached for my hand and kissed it. He was almost a head smaller than me but he didn’t seem to mind.

“I’m Nora Clark. Nice to meet you…” I trailed off since I didn’t know his name.

“Giovanne,” he said, then winked at me before turning back to Adrian who had an amused expression on his face. “I’ll lead you to your usual table, Mr. Black. Please follow me.”

Adrian really seemed to eat at the Da Daniele often. Was he taking all of his women here before whisking them away for a night of pleasure? I didn’t like the idea that Gianna and Giovanne had seen Adrian waltzing in with dozens of women before me. It made me feel cheap. But maybe I was overreacting. Maybe Adrian usually came here alone, or with business partners, or maybe even friends and family. I didn’t know anything about him.

That thought didn’t manage to console me either. I really didn’t know anything about the man I’d been fantasizing about, the man I was considering losing my v-card to. But tonight was my chance to change that. I only needed to ask the right questions. Adrian’s fingers tightened on my waist, tearing me from my thoughts, and I peered up at him. “Are you okay? You seemed far away for a moment.”

“I’m just taking it all in.” My gaze lingered on the glass wall at the back that looked out toward an inner courtyard with more small tables. Giovanne stopped at a table in front of the floor-to-ceiling window and pulled out a chair for me. I tore my eyes away from the beautiful courtyard. Lampions hung from trees and ropes connecting them. There were orange, lemon and olive trees. “Would you prefer to sit outside?” Adrian asked.

I smiled in embarrassment. “If it’s not too much trouble?” I glanced at Giovanne.

He looked thoughtful for a moment, then said. “Let me check. Just a sec.” Then he hurried off.

“So you come here often?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

Adrian shrugged. “I don’t cook, so I eat out almost every day.”

“Oh.”

Giovanne returned and ushered us outside into the courtyard, and led us toward a table beneath a majestic old tree. Adrian was faster than Giovanne this time; he let go of my waist and pulled a chair out for me. I sank down. “Thanks.”

He took the seat across from me. A candle flickered in a mason jar on the square table, and another jar was filled with wild flowers in purple and white. The inside of the restaurant had been more polished with white table cloths and orchids, but I actually loved the checkered cloth on the small bistro table and the casual atmosphere of the courtyard. “Better?” Adrian’s green eyes scanned my face. He seemed to be making a real effort to make our date perfect for me.