“Did you get my flowers?”
“They were beautiful.” She held onto my arm as we walked down the hallway. Even though her heels were high, she still walked gracefully. It didn’t seem like she had a problem with them. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
The driver opened the door when we reached the street. I helped Prudence get inside before I sat beside her. As soon as we were alone in the tinted limo, my desire came forth. I eyed her thigh and longed to touch it. I thought about her thin lips and yearned to suck them with my own. My cock sprang to life immediately. I adjusted myself discreetly and hoped she wouldn’t notice. A girl had never given me a hard-on like this. And I liked it.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“McCormicks. It’s a steak house.”
“That sounds good.”
“How was your day?” I asked.
“It was relaxing. We didn’t have to prepare for a show or practice for the first time in a while.”
“You deserve to rest.”
She rested her hands in her lap. “And how was your day?”
The studio had another rewrite for the show, which Julia wasn’t happy about. I refused to put my name on crap, but it seemed like my staff didn’t share the same enthusiasm. If they didn’t like it, they could get another job.
It was a stressful day. When I ate lunch at the park, I stared at her window, hoping to get a peek of her in a towel after a hot shower. The longer I spent time with Prudence, the more I realized how much of a disgusting pervert I was. A big one. “It was pretty ordinary.” I couldn’t think of much more to say. Since she knew what business investors did, I couldn’t bullshit through a fake story. That’s the problem with smart girls. You can’t play them.
We arrived at the restaurant then took our seats in a secluded corner. I made reservations prior and organized a private dinner. I wanted her all to myself, and the privacy to say what I wanted, when I wanted.
I pulled out her chair before she sat down. When her ass touched the seat, I longed to be that cushion. I hadn’t had the opportunity to get a good look at that bit of muscle yet, but I would at the first opportunity. I sat across from her then blatantly stared at her gorgeous face.
I knew she was uncomfortable with the stare when she grabbed the menu and hid her face. “Everything looks great.”
I didn’t drop my stare. I already knew what I wanted.
“Hmm…” she said.
“I usually get the filet mignon.”
“I don’t eat meat.”
Now I felt like an asshole. This date was already off to a bad start. “I apologize. I never would have brought you here if I had known.”
“No,” she said quickly. “There are always options at every restaurant, even a steak house.”
“I still should have asked.”
“It’s fine, really.” She looked through the pages. “The vegetable Alfredo looks good.”
Even though she found something she wanted, I still felt like an idiot. I really, really wanted to score with this girl. And being an insensitive jerk wasn’t the best way to go about it.
“I’m just glad you aren’t ridiculing me for being a vegetarian.”
“Why would I?”
“In London, it’s not very common. I was teased all the time.”
I could never get tired of her accent. It was so sexy. I wanted to ask her an elaborate question just to hear a ridiculously long explanation. “Well, I have no qualms with your diet preferences. A lot of people I know are vegetarians.”
“That’s a relief. I hoped I’d fit in here.”
“How could you not? A gorgeous musician? You’re meant to be here.”
“We’ll see…”
When the waiter took our orders, he took the menus too. Now my muse couldn’t hide from me. I could stare at her all night. My gaze lingered on her eyes then her lips. I fantasized about how they would feel against my mouth.
When the intensity became too much, she looked down.
“Do I make you uncomfortable?”
“Yes.”
I was surprised by her honesty. “I’m sorry. It’s hard to stop.”
“I’m just not used to it.”
I held back a laugh. “I’m sure it happens all the time.”
“It doesn’t. People may look at me, but it’s never in this type of situation.”
“What type of situation is this?”
The waiter brought the wine and glasses. I slid her glass to her.
“Across a table in an intimate setting.” She rested her hands in her lap and met my gaze.
Did that mean she didn’t date often? If it did, that could be a good thing. Or a bad thing. “You don’t get out much?”
For the first time that night, she looked sincerely uncomfortable. She shifted her weight in her seat twice. There was clearly something on her mind, and I patiently waited for her to reveal it.
“I have a confession to make…”
My heart accelerated while I waited. I hoped she wasn’t going to reject me, end the relationship before it even began. I couldn’t handle that. Living in this city and working in this business, beautiful women were easy to come by. But they were nothing compared to Prudence. She was elegant and classy, talented and smart, humble and fun. God, I couldn’t lose her. I barely knew her and I was obsessed to the point of insanity. A beautiful gem had come into my life, and I wasn’t eager to let it slip through my fingers and disappear into the sand.
She fidgeted with her hands, prolonging the rest of her sentence. I was clenching my fist under the table, anxious for her next words but fearful at the same time.
“I’m not looking for a relationship.”
What? Did I hear her right? I was not expecting that. I assumed that’s all she wanted. She seemed too refined to sleep around with strangers, or be intimate with someone unless she was in a committed relationship. It was exactly what I wanted, but I expected to have to convince her to give in to me. This never happened before. Most of the time, women begged for something more. But she was different… “I see.” I hid my happiness and played it cool. “Why is that?”
Her awkwardness continued. “It’s a long and boring story. Not a tale worth telling.”