Harrison swirls, sips, and smiles. “This will be perfect. Thank you.”
Hans smiles, filling our glasses. “Would you like any assistance with the oysters?”
Harrison speaks before I can answer. “I’ve got her covered.”
“Of course, sir. Let me know if there’s anything you need.” Hans vanishes into the background.
I take a steadying sip of wine. It’s dry, crisp, and a little briny. I stare at the half-dozen glistening shells in front of me. “What’s our first move?”
Harrison leans in, elbows resting on the white tablecloth. “It’s not too complicated. Let me show you.” He selects one of my oysters carefully. “This is a Beausoleil. East Coast.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Is it supposed to be so…wet?”
“They’re meant to be messy.” With a grin, he hands me the oyster, guiding my fingers around it. “Tilt it, don’t slurp it. Let it slide. No chewing, unless you really want to taste the nuances.”
“Nuances?”
He chuckles. “Each oyster has its own personality. The Beausoleil? Gentle. The Shigoku over there?” He points to another. “That one is going to have more edge.”
I hesitate with the oyster halfway to my lips. “And what if I hate it?”
He shrugs. “Then we drink more wine and try again. It’s not about liking all of them. It’s about discovering which ones are worth savoring. Worst case, we can always order something else. I won’t have my date going hungry.”
“Fair enough.” I pause, staring the oyster down.
“You’re stalling.”
“I’m savoring the moment,” I reply. “Just like you told me.”
He gives a quiet laugh and lifts his own oyster. “Together?”
I nod and bring the shell to my lips. It’s cool, smooth, and strange. Then I tip it back.
Salt. Cream. A tiny flicker of something bright and metallic. The taste of the ocean, but silkier. A whisper of citrus and something floral. And then it’s gone.
I blink. “That was actually really good.”
“Mine, too,” Harrison says. “This place is great.”
It’s not long before we’ve finished both of our platters. Every single oyster was delicious in its own unique way. It took a second for me to get used to the consistency, but the taste was unlike anything I’d ever eaten before. I can’t believe I’ve been alive for nearly four decades and am just now trying these for the first time.
I’ll certainly be coming back to Brassica Rex soon.
And I hope it’s on Harrison O’Rourke’s arm.
He’s so effortlessly charming. He even makes eating oysters sexy.
In fact, I couldn’t help but notice how warm I was getting between my legs as he worked his way through every shell just now.
There’s something almost animalistic about the way he was slurping down each oyster. Kind of how he sucked between my legs…
We’ve already had sex, so it doesn’t matter that it’s our first date, right? We can repeat the act.
Hell, I sell my body to the highest bidder most nights at Aces. I’m not exactly a prim and proper goddess of virtue.
Harrison is a man. He certainly won’t say no to sex if I offer it to him.
But something in me wants to play a little. Act a little coy, see if he pursues me.
