Yet here I was, sitting at this table, fighting an odd yet immediate attraction to someone I didn’t know.
Our mother had probably done this a million times, only without the remorse and trepidation. For the first time in my life, I almost wished I could be like her. She’d enjoy the man sitting across from her and not give her daughters a second thought.
My pesky conscience wouldn’t let me do that.
I’d never blamed her for looking for love. My issue was that she’d forgotten she had kids to take care of while she was in pursuit.
A growl vibrated through my empty stomach, and I prayed the music and loud conversation muted it enough that Silas couldn’t hear.
Maybe an empty stomach was clouding my judgment of the man across from me, but I didn’t sense any danger from this guy. And while I had the chance, I wanted to know more about him. Why was he eating alone, and what was he doing staying at the new trendy hotel? He didn’t fit the part for most of the guests I’d noticed coming in and out. There were no streaks of blue or purple in his hair, and I couldn’t spot any piercings.
He could have had tattoos I couldn’t see. I’d bet he had great arms too, judging by the broad set of his shoulders. An image of him pulling off his white button-down shirt and peeling it off possibly ink-covered muscles danced in my head, causing a tug between my legs. I cleared my throat and straightened in my seat, shaking my head for a second to erase the dirty image like an Etch A Sketch.
I wanted to blame my fascination on the writer in me and not the woman who hadn’t been touched by a man in a longer time than she could quantify.
“What were you doing at the hotel? Business meeting?” I nodded to his jacket.
“Yes,” he said with a nod as he set down his menu. “I finalized an offer for a new job. I’m staying at the hotel tonight because they’re making it all official in the morning.”
He lifted a shoulder as he leaned back in his seat.
“That’s exciting! So I guess you’re moving back here?”
He nodded. “After all my meetings tomorrow, I’ll be flying back to Washington to pack the rest of my things and figure out where I’ll live when I come back. My new boss said they’d help me find something quickly so I wouldn’t be living out of a hotel.”
“Wow, that’s a big step. Relocation and everything.”
“And everything,” he said, exhaling what sounded like a defeated sigh. “Like I said, I’m from here. Not here—” he tilted his head toward the window “—from the Bronx. My parents live in Putnam County, so while the city isn’t that close to where they are, they’re excited to be able to see me without a plane ride.”
“What can I get you?” A waitress with two colorful tattoo sleeves approached our table. The flowers etched up and down her arms were striking, but not as striking as the man sitting across from me.
“The taco special and a regular margarita. Extra salt.” I smiled up at her as I handed her back the menu, trying to ignore Silas studying me in my periphery.
“I’ll keep it simple and have the same,” Silas said, shooting me a smile. Butterflies fluttered in my hollow belly.
“Wise choice,” I told him as I took another sip from my water glass, still desperate to cool off.
He searched my gaze, stretching his arm across the back of the booth.
“Whenever I travel, I always get what the locals get.” He nodded toward me. “And those margaritas caught my eye on the way in.” His smile dimmed as he leaned closer to the table. “For my…old job, I used to train a lot and always had to watch what I ate. Not that I don’t try to stay healthy now, but it’s nice to be able to have a drink and a few tacos without worrying about repercussions.”
I wanted to ask what his old job was and where he was working now, but something stopped me. While I wanted to know more about him, I didn’t want to pry or ask anything too personal.
Especially since this dinner would be as far as it would go between us.
“So, what were you writing today?” Silas asked. “I’m sure it was something good, to get you that engrossed.”
I nodded, my cheeks heating at his smirk.
“It was a scene I’d been having trouble with for a while and finally nailed. It was a good feeling until my fist landed on an innocent bystander.”
There was that chuckle again. Husky, sexy, and easy as his gaze searched mine.
“The innocent bystander didn’t mind.” The corner of his mouth tipped up. “What was the scene? Unless it’s, like, top secret.”
A laugh slipped out of me.
“No. Not top secret.” I rested my elbows on the table. “I’m a romance writer. I was writing the black moment. I mean, the big scene where everything goes south and they have to fight through it together.”
