Tristan grinned. “Deal.”
Chapter Fifteen
Tristan helped Cree out of his Aston Martin and after closing the door, he settled his hand at the small of her back. Goodness. An involuntary shiver scurried up her spine as they strolled across the parking lot to the Thai restaurant.
Cree shouldn’t be enjoying his touch so much, but it was hard not to. That, as well as the enticing scent of his woodsy cologne she’d had to endure during the fifteen-minute drive, had her wanting to skip lunch and go straight to bed.
So yeah, she should really move out of his hold, put some space between them because the heat spreading through her body had her self-control teetering. This was not how she was supposed to be thinking or feeling about her client, but Essene might’ve been right. Getting involved with Tristan might be a big risk, but he was worth it. Besides, she missed him.
When they entered the restaurant, the sweet, tangy, savory, aroma of spices greeted them at the door, and Cree’s stomach growled. Her protein bar for breakfast had worn off, and she was starving. They might be there to talk, but she couldn’t wait to eat.
She glanced around. The exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, and minimum lighting added to the coziness of the place. The establishment wasn’t very busy, but Cree requested a table near the back of the dining room. She wasn’t sure if anyone would recognize Tristan, especially with his cap pulled low on his head. Still, a true fan might know it’s him, and the last thing she wanted was for them to end up on someone’s social media page.
“Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?” Tristan asked quietly once they were seated.
On the contrary, she wanted to say. She was glad to be with him. Being with him evoked memories of love, desire, and passionate nights. Her memory bank was busting at the seams, and now she wanted what they once had when they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
Instead of saying any of that, though, she said, “No, but I have a few concerns. You’re a household name now, and in the days of people using the camera on their cell phones to snap photos, I don’t want to end up in one with you. No offense,” she hurried and added. “I’m just an attorney having lunch with my client.”
His lips twitched, and his sexy brown eyes sparkled. “Well, just so you know, I’m counting this as our first date. As for you not wanting to be in a photo with me, what are you going to do when we officially start dating?”
She narrowed her eyes at him even though her heart leaped in anticipation. “I never said anything about dating you officially.”
“You didn’t have to. It’s only a matter of time, baby. You won’t be able to resist much longer,” he said and grinned.
“Cocky much?” she ground out.
No way would she tell him he was right because she was still trying to come to terms with her decision about him. Hooking up with him would be life-altering in more ways than one. She had to be sure. She’d always been a bit reckless when it came to Tristan and apparently, considering how much she wanted him, age and wisdom hadn’t changed that.
The server took their drink order, and since they knew what they wanted to eat, they ordered their entrees as well. A short while later, the woman returned with Cree’s glass of red wine and Tristan’s beer.
As Cree sipped her merlot, she watched Tristan over the rim of the glass. He was looking around the restaurant, oblivious of her taking him in. He really was a handsome man with smooth honey-brown skin. She normally liked him clean-shaven, but the five o’clock shadow he was sporting on his cheeks and chin was a good look on him. It added to his ruggedness and sex appeal.
“I’m surprised you’re not somewhere watching football,” she said.
“I would’ve been if Quincy hadn’t been insistent on me touring that building.”
As Tristan told her about his nonprofit, pride swelled inside of Cree. She was so proud of the man he had become and loved how he was giving back to those less fortunate. Most professional athletes did that to some degree, but Tristan’s nonprofit supported not only the kids in sports, but also the parents.
An arm of the nonprofit helped with living expenses and emergencies. So, they weren’t just taking care of the athlete but also the family. They understood that, if the child’s home life wasn’t stable, it would affect their abilities in whatever sport they were playing.
“I love what you guys are doing,” she said.
“Good. That means you’ll attend the next fundraiser and give a huge donation,” Tristan cracked, and Cree laughed.
“I didn’t say all that,” she joked, but looked forward to attending and donating.
“Okay, we have the Pad Thai and a side order of Tom Yum Goong for you,” the server said with a heavy accent and set the dishes in front of Cree. “And for you,” she said to Tristan, “we have the Khao Pad with chicken. Anything else?”
Cree shook her head no, but Tristan requested water for them both.
Silence fell between them for the first few bites of their meal, but then he asked about the spa. He’d been surprised it was open on Sundays. As a silent partner, Cree stayed out of the day-to-day operations and was pleased at how the business was being run. But at the last business meeting, she had suggested offering a few services on Sundays. Her business partner thought it was a great idea and implemented it soon after. According to their bottom line, the suggestion was paying off.
“A badass boss lady,” Tristan said with a smile. “You never cease to amaze me. I recall you talked about one day opening a spa with your college roommate. So, you guys finally did it. Congratulations.”
Cree couldn’t help but grin. She was proud of them, but hearing Tristan’s praise meant a lot.
“Coming here was a good choice,” he said. “The food is excellent.”
