The back, leading over my ass and down the train, was evenbetter.
My hair was up in a sleek style.I carried a black satinclutch with a rhinestone buckle as a catch.Long black gloves were smoothed upmy arms.And I wore no jewelry but large diamond studs at my ears.
And it was good I went for it for my first date with my guy.
Because every eye in the room was on me.
“Well…shite,” I breathed.
“You’re magnificent,” Loren whispered in my ear, tucked myhand in his elbow, and guided me into the room.
Every gaze followed.
We walked behind the maître d’ as he took us to a table atthe back and to the side that was small, rectangular, had a five-candlecandelabra, and two plush, black-velvet chairs on the outside facing the viewwhere the table was set against the window.
And Newton lay before us, twinkling like London while Peter,Wendy and friends flew over it to Neverland.
Loren held out my seat.
I sat.
He joined me and was barely down when two gorgeously etchedflutes of champagne were laid in front of us, the bucket with the bottle put onthe table, and whoever offered these swept away.
Our backs were to the room, I could still feel the attentioneven though a hum had struck up.
And I didn’t care a whit.
I reached for my glass.
Loren took his.
I turned to him.
He’d dressed for the occasion, apparently, in all black,including boots, shirt and neckcloth.
He looked like a glamorous scoundrel.
Delicious.
I tipped my flute toward him.
“This will be the best, most enjoyable, most memorableevening I’ll ever have in my life,” I announced.
“Will it?”he asked, sounding amused.
I was not amused.
“It will,” I stated, my voice edged with steel.
His attention on me grew acute.
“Satrine,” he whispered, his voicerough.
“You may think you’re dark,” I told him.“And I’m findingyou are.Dark like this.”I indicated the room with a sweep of my flute.“Edgedin gossamer and crystal.Lit with fire.A beautiful cocoon where I feel safe,truly safe, for the first time in my life.”
His voice was now thick, and that fire was burning into mefrom his eyes.
“Sweeting.”
