After my shower, I rushed through my usual grooming techniques because whatever he prepared smelled delicious. He was plating our meals when I arrived in the kitchen.
“It smells wonderful in here, and I’m really starving now. What are we having?” I asked, grabbing glasses from the cabinet.
“Seared scallops over a bed of rice with scallions and parsley. Their perfumed aroma adds to the dish. I wasn’t sure what typeof bread you might want, so I just went with a basic French bread.”
“That’s perfect. Look at you, Mr. Fancy. Did someone cook it?”
“Yeah, me. I bought a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that pairs well with it,” he announced, lifting the bottle from the counter as I was going into the refrigerator to look for something.
“You really are prepared, aren’t you?”
He winked and smiled as he took our plates to the dining room. “And I prepared orange sorbet for dessert.”
“I have to watch you.”
“Why is that?”
“A man who knows how to plan unique date nights, give thoughtful, good gifts, and you cook? Yeah, you’re definitely not to be trusted.”
I laughed and he smirked. “I’m offended. Just because my mama and daddy raised me right means that I shouldn’t be trusted?”
“You’re too good to be true. The only smirch so far is the company you keep.”
He stopped and turned to look me dead in the eye. “And that’s my interest in you, keeping better company,” he replied with a wink that went straight to my belly.
We sat down at the table, and Naijhel said a simple prayer of blessing over our food as he held my hands. That simple act was so touching and caused my heart to rejoice. I wasn’t a difficult woman to please, although I was reserved these days, but little acts like that went a long way.
I moaned my pleasure when I took my first bite of the food. “If you really did cook this, you put your foot in it,” I declared.
He chuckled. “I tried to do a little something.”
“When did you have time to do all this? I was only gone for thirty minutes.”
“I took the day off and prepared everything in advance, so all I needed to do was come here and cook it. I made the Sorbet early this afternoon before we spoke.”
I shook my head and laughed. “You already knew you were coming by here today, huh?”
“I did.”
I chuckled again. “Mm-mm-mm.”
“What?”
“How far are you willing to go to get into my panties?”
Setting his fork down, Naijhel rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward. When he held my gaze, it was so hypnotic that I didn’t believe that I could move my eyes if I wanted to.
“Delaney, that’s not what I’m here for. Let’s be clear. I’ve never had a problem getting pussy from a woman.”
It should have been offensive, the way that he said it, but it wasn’t. It turned me on, and I wanted him to say the word again. In fact, I wanted him to ask if he could play in mine. But I didn’t go that route.
“Then why are you here?”
“I found you attractive the day that we met, but circumstances were what they were. Over the last year, I have thought about contacting you a dozen times or more, but I always talked myself out of it. When I received the invitation and learned that you would be in the auction, I knew that was a sign from God telling me to shoot my shot.”
I laughed. “God told you to shoot your shot?”
He nodded and sipped his wine.
