“Tia’s.”
“Sure. Dean?” I glanced over my shoulder at my sixty-something Sous chef, with his beautiful black skin, muscular build, and infectious smile. “Dean, you don’t need me, do you?” While he usually handled lunch and I dinner, we often alternated just to get a feel for the menu and offer each other suggestions.
“Nope, Sweetpea. Got it covered.”
Blowing him a kiss, I exchanged my chef’s coat for an apron and entered the dining area. The noise of idle chatter and laughter hummed with the clink of knives and forks, it was music to my ears. Still, the lunch time was crazy. An hour later, calm had settled over the floor and the tables were easier to manage. As I set down another order of drinks, I looked up in time to catch a newcomer entering the restaurant. He paused to finish his call. The foyer was a little darker and the sunlight filtering through the windows around us shadowed his appearance making it difficult to discern his facial features.
“Who is that?” Debbie, the new waitress, whispered over my shoulder.
I was about to reply I’d no idea when he started walking toward a table. His stride slow, confident, an almost regal swagger that suggested he was aware of our admiration and unfazed by it before sliding into a seat at one of my tables.
I recognized the man Tia had called Mr. Ballsy and chuckled at the name. Apart from wanting to meet me his first day there, he’d abruptly left without ordering anything and became a regular over the last two weeks. But it wasn’t the reason I remembered him. That day, I’d joined the girls to celebrate Nina’s engagement and caught sight of the man. He’d shot up out of his seat, his gaze locking with mine briefly before his warm smile morphed into one of pure iciness or shock, I couldn’t tell. Then, he’d walked out without a backward glance.
Initially, I didn’t think anything of it until he returned. With each visit, I sensed his gaze on me and when I’d turn around, it was to catch him staring. Strangely, the look in his eyes baffled me. They graced me with a sensual caress, something akin to warmth as though he knew me. Though I saw no reason to reciprocate his mysterious smiles, I found myself speculating if he knew me—if he was connected to my past in some way. Admittedly, the man’s curiosity intrigued me.
As I approached his table, I had to agree with Tia. He was a looker, and I couldn’t help wondering why he’d wanted to meet me in the first place. Pretending interest in my notepad, I studied him beneath the shield of my lashes. There was an imposing presence to the way he carried his tall, athletic build. While there was nothing sexier than a man in a gray suit and black button-down, one with hair long enough to be pulled into a small ponytail and the evidence of tattoos that began on the back of his hands, kicked up my pulse a notch. I suddenly wasn’t sure if the aircon was turned up full blast as an inexplicable burn scorched a blazing path from my nape down.
I balked when I noticed his penetrating gaze pinned on me. It felt like more than the typical stare of a diner trying to attract a waitress. Almost like bait on a hook, they were reeling me in, promising the allure of unknown indulgences. Shoving aside my mental visions of what pleasures he’d inflict on a woman’s body—well, mine in particular. I pasted a small smile on my face and stepped closer, my nostrils immediately assailed by a masculine scent that was rich and spicy with an underlying freshness.
Squaring my shoulders, I forced calm into my body, barely holding in the need to inhale deeply. “What can I get you?”
Deep probing eyes, the color of a perfect raindrop on a bluebell stared up at me. Even though he didn’t answer, the slow slide of his gaze over my body, from head to toe, told me what was on his mind. Warmth unfurled in my chest. I felt like I’d just woken from an extended hibernation, eagerly anticipating something. What? I had no freaking idea.
“What I want.” His smile was slow, almost deliberately wicked. “Isn’t on the menu.” The deep, velvet tone glided over me like the tender stroke of a lover’s touch and had me wondering how my name would sound, slipping through those perfect lips.
I shivered. The abrupt action startled me. Wiping my suddenly clammy hand down my apron, I gripped my pen tight, trying to regain the loss of control. Handsome or not, the man held a dangerous impact on my emotions, and I didn’t even know him. I lifted my gaze to find him watching me. My cheeks heated. A ghost of a smile curled his lips, confirming he was aware of his effect on me.
“I think what you want, is served on the other side of town. You’ll find an interesting variation on the street at negotiable rates too.” My tone bordered on brusque.
Maybe I was overcompensating for my body’s reaction. Yet couldn’t stop staring at his thick, full lips rimmed by a neatly trimmed beard. His husky laugh echoed an unusual sound that coursed through my already hyped-up body.What the hell’s going on?I’d never reacted to a stranger this intensely before.
“That may be true but I’m sure it wouldn’t be as tasty as what I’d find here?”
Matching his cocked brow with one of my own, I added a slight smirk to my lips. “Since I’m not privy to your tastes, I can neither agree nor disagree. However, if you insist on eating here, I suggest you stick to the menu.” Despite my friendly tone, I maintained a level of firmness he wouldn’t miss.
I waited while he made a show of contemplating my words. His gaze dropped to my breasts, watching my chest rise and fall with each exhale. I was suddenly self-conscious. Could he make out the lines of my red lace bra beneath my white blouse? Was it thick enough to hide my unexpectedly hard nipples? Trying not to squirm, I fingered my half of a heart pendant attached to a thin gold chain.
“Gorgeous and feisty.” He rolled his tongue over his bottom lip. My eyes followed the action and I salivated at the thought of the pink wetness sliding over mine. God, where was this coming from? “Two of my favorite dishes.” Those blue eyes roamed over my face, challenging me to smile. I resisted with effort, dropped the pendant, and positioned my pen over the notepad. His gaze latched onto my chest again like a snake that had just spotted prey. I was about to give him a piece of my mind when he said, “nice pendant.” Surprised, my brow shot up. “What happened to the other half?” Mistaking my hesitation for my reluctance to answer, a languid smile played around his lips. “As long as it’s not broken.”
I frowned. “What?”
“Your heart.”
I stared at him, unable to read the look in his eyes. I shifted from one foot to the other. “Order please,” I squeaked, irked by my own lack of control I had over my voice.
His sudden grin burned a hole right through my stomach. “Recommend anything?” Slowly, he licked his lips, his gaze riveted on me, trying to make me squirm. I wasn’t about to give him that satisfaction.
“I’m pretty sure Tia’s filled you in on our offerings, so if you don’t mind?” I muttered, not bothering to keep the impatience out of my voice. The man was clearly a player, one who obviously commanded attention and took without asking. Fortunately, I wasn’t in the market.
At first, he seemed taken aback, and then the warmness in his smile intensified. “I’ll try the pecan pie. I believe it’s the best in town.”
I shrugged. “Wouldn’t know, I don’t eat what I cook.” A stretch of the truth but he didn’t need to know that. Wary of newcomers, I hated the strong feelings the man elicited in me without lifting a finger.
“Why don’t you eat what you cook?”
I glanced up from my notepad. “When I know the answer, I’ll be sure to inform you.”
With that, I turned away. Warm hands gripped my wrist, catching me off guard. I gasped, looking down at the strong fingers halting my movement. My heart hammered in my chest. The beat so frantic, it drowned the sound of my uneven breaths.Oh, God.Why was he touching me? What the hell was that searing heat radiating up my arm? Adrenaline-infused fear staggered my breathing. I freaked out on the inside. Silently, I congratulated myself on my restraint not to yell as my eyes sparred with his, demanding an explanation for his conceit. But those thousand hues of blue cut through me like a warm knife through butter. If it wasn’t for his hesitant smile, I would’ve believed his intentions were immoral.
