“There ain’t many places I could take you out on a date.”
“And they agreed?”
He nodded and gestured to their table. For the first time, Aria took in the soft lighting, mellow music, a table set for two, complete with wine, and a centerpiece of colorful flowers. The man possessed a romantic tendency. Only, his mischievous antics so far hadn’t left much to be desired.
“Happy birthday.”
The whisper brushed against her ear. Startled, Aria whipped around to face Reece. “How did you know?”
“Kelly told me.”
“Thank you, but...” She chewed her bottom lip in silence. Mildly curious as to what made this playboy tick. “I don’t celebrate my birthday.”
“C’ mon, Aria, you can’t fault a man for tryin’? Have I at least impressed you a little?” His baby pink lips widened in an enigmatic smile. The sexiness caused a shiver to graze its way from her toes to her cheeks.
“A little,” she teased and walked toward the table, followed by Reece’s chuckle. When he slid the chair out for her, Aria laughed. “What a gentleman.”
“I aim to please, ma’am.” He plunked his massive frame in the opposite seat. “Wine, beer, or something a little stronger?”
“Wine, please,” she replied as Beth returned and set starters on the table then retreated into the kitchen. A delicious butternut soup Aria favored. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Beth this quiet.” While The Ruby Rose was the only social entertainment in town, Beth made it a point of knowing each patron and their families personally.
“She’s excited to see you in such good company.”
“Charming as ever,” Aria laughed at his audacity. Reece certainly wasn’t without appeal and probably delighted the pants off Beth to get this privacy.
He uttered a throaty laugh. “Red or white?”
“Red, please.” She wasn’t much of a drinker except for an occasional glass of wine at dinner. Anything stronger tended to make her a little too chatty. “Thank you, Reece,” she whispered, sincerely impressed with his efforts. He nodded and poured the wine.
The last man who spoiled her to this extent lay beneath six feet of red clay in South Africa. Her relationship with her father bordered on a tight friendship until the appearance of her stepmother—a catty woman hidden under layers of thick makeup. The overdone face paint couldn’t disguise her true intentions from Aria the first day she walked into their home. Aria tensed at the memory.
“Would you relax a little?” His soft words took her by surprise. “I don’t bite...hard.” His emphasis on the last word added an allure to the hidden sexual connotation. The tantalizing smile he offered served its purpose well. “C’ mon eat up. Nothing tastes worse than cold soup.” He ladled a spoonful into his mouth and licked his lips as though the subtle hint never happened.
She uttered a nervous laugh as the first spoonful touched her lips. Vaguely uncertain what Reece expected to achieve with this date, Aria nibbled her lower lip. She had to set him straight before it was too late. “Reece, today, when I said I wanted you, it was the truth. But I’m not the woman you met at the bar. I can’t offer you much, and I’m not sure where you’re going with this—”
“Friendship, Aria, nothing more,” he said softly. “Three years ago, I met a beautiful woman. Our one night stand was—”
“A mistake,” she interrupted without thinking
He appeared taken aback for just a moment. “Not for me, it wasn’t.”
She blanched. “I’m sorry, I was a little blunt. The truth is I’d never been so rash before.”
“What changed your mind?”
Aria debated the answer. So far, only Uncle Buck and Kelly were privy to her past.
“Don’t answer if you don’t want to.” He reached across the table and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m not asking for anythin’ you’re not ready to give.”
“Why? You don’t know anything about me.”
His spoon stopped mid-air as his gaze roamed her face, then held her gaze.
Aria battled to decipher their depths. “What are you looking at?” she asked in an attempt to kill the uneasy silence.
“A beautiful woman.” He placed his spoon back into his bowl.
She arched a brow. “Is that all you see?”
