“What about age or how they look?”
“Honestly, I’m open. The connection is the important thing.” Kim tilts her head. “What about you?”
“Someone with their own interests. I don’t want to be smothered, and if I don’t share them at the start, that’s fine. Maybe we’d get to enjoy them together later, maybe not. But obviously, someone who wants to spend time with me. Likescandlelit dinners and walks in the rainforest.” Her lips twist. “I’m joking about those. But a man who sees me for who I am, and isn’t expecting a woman to be his servant.”
With a start, she realises that until she mentioned gender, the description could fit Kim. But then, it could fit many people.
“Excuse me, ladies.” It’s the man who’d been sitting alone. “I couldn’t help but hear part of your conversation.” He smiles showing large teeth. “It seems my date has stood me up. I wonder if I could butt in here.” He focuses his gaze on Kim. “Your list of requirements in a partner describes me perfectly. I wonder if I may join you?”
He turns toward Kim, so that Danika is looking at his back.Rude.
Kim gives a polite smile. “We’re fine, thank you.”
“Let me buy you a drink. They do a fine shiraz here. It’s mouthwatering—just like you.”
Danika eyes him. What a creep. Although she shouldn’t presume that Kim thinks the same.
“No thank you,” Kim says evenly. “We’re enjoying our evening by ourselves.”
“That’s not what I heard,” the man says. “Describing how you want a man in your life. One like me who?—”
“Did I say man?” Kim says in saccharine tones. “How silly of me.”
Danika’s heard enough. She moves her chair around the table so that she’s next to Kim. Close to Kim. She puts an arm around her shoulders and pulls her in, presses a kiss on her cheek, then winds one of the stray wisps of hair around her finger. “You heard wrong. My wife and I are enjoying our night out.”
The man’s mouth purses then relaxes. “Let me buy both of you a drink and see where the evening goes.”
“No,” says Danika. “Please leave us alone. You’re interrupting our evening.”
With a huff, the man turns and stalks back to his table. He sits so he can watch them.
“Bloody creep,” Danika says.
Kim moves closer so that she’s snug under Danika’s arm. “Thank you for saving me,wife.”
“My pleasure. I’m very sure you could have got rid of him by yourself, but I saw red.” She sighed. “And of course, your being ‘taken’ shouldn’t be the deciding factor in his backing off. Your ‘no’ should be enough.”
Kim’s hand drops to Danika’s thigh, and she squeezes. A trail of sparks runs up her leg, fiery enough that she nearly gasps.Oh!
“You’re right, and I could have, but your way is much more fun. Except”—she brings her mouth close to Danika’s ear—“now we have to keep up the act, or go somewhere else.”
Danika is lightheaded with glee. She giggles and puts her hand over Kim’s. “I’ve nearly finished my glass, and it was such a good wine. It also was definitely not a shiraz. Would you like another glass of not-shiraz?”
“I’d love one.”
Danika stands. “Don’t talk to strange men while I’m gone.”
Chapter Eighteen
Kim
Danika’s arm around her shoulder feels good. Warm. And when she leans in to whisper in Kim’s ear, her breath is hot against the side of Kim’s face, and wisps of her hair tickle her cheek.
It’s easy to pretend she and Danika are on a date, an actual date. Kim leans in, bumps shoulders with Danika, touches her hand, strokes her arm. She tells herself she’s playacting for the creep’s benefit, but she’s not.
She’s really not.
She’s doing it because she wants to.
