My head certainly felt light and buzzy. “I am. Excited and nervous.”
“Oh, Tim, I’m so happy for you. I really, really like her.”
“I do too, Amy. I like everything about her. She’s so great. I just… I don’t know… I…” Amy was going to give me absolute hell. I was unusually tongue-tied at the thought of Tabs.Damn, Langston, man up.I had to get my shit together before Tabs showed up.
“Make her realize how you feel, Tim.” Her voice was gentle. “Be honest—that’s all any woman wants.”
A flash of blond hair swung in front of the revolving doors.Tabs. I knew her just from the turn of her head. A strange sensation flew through my belly, and my heart thumped loud and hard against my rib cage.
“Gotta go, Ames,” I said and ended the call, even though I never asked why Amy called. I’d text her tomorrow.
I didn’t want to be on the phone when Tabitha arrived.
I wanted to be free to watch her walk toward me.Fuck, she was beautiful.
And tonight, she was all mine.
29
Tabitha
Iwas late, whichwasn’t like me at all, but we’d found last-minute typos in a piece that needed to be fixed. I’d rushed out of work, gym bag in hand, without doing my planned last-minute shower, makeup, and hair refresh at the gym. Instead, I’d had to make do with a quick change in the work loos. I’d wanted to be me, and comfortable, so I’d packed a stretchy black skater dress with a low sweetheart neckline that flared at the waist. My work flats had seemed too sweet, so I’d thrown in my spiky red heels to add some excitement. I thought about taking off my string of pearls but decided that was a bridge too far.
But as the smartly uniformed attendant opened the door, I had a crisis of confidence. I was worried that we might not have as much to talk about in a formal environment, that things would feel different here.
Stop overthinking, Tabs.Things were really good between us. Not just that silvery-around-the-edges sexual tension. But fun, where I could wear my granny nightie and we could joke about it. But I didn’t bring my granny nightie today. I’d even worn my Saturday night specials—my black satin underwear—in anticipation he might see them.
The Baronial Lair was already heaving with people at the bar, and most of the tables were full. The vast room was a perfect mix of glittery purple, pink, and gold, with a huge open fire. Waiters dressed in tartan moved across a carpeted floor. I was energized, then overwhelmed by the space and panicked internally about not being able to find Tim seated at a table.
Then I found him, near the bar that dazzled with mirrors and pretty bottles and colorful glassware. Tim stood out from the crowd, literally towering over their heads. He was on his feet watching the entry doors, and my heart pounded. He was very obviously waiting for me, not pretending to be having a drink. Oh God, Ilovedthat. His face sparked with recognition, and he immediately strode over to me.
“I’m so sorry I’m late,” I said, although he’d gotten my message. “I’m never late.”
“Like I said, don’t worry. It’s not a problem.”
“You know I hate keeping people waiting.”
“Tabs, I’ll always wait for you.”
I took him in. His usually mussed-up hair was smoothed back, his dark gray jacket sharpened his shoulders, and the slight shine of his gray shirt brought out the lights in his brown eyes. His wool pants tried to hang straight but couldn’t quite smooth over the muscled thighs that pressed against the fabric.
He looked incredible, and not for the first time, I thought, this man would really know how to throw a woman around in bed. And the glint in his eyes, the curve to his lips, hinted that after said throwing, he’d know his way around a woman’s body.
A lot of throwing and knowing, and it was making every nerve in my body tingle.
“I’m just glad you’re here.” He touched my arm as he held my gaze. “You look beautiful, Tabitha.” His voice was low and gentle and soft, sending sensuous ripples throughout my body.
“Thank you.” I was so nervous, I was about to blurt out something bizarre, like what my dad would say.Gosh, you scrub up jolly well too, old pal. But I stopped myself and went for what I really thought. “And you look very handsome.”
He smiled. “Thank you.” He glanced at the maître d’, who’d swooped by. “I’m sorry, I don’t think there’s time for a drink at the bar. They want us to be seated.”
I wanted more than anything to sit at that bar. The stools were very close, and I could have breathed in his cologne, which smelled like fresh grass mixed with an unsettling note of sawed wood, and sneak peeks at him in the vintage gold mirror without being obvious. But I was almost relieved because I knew I’d also be worried about where I’d put my knees and hands, not to mention sliding off the stool.
We were led to our table, a pink velvet banquette in a secluded corner. Tim steered me with his large, warm hand on the small of my back, sending sparks of anticipation up my spine.
Sliding into the banquette, I ran my hand over the back of the soft velvet seat, gazed happily up at the sparkly chandeliers, and laughed. I laughed stupidly at the perfection of the restaurant’s shimmering old-world glamour and charm, amid the soft lighting and roaring fire. This was the place Ishani and Sunny had talked about at the pub. Gosh, that seemed a century ago. At the time, I hadn’t been as interested as I usually was, and I wondered if I’d finally tired of London. But I loved everything about this place. Why hadn’t I been to this restaurant sooner?
Because my life has become consumed by work and Mum and Dad’s continuing nonsense and various crises.
