Chapter Five
The place Landen chose surprised me. It was a small Greek restaurant with candles on every table, friendly staff, and, if the smell was anything to go by, delicious food.
Another thing that surprised me was his lack of argument when I insisted on driving my own vehicle. He’d merely shrugged and used an app on his cell phone to share the location of the restaurant with me. Which made me suspicious.
Still, once we were there and seated, my stomach let me know on no uncertain terms that I’d missed lunch and I needed to feed it soon or there would be dire consequences.
Yes, my stomach and I had that kind of relationship. I was one of those women who got hangry. And it wasn’t pretty when I did.
When the waiter approached, I opened my mouth to order an appetizer but Landen beat me to it.
“We’ll take an order of tzatziki with extra pita to start,” he stated. “But we’ll need a few moments to decide on our entrees.
The waiter smiled and nodded as he filled our water glasses then walked away.
I lifted a brow at Landen as I sipped my water.
He shrugged, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I knew you were hungry.”
I lowered my glass. “Yes, but perhaps I would have liked something else.”
His grin widened but he didn’t take the bait. “Would you like me to call him back over here?”
I stared at him as I tapped my finger on the table. “No, I happen to like tzatziki.”
He leaned forward and laid his hand over mine, stilling the rhythmic beat of my finger on the table. “Am I allowed to offer suggestions?”
My eyes narrowed. “Yes, of course,” I replied primly.
Then I let it go. I didn’t like it when men tried to order for me without asking me what I wanted first. In this case, it wasn’t worth the effort because I liked what he ordered and I wasn’t going to deprive myself just to be contrary. I would definitely eat more than my share.
A few months ago, I’d gone on a date with a man who insisted he order my meal because I’d never been to the restaurant before and he knew “exactly what a woman like me would want.”
Then the bastard ordered me a salad with a vinaigrette on the side, no meat on it, and that was it.
Needless to say, there wasn’t a second date.
Landen distracted me from my thoughts by turning my hand over, cradling it in his and smoothing his thumb across my palm. The calluses on his fingers surprised me because I knew he mostly worked behind a desk. They also made tingles spread up my arm because they created an exhilarating sensation.
The waiter returned with our appetizer before I could finish wracking my brain for something to say. Landen seemed reluctant to release my hand but he let me go when I tugged it free and reached for the spoon.
The tzatziki was tangy, creamy, and perfectly seasoned and the toasted pita with it was delicious. I bit back a moan as I took my first bite and watched Landen drop a good-sized dollop of the dip on his plate and quite a few pieces of pita.
“Do you know what you’d like for your entree?” the waiter asked.
I grimaced. I’d been so distracted by Landen that I’d barely looked at the menu. Then I smiled at the waiter as I swallowed the pita in my mouth. “What would you recommend to someone who’s never eaten here before but loves Greek food?” I asked.
I saw Landen smirk out of the corner of my eye but ignored him.
The waiter pointed to three different selections, describing each and explaining what side dishes came with them. They all sounded perfect.
Finally, I said, “I’ll take the Greek combo.” It contained a little of each of some of my favorite Greek foods.
The waiter nodded and looked toward Landen, who was grinning widely. “That’s a great choice. I want the Athenian combo.”
That had been my second choice.
“Do you want to split a bottle of wine?” Landen asked me.
I shook my head. After what happened at the wedding, I was staying away from alcohol whenever I was around this man. It was too dangerous.
As the waiter walked away, I turned to Landen. “How do you feel about sharing?”
He studied me, his eyes way too intense for my casual question about sharing our dinner. “I think it’s overrated.”
“So there’s no chance you’ll let me have a bite of your dinner?” I asked, batting my eyelashes in a ridiculous way.
He chuckled. “Well, since you asked so nicely, I guess I can make an exception just this once. What about you?” he asked, leaning closer.
Our faces were just a few inches apart. “What about me?” My voice was soft and husky.
“Are you willing to share?” His dark eyes gleamed in the candlelight, looking more black than blue.
“Depends on what I’m sharing,” I answered. Unable to help myself, my eyes dropped to his mouth for a moment. A mouth that curved just a bit as he closed the distance between us.
As he had earlier, Landen touched his mouth to mine in a whisper of a kiss before he withdrew, leaving me with tingling lips and heated skin. Our eyes were open and on each other the entire time.
Then I licked my lips, tasting a hint of him. His eyes flickered down to my mouth and grew intensely focused.
“Shit,” he muttered.
Before things could get out of hand, the waiter returned with our salads and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to thank him or swear at him for breaking the sensual spell that had fallen over me.
I smiled at him and thanked him before he walked away. Landen merely grunted and picked up his fork.
As I dug into my salad, I was suddenly aware that I was still hungry. Well, I was hungry for two things and only one of them was food. So I focused on the appetite that I could satiate at the moment and grabbed my fork.
“So why are you working while Chris is gone?” Landen asked between bites.
I shrugged. “He’s going to be gone for a week and the work would just pile up.”
“Didn’t he offer you some time off?”
“Yes, but I like to be busy,” I responded as I forked another bite of salad into my mouth. Like the tzatziki, it was delicious. The crisp lettuce was lightly dressed in a slightly sharp vinaigrette and the smooth, salty feta balanced out the vinegar. I could see why Landen liked this restaurant.
To my utter shock, we talked about our work for the next few minutes without a single moment of bickering. Once our salads were devoured, the server returned and removed the plates, promising that our entrees would be out in a few moments.
When the plates arrived, my eyes widened at the enormous amount of food. I would probably have leftovers, which made me happy since I could take them for lunch the next day. If I didn’t decide I wanted a midnight snack, anyway.
Landen chuckled quietly at the greedy way I stared at his plate and put a piece of not only his shrimp and chicken souvlaki on my plate but part of a lamb chop.
“Thank you,” I sighed as I cut into the tender lamb and lifted it to my mouth. This time I didn’t suppress the moan that rose in my throat as flavors exploded on my tongue. The lamb practically melted in my mouth.
I realized I’d closed my eyes and opened them to find Landen staring at me again, his gaze hot and consuming.
“Are you dating anyone right now?” he queried suddenly.
I frowned at him as he cut into his chicken souvlaki. “Why do you ask?”
He lifted the bite to his mouth but answered me before he slid the fork between his lips. “Because, as I stated earlier, I don’t like to share.”
I frowned at him, unsure of how to proceed. He was talking as though he intended for us to be exclusive and this was our first dinner date, one that may not end well.
“I’m not dating anyone right now, but all my online dating profiles are still active,” I replied with a shrug.
He glared at me. “So you intend to continue dating?”
I sighed and put my fork and knife down. His questions were putting me off my dinner, which was pissing me off as well because the food was amazing. “Listen, Landen, this is technically our first date. I’m not going to promise to go steady with you just because we’re sharing a nice meal and not sniping at each other like we usually do.”
He stared at me, his expression thoughtful, as he continued to eat. “So when do you consider exclusivity?”
Uncertain why he was asking me about all of this, I ate a bite of my mousakka and my eyes nearly crossed. As I chewed, I shrugged again. Once I washed the food down with a sip of water, I answered his question. “It depends on the person I’m seeing. If he broaches it after the second or third date and I’m interested in pursuing a deeper relationship with him, then I agree. Sometimes it takes a few dates to determine our compatibility.” I examined his features. “What about you? Are you dating anyone?”
He shook his head. “I don’t date.”
I glanced around the restaurant then back at him. “Then what are we doing right now?”
He smirked at my sarcastic question. “Well, I don’t usually date,” he amended.
“So, what do you do when you want to be exclusive with a woman?” I asked before taking a bite of the potatoes that had come with my They were divine. The flavors of olive oil, lemon, and oregano filled my mouth and I took another bite.
“I ask her if she’s dating anyone else.”
It took my mind a moment to switch gears from the incredible potatoes to his words. Especially since he’d just asked me if I was dating anyone as a prelude to this strange conversation.
I wasn’t sure what to say. I barely knew Landen. Well, at least in a non-professional capacity. I didn’t know what kind of television shows he watched, what music he listened to. I didn’t know anything about his past or what his plans for the future were. At least in a personal sense. I knew all about his business ventures, both past and present, but that wasn’t the same as knowing him and understanding what made him tick.
The only thing I could do was be honest with him.
“We don’t know each other very well, Landen,” I said carefully. But I kept my eyes on his. I wanted him to see my sincerity. “But I’m willing to change that if you are.”
And it was the truth. Because as much as he irritated me, he also amused me. I liked the fact that he challenged me and that he didn’t back down from my sometimes abrasive personality. He was the first man in a long while who seemed to remain interested even after he’d gotten a good dose of my personality.
My mother had long given up all her attempts to turn me into a Southern “lady” because no matter what she said or did, I always reverted back to the bold, outspoken woman I’d always been.
More than once I’d caught her mumbling beneath her breath, “Just like her damn father.”
Considering she usually said it with a smile, it obviously didn’t bother her too badly, though I had been known to embarrass her with my behavior.
Landen nodded. “Okay, we’ll get to know each other better.”
As we finished our entree, I learned that Landen was an only child, just like I was. I also learned that he liked to read anything and everything, even the occasional romance novel.
When I shared my obsession with Lt. Joe Kenda with him, he grinned. “You watch Homicide Hunter?” he asked, laughing. “Why am I not surprised?”
I cocked my head to the side and stared at him. “Why do you say that?”
His grin widened. “Because you’re just as tenacious and methodical as he is.”
I decided that his words were a compliment since those were both character traits I admired and smiled. “Why thank you.”
He laughed again, but the waiter chose that moment to return and take our now empty plates. For someone who said he hated to share, Landen not only shared his food with me but picked food off my plate as well. Between the two of us, we devoured the entire meal. So much for my midnight snack. I mean, my lunch tomorrow.
“Would you like some dessert or coffee?” the server asked.
It dawned on me that he’d never given us his name, but before I could ask for it, Landen asked him about the desserts and if they had anything special that wasn’t on the menu.
The waiter’s eyes lit up. “I have just the thing. It is a bit like cheesecake, but very special.”
“What’s it called?” I asked.
He said the name and my eyes widened. There was no way my tongue would fit around that word.
Landen and the waiter both laughed as I tried to repeat it and butchered the pronunciation. The server left and I still didn’t know his name, which bothered me. I liked to know the name of the people who waited on me at restaurants or businesses that I used regularly. I liked calling them by name because I knew from experience that customers often forgot the wait staff were people too.
When he returned, he brought a plate with a huge chunk of what looked like a thin cheesecake and two cups of Greek coffee.
“I sweetened the coffee, just a bit,” he explained. “It is too bitter without it.”
“Sounds delicious,” I murmured. When he took a step to leave, I spoke, “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name earlier.”
The older man smiled, his dark eyes twinkling. “I’m Gregory. Enjoy your dessert.”
Landen and I thanked him and each picked up our forks. After the first, blissful bite, I immediately took another. It was like an orgasm in dessert form. One little taste would never be enough.
Immediately, I decided that I didn’t want to share and an evil little plan formed in my greedy brain.
“Oh, hey, look who’s here,” I said brightly, pointing at the door behind Landen.
He turned to glance over his shoulder, which gave me the opening I needed. I grabbed the plate, yanked it over to my side of the table and out of his reach, and forked up another bite as I did.
When he twisted toward me, his mouth open to speak, he saw what I had done and laughed. I paused in my efforts to consume every bit of the dessert at the sound. He’d laughed around me before but not like this. He looked younger, happier, and less intimidating. Almost boyish. It was a good look.
“I take it you like the dessert,” he stated.
I nodded, yet another bite of the decadent concoction making its way past my lips.
Then he reached over and slid the plate towards him. I growled, grabbing the edge once again and trying to hold it in place. “Mine,” I mumbled around the bite in my mouth.
He released the plate and eyed me for a moment, as though he were taking my measure. Then he smiled, but it wasn’t an amused smile. It was teasing and downright wicked. Before I could ask him why he was grinning, I felt his hot, callused fingers against the inside of my left knee.
I nearly choked on the dessert as the tips of said fingers skimmed up my inner thigh, pausing mere millimeters from the edge of my underwear. My leg trembled because I couldn’t decide if I wanted to slam my knees together or let the muscles in my thigh relax so that I was even more open to his touch.
Just as my breath began to back up in my lungs, he traced one finger over the edge of my panties and I gasped, my body growing rigid. If I had been on a first date with anyone else and they touched me like this, I would have decked them.
But Landen was different. We’d already shared an insanely hot kiss and we weren’t complete strangers. At least that’s what I told myself.
Ever so slowly, his hand drifted back down my thigh and I nearly whimpered because I wanted it back where it had been and more.
When his hand finally left my leg, I collapsed back in my chair, my chest moving quickly with my panting breaths. I opened my eyes, surprised to find that I’d closed them in the first place.
Then my eyes met Landen’s heated gaze, just in time to see him lift a forkful of dessert to his lips.
“Oh, no you didn’t,” I muttered.
The devil man had used sex to distract me while he stole my dessert! At least when I’d done it to him, I hadn’t gotten him all riled up first.
Then I grinned and his expression grew wary. I leaned forward, resting one hand on his shoulder as my other hand went beneath the tablecloth. I licked the small dab of cream off his lip just as my hand slid over the top of his thigh and I ran a teasing fingertip over his zipper.
Landen grunted as I shifted my mouth closer to his ear. “Don’t forget, two can play that game.”
Still moving slowly, I leaned away. His eyes followed each gesture I made and the rise and fall of my breasts. He was taking my measure, looking for a weakness, like a predator preparing to pounce.
I’d lost all interest in the dessert and I reached for my water glass, hoping the chilled liquid would cool the inferno threatening to spread throughout my body.
Landen reached out and tugged my chair closer to his, which tangled our legs together beneath the table.
Then he leaned in, put his mouth against my ear, and whispered, “Game on.”