Chapter Six

 

 

June

Friday seemed to take forever. After school, I rushed home and gave myself a quick manicure and pedicure, in pale pink, my favorite color. Angela had taken the dress to the dry-cleaners, and it was hanging on the back of my door.

I nervously killed two hours watching reruns of television, barely even paying any attention. The second the clock hit seven, I wriggled into Angela’s dress, then applied two coats of mascara, lipstick, and a little blush. When I looked in the mirror, I couldn’t believe the girl I saw.

I just hoped Thomas would like her, too.

At twenty-five past, I spritzed on some perfume, grabbed my clutch, and shoved my feet into a pair of Angela’s black patent platform pumps. Her feet were slightly bigger than mine and for a moment, I wobbled nervously as I walked into the foyer of our apartment. I’ve got this, I thought, trying to stay positive. I can do this.

As I walked outside, my heart was pounding like a nervous drum. I bit my lip and glanced up and down the block, looking for any sign of Thomas.

I didn’t have to wait long. At seven-thirty on the dot, a silver Porsche cruised by the building and braked hard. Seconds later, Thomas climbed out from behind the driver’s seat and beamed at me. He was so handsome that it almost hurt to look. His silvery hair was pushed back and he was clad in a black button-down shirt and black slacks.

“Hi,” I said, blushing furiously and biting my lip.

“Hey yourself,” Thomas said. He winked at me. “You look stunning. I’ve never seen that before. New?”

My blush deepened and I was glad it was twilight.
“I borrowed it from my roommate,” I confessed with a small laugh. “I don’t really need stuff like this for school.”

Thomas laughed – it was a nice, deep sound – and grinned. “No, I guess not,” he said. “But damn. Your kids would really pay attention if you did.”

My cheeks hurt from smiling as I walked carefully to the car, making sure not to wobble too much in my borrowed heels. Thomas opened the passenger door and held it open for me, carefully tucking the silk of my skirt inside before closing it. When his skin brushed against mine, I shivered.

“So, I thought we’d go to Daniel,” Thomas said.

I giggled nervously. “I have to admit, I’ve never heard of that place.”

“You’ll love it,” Thomas said confidently. “It’s French, and very new.”

Oh, no, I thought nervously. I don’t know how to read French!

“Don’t worry, everything is fantastic,” Thomas said. He steered the Porsche smoothly down the street. Being there, in the car with him, I could barely remember to breathe. In Angela’s silk dress, I slid sensually against the black leather seat. It was all too much to take in. The sound of Thomas’s voice made me shiver every time he spoke.

“I’m really glad you asked me out,” I said softly, taking a nervous gulp. “I…I don’t really date much.”

Thomas chuckled. He reached across and briefly rested his hand on my bare knee before shifting the car into a different gear.
“I’m glad you said yes,” he said, his voice booming through my chest. “I’ve been wanting to ask you out ever since we first met.”

I licked my lips. By the time Thomas took his hand away from my knee, I was trembling with excitement.

“Are you okay?” Thomas eyed me. “Are you always this quiet?”

“No! I mean, yes,” I babbled, blushing deeply. “I mean, sorry. No. I’m just nervous.” I glanced down at my hands twisted tightly in my lap. “Like I said, I don’t really date much.”

“I don’t mind,” Thomas said. Now his voice was lighter, teasing.

“Good.” I gulped again.

“June, are you nervous being with me?” Thomas glanced at me, raising an eyebrow.

Yes, I thought quickly.

“Um,” was all I could say.

“Don’t be nervous,” Thomas said. He smiled. “I promise, I’m not some big bad wolf.”

No, I thought. You’re just gorgeous and rich and sexy and I can’t believe you’d want anything to do with a little nerd like me.

“I am, a little,” I said quietly. I glanced out the window and watched the shops and restaurants whizzing by. The warm, leathery Porsche felt like a different world, somehow like I was seeing everything in Manhattan for the first time.

“Would it help if I said that I’m nervous, too?”

“What?” I narrowed my eyes and whirled around in the seat. “Why?”

Thomas laughed. “Because I haven’t dated in a long time,” he said. “Probably fifteen years or so.”

I blinked. “You…you haven’t dated since the divorce?”

“No,” Thomas said. He swallowed. “I didn’t want to jump back in right away, you know,” he said. “The divorce was such a headache, it took all of my energy. I didn’t think that would be very fair.”

“I see.”

“And besides, it’s not going to be easy for Brett,” Thomas added in a low voice. He pulled the car over to a little area marked ‘valet.’ I blinked – the outside of Daniel was as beautiful as a luxury hotel.
“I know,” I said quietly. “He…he hasn’t been taking this well.”

“No,” Thomas said dryly. “And I’d want to ease him into the idea that I’m seeing someone.”

“Especially his teacher,” I added in a quiet voice.
Thomas laughed. “June, don’t worry about it,” he said. “This is just a first date. I’ll handle Brett, okay?”

I nodded.

A tuxedoed valet swooped down and pulled open the passenger door. I was careful to keep my knees together as I climbed out of Thomas’s fancy Porsche. Once I was on the ground, I wobbled once again and almost fell but steadied myself with a hand against the car.

“These are my roommate’s, too,” I said, giving a guilty glance down to my heels.
Thomas laughed. “I’d like to see your closet,” he said. “But I have to admit, that dress is perfect for you.” He reached out and swept my black hair across the nape of my neck. The slightest touch of his fingers made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and I shivered.

“Thank you,” I said softly. “That means a lot.”
Thomas grinned. He offered me his arm and after a moment, I accepted.
“Wouldn’t want you tumbling down,” he said with a smirk.

I blushed as Thomas led me inside. The inside of Daniel was breathtakingly beautiful, with elegant marble and gold fixtures everywhere I looked. The plush red carpet under my heels felt like walking on a lush bed of grass, and the ceilings were so high that I felt tiny, like a dwarf.

“Like it?” Thomas gave me a bemused smirk.

“I love it,” I said, craning my neck and glancing all around. “This is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen!”

Thomas nodded. “I love it, too,” he said. “I hosted a business dinner here last month and everyone agreed that it was phenomenal. I hope you like escargot,” he added with a smirk.

I blushed. “I don’t know what that is,” I said quietly.
Thomas gave me a wicked grin. “We’ll order some and let you decide for yourself,” he said.

A beautiful brunette hostess gave Thomas a warm smile. When she saw me, it faded a little. She was poured into a tight black dress – much like the one I’d rejected from Angela – and as she led us to our table, I couldn’t help but notice that she was salaciously swinging her hips from one side to the other.

I had to bite the inside of my mouth so I wouldn’t roll my eyes. Thomas was so gorgeous that I knew he was probably used to this kind of attention, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t find it rude.

After we were seated, the brunette turned to Thomas and gave him a megawatt grin.
“Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“No, thank you,” Thomas said. His voice was polite but his eyes were firmly fixed on me. I blushed hotly.

The hostess’s smile faded. “Of course,” she said. Then she turned on her heel and sashayed away, showing off her perfectly heart-shaped butt.

“She was pretty,” I said quietly once the hostess had left.

“I didn’t notice,” Thomas said. He winked at me. “I’m here with you, remember?”

I blushed.

We hadn’t been seated for more than two minutes when another very attractive woman came up to the table and smiled.
“Hello, my name is Katharine and I’ll be your server tonight,” she said with a smile. I frowned when I realized her whole body was turned to face Thomas. It wasn’t like she didn’t even realize I was there.

“We’d like to start with a bottle of the ’93 pinot noir,” Thomas said smoothly. He turned to me. “June, do you like red wine?”

I nodded. Katharine turned, too. When she saw me, she smiled.
“It’s so nice that you’re taking your daughter out to dinner,” Katharine cooed to Thomas. “I can’t tell you how much I love seeing that.”

My cheeks were burning red and tears sprang to me eyes. Thankfully, Thomas laughed politely and shook his head.

“June is my date for the evening,” he said. “She isn’t my daughter.”

Katharine’s smile vanished. She glared at me, almost as if she were angry that Thomas wasn’t single.

“Oh,” she said shortly. “I’ll be right back with your wine.”

After she left, Thomas laughed. When he saw that I wasn’t smiling, he reached across the table and put his hand on my shoulder.
“June, relax,” Thomas said. He chuckled. “That was kind of funny, wasn’t it?”

“I guess,” I said sourly. “She’s jealous,” I added. I swallowed a lump in my throat. “It’s like she can’t believe you’re with me.”

“Well, I can hardly believe it myself,” Thomas said. He winked at me and I felt my frown melt off my face. “You’re the most beautiful woman in the room. I’m sure she’s just insecure, and she wanted to make you feel bad.”

“Stiff her on the tip,” I said dryly, winking at Thomas.

Thomas burst out laughing. “I should, shouldn’t I?” He snickered. “This menu is incredible,” he added smoothly, switching gears in less than a second. “What looks good to you?”

I glanced down. “I don’t know,” I confessed. “It’s all in French.”

“The lamb is fantastic, as is the hangar steak,” Thomas explained. “Do you like seafood?”

“Sometimes,” I said. I wrinkled my nose. “Not when it’s too fishy,” I added. “I only like it when it’s with a cream-based sauce.”

Thomas laughed. “You’re in luck,” he said. “That just about describes everything on the menu.”
We fell silent as Thomas perused his leather-bound menu. I glanced down at mine. The foreign words and accents intimidated me. The only thing I recognized was the word “entrée.”

“What’s chicken cordon bleu,” I asked, forming my lips around the strange words.

Thomas chuckled. “It’s a chicken dish with ham, cheese, and a creamy sauce,” he said. “It’s good, but very rich. Would you like me to order that for you?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Just get whatever you think is best.” I closed my menu. “I’m hungry, but this all sounds really good to me.”

Thomas nodded. “If that’s what you’d like, then that’s what I’ll do,” he said.

Katharine returned with the wine. She barely acknowledged me as she poured Thomas a taste. I watched, fascinated, as he swirled the glass around in his hand, releasing fragrant aromas into the air. As he sipped, he closed his eyes and relaxed his sensual, leonine features. I blushed hotly – it was somehow sexual, watching Thomas drink.

I wondered if that was the face he made when he came.

“Yes, this is perfect,” Thomas said after a long pause. “June, I think you’ll love this.”

Katharine turned to me with a sickly sweet smile on her face. “Ma’am, may I see some ID please?”

“Sure.” I pulled my wallet out of my clutch and handed over my driver’s license. Katharine stared at it longer than necessary, squinting hard at the date.

“Come on,” Thomas said. “She’s twenty-two.”

Katharine flashed him a big, fake smile. My stomach curdled as I heard her speak.
“Yes, sir, I’m sure – it’s just our policy to card anyone who looks underage.”

She handed my license back to me and flounced away.
“She forgot to fill my glass,” I said miserably.
“June, don’t let this bother you, please,” Thomas said. He chuckled. For a second, he almost looked nervous himself.

I swallowed. “I’m sorry.” I stuck my license back in my wallet and tucked my clutch away. “It just bothers me.”
Thomas sighed. “I know,” he said. “Look, it bothers me, too. But I don’t want it to ruin our evening.” He leaned closer and touched my hand, sending a thrilling warmth through my body. “Besides,” Thomas added with a wry smile. “As much as I hate to admit it, if we keep seeing each other, this kind of thing will happen.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I hope not,” I replied. “I mean, I hope that it doesn’t keep happening.” I covered my mouth with both hands. “Not that I hope we don’t keep seeing each other.”
Thomas laughed. “June, relax,” he said. He poured me a huge glass of wine and passed it over. “Drink this. It’s good, you’ll like it.”

I took a few sips and discovered that not only was the vintage wine good, it was the best thing I’d ever had. Closing my eyes, I took a long swallow and let the flavors burst in my mouth.

“This is incredible,” I said softly. I’d seen the price on the menu – one bottle was over two hundred dollars! – and part of me still couldn’t believe that a man like Thomas was so eager to spend money on someone like me.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” Thomas said. He refilled both of our glasses, then we clinked. Just as I was starting to feel happy and relaxed, Katharine came bustling back up to the table.
“We’re going to start with escargot and baked brie,” Thomas said. “And then we’ll both have the rack of lamb, medium rare, with mint jelly and bordelaise.”

Katharine nodded. She started to open her mouth but Thomas held up his hand.
“Please, only speak if you have something kind to say,” he said.

Inwardly, I cheered.
Katharine’s cheeks flushed with anger and she looked pained. “I was going to tell you that our special tonight is a maple infused salmon terrine,” she said. “Would either of you be interested in trying that?”

Thomas looked at me expectantly. “June?”

I shook my head. “No, thank you,” I said. “I prefer the lamb.”
Thomas grinned. “As do I,” he said. He handed the menus to Katharine, who looked as if she’d been sucking on a lemon. “Thank you. That’ll be all.”

Katharine glared daggers at me as she stalked away.

“June, I really am sorry,” Thomas said in a deep, husky voice. “I had no idea we’d be treated like this, at least, not here. The previous times I’ve had dinner at Daniel, everything was perfect. The servers were very polite.” He reached up and adjusted the collar of his shirt. “I’ll be speaking to a manager after the meal.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” I said quickly. “I wouldn’t want her to lose her job.”
“Really?” Thomas arched an eyebrow.
I nodded. “Yeah,” I said. “I mean, she was rude. But she shouldn’t be fired just because she thinks you’re hot.” I blushed. “I mean, you are hot. No wonder she couldn’t help but stare at you.”

Thomas chuckled. “That’s very flattering, June,” he said. “Thank you.”

I bit my lip and took another long sip of wine. When I felt Thomas’s hand on my knee under the table, I froze. He looked at me and raised his eyebrows, not speaking. After a few moments, I nodded, blushing furiously.
Thomas’s fingers caressed my bare skin, stroking my knee. He slid up, inch by inch, until the tips of his fingers were stroking the inside of my thigh. I blushed hotly and squirmed. It tickled, but it also felt exquisite. No one had ever touched me like this – no one had ever turned me on more than Thomas March.
“You’re flushed,” Thomas said with a smirk. “Are you feeling unwell? Is it too warm in here?”

I bit my lip and shook my head. Thomas’s fingers moved higher and higher, until he was practically at the crotch of my panties. A strange, hot arousal flowed through my body – unlike anything else I’d ever felt before. It almost felt like my crotch was burning. I realized all too late that I was straining my body towards Thomas, spreading my legs and allowing him greater access to my soaked pussy.

As Thomas teased my inner thighs under the table, my clit tingled and swelled. Soon, I could feel that my clit hood had rolled back and my bare clit was rubbing against the fabric of my panties. I bit my lip and suppressed a loud moan as Thomas’s fingers stroked higher. He slid the tip of a finger around the edge of my panties, where my leg met my body, and my eyes rolled my back in my head. I wanted him to take me right there. My whole body was on fire as Thomas teased me, stroking me gently. When his fingers moved to the crotch of my panties and began to touch me there, I thought I would die of pleasure.
Suddenly, Katharine swooped over the table. Thomas yanked his hand back and sat up straight, looking every inch the immaculate billionaire. Flushing furiously, I sat up and yanked my skirt down. My breath was coming in hard little pants and I could feel that my whole face was bright red.

Katharine eyed me with cold amusement as she set two dishes down on the table. One of them was vaguely familiar – brie baked in a puff pastry crust, served with fruits and crackers. But the other, a small white dish with nine round holes, was something I’d never seen before. Tiny little lumps of meat filled each hole. Melted butter and herbs covered the dish and it smelled heavenly.

“Escargot,” Thomas said, nodding to the white dish.

I nodded. “Oh,” I said.
“Would you like to try?” Thomas took a small fork with three tines and dipped it into the dish. He speared one of the small hunks of meat and lifted it to my lips. Obediently, I parted and let Thomas feed me.
“Delicious, aren’t they?” Thomas asked.

I chewed. The meat – whatever it was – was surprisingly tender and it fell apart in my mouth. The butter and herbs soaked into my tongue in a sensual blend. I closed my eyes, savoring the small morsel of meat.
“That’s incredible,” I said. “Wow.” I opened my eyes and smiled at Thomas. The sexual energy was still flooding my body, and all of my senses were heightened. When I tasted my wine, it tasted different than before – richer, with more body. It was almost like being incredibly turned on just made things more delicious.

“I’m glad you like,” Thomas said. He speared another tiny piece of meat on the fork and popped it into his mouth. “No one makes escargot like Daniel does.”

I nodded. “It was really good,” I said. I dabbed my lips with the napkin. “What was it?”
Thomas gave me a puzzled look. “Escargot,” he said.

I blushed. “Yeah,” I said. “But, um, I don’t know what that is.”
Thomas raised his eyebrows in amusement. “Snails.”

My jaw dropped. The delicious, buttery flavors in my mouth turned to ash and I spit some wine back into the glass.
“Oh, June, I’m sorry,” Thomas said. He looked apologetic this time. “I assumed you know.”

The blood drained from my face and I wiped my lips with the napkin, not even caring that I’d likely smeared lipstick all over my face.
“Snails?” I gasped. “You fed me snails?”
Thomas chuckled. “They were good, though,” he said. He smirked at me. “You were fine with it before you knew what they were.”

I blushed. “It…was good,” I admitted grudgingly. “But that’s so gross! How can anyone eat snails?” I shuddered.

Thomas speared another on his fork and popped it into his mouth. He gave me a devilish smirk. “Because they’re delicious,” he said. “And come on, you can’t tell me you didn’t enjoy them.”

I wrinkled my nose. “You’re right,” I said. “But I think I’ll stick with the baked brie.”
Thomas laughed heartily. “Fine with me,” he said. “More snails for me.” He wriggled his eyebrows at me and I burst out laughing.

The brie was heavenly, and thankfully it didn’t contain a single trace of escargot. I smeared some on a cracker and topped it with the fig preserves that had come with a tiny dish. Already, despite Katharine’s bitchy behavior and the discovery of escargot, I loved Daniel. I loved the posh opulence, I loved the attention to detail in every dish.

Most of all, I loved being there with Thomas.

When our lamb came, I couldn’t believe how delicious it was. Every bite seemed to melt in my mouth.

“I’m glad you like lamb,” Thomas said. He took a small bite, then a sip of wine.
“Why?”

Thomas shrugged. “It’s one of those things, people either love it or they hate it.”

I laughed. “Whoever hates it just hasn’t tried the lamb here,” I said, raising my eyebrow. “It’s incredible.”
Thomas nodded. “It is,” he said. “But I’m often prone to liking things that many people don’t.” He raised an eyebrow at me and I blushed.

“Like me?” I giggled.
“June, I can’t believe you think that way about yourself,” Thomas said. “You should know – you have so much to offer. You’re young, you’re beautiful – you’re obviously smart, you teach at the best public school in New York City.”

I bit my lip. “I just feel so dumb,” I said. “And so young. It’s so cliquey at school! I thought everything would change, you know. I thought people would grow out of catty behavior.”

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but they rarely do,” Thomas said. He shook his head. “My ex, Marlene…you’ve seen her. She still acts like the queen bee, like someone just elected her prom queen.”

I narrowed my eyes. I didn’t know what to say – I didn’t know Thomas very well yet, and I felt like criticizing his ex would only make me look bad. So I just nodded.

“You’ll be fine,” Thomas said. He grinned at me. “I’ve got faith in you, June. You’ve got no reason to ever feel like you aren’t good enough.” He leaned closer. “And besides, you’re the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

I blushed hotly. My panties were still soaked with my own juices, but I was feeling so overwhelmed – with the food, with Thomas, with the wine – that I could barely focus. By the time the check came, I felt like I was floating on air.

Thomas paid, refusing to look at Katharine when he handed her his credit card. After the bill had been settled, Thomas stood up and offered me his arm. We walked out into the chill New York City evening and I closed my eyes, resting my head on Thomas’s shoulder as happiness flooded my body.

The valet pulled up in Thomas’s silver Porsche and again, Thomas opened the passenger door for me. I knew that I should be thrilled – after all, I’d just had a wonderful time with one of the world’s sexiest men. But part of me was sad, too – I didn’t want the night to end. I wanted to stay with Thomas forever, smiling and happy by his side.

And now that I knew how much he wanted me, I desperately wanted to have a passionate encounter with him.

“I had a wonderful time with you tonight,” Thomas said. The Porsche rolled silently through the bright streets of Manhattan. I pressed my nose to the glass, staring at all of the bright young people who were just getting a start to their night.

“I did, too,” I said shyly. “Thank you so much for asking me out.”
Thomas grinned. “I’m glad you said yes.” He reached over and I shivered, thinking that he was going to slip his hand between my legs. Instead, he twined his fingers with mine and squeezed. The simple gesture somehow felt almost more intimate than when he’d been stroking my cotton-covered pussy back at Daniel.

I squeezed back. Thomas lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my fingers, sending a blossoming warmth through my body. When he pulled up at my apartment complex, he unfastened my seatbelt and slipped his fingers under my chin. I blushed hotly as Thomas pressed his lips to mine. At first, the kiss was chaste. But then he slipped his tongue into my mouth and I moaned softly as the sensual, slick muscle wormed into my mouth. I was putty in Thomas’s arms as we kissed and I was barely aware of wrapping my arms around his neck and sliding closer to him.
Thomas smelled musky and expensive, like three-hundred-dollar cologne. He nibbled on my lip and took my face in his hands, kissing me deeply. I moaned softly and gave myself over to him, tangling my hands in his thick, silver hair.

“Mmm,” I purred, unable to control myself. “I want you so much.”

Thomas chuckled against my mouth. The sensation tickled and I giggled. We kissed again, and Thomas nipped at my lower lip almost hard enough to draw blood.

“I want you, too,” Thomas said. He slid his hands down my body. In Angela’s silk dress, I felt practically naked. My nipples sprang into stiff little pebbles as Thomas moved his hands over my breasts. Touch me, I begged silently. Touch me again, make me yours.

“Oh, god,” I moaned, biting my lip and throwing my head back. Thomas’s hands felt hot through the thin layer of silk and I practically shoved myself at him, desperate and craving more of his touch.

Thomas chuckled and pulled away. “I haven’t made out in a car since I was a kid,” he said. His silver hair was ruffled and he smoothed it neatly back into place.

“I’ve never done that before,” I said softly. My heart was pounding in my chest and my skin felt hot and flushed.

Thomas leaned over and kissed me gently. “I had a wonderful time with you tonight,” he said. “I’d love to take you out again soon.”

I blushed. “I’d love that,” I said softly.
“Have a good night, June,” Thomas said. As always, the way he said my name sent shivers crawling down my spine.

“You, too,” I said softly.

I felt like I was floating on air as I walked into my apartment building and began climbing the stairs. I was still in a magic spell from Thomas that hung around me like a rainbow fog, but it was slowly starting to fade. By the time I got to my front door, I realized how uncomfortably Angela’s shoes were pinching. I sighed and took them off, gasping when I saw my feet were swollen, red, and covered in blisters.

Angela was waiting on the couch. When she saw me, she leapt to her feet and grinned.
“You’re home late!” Angela exclaimed. She grinned lasciviously. “I take it that means you had a good time?”

I flopped down on the couch, grinning. “It was the best night of my life,” I said softly. “I feel like I’m falling in love.”

Angela grinned. “Good,” she said. “That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear.” She winked at me and together we burst out laughing.

I had no idea what the future would hold, but that night when I went to bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about Thomas and the way he’d touched me. I’d never experienced anything like it…and I’d do anything to make sure that I felt it again.