Intimate Unfamiliarity
(Darcy)
At that exact moment, the door opens. I lock my gaze over my father’s shoulder, staring at the doorway. My heart pounds as a man appears in it. I’m so eager to check his hand for a ring that I don’t even look at his face. No ring. No spouse, at least.
He fully emerges into the restaurant and lets the door shut behind him. He’s alone. I am so going to do this.
I brush past my father and stand in front of the man, blocking his path. His spicy cologne is more delicious smelling than the food I’m so hungry for.
I swallow and go for it.
“Dad, this is him. I wanted it to be a nice surprise, but you’ve ruined that.”
“What?” the man and my father say in unison.
I take a deep breath and look up, both hoping the man will play along with me and that he won’t be old. Please don’t let him be like eighty or something. Oh shit, what if he’s someone my father knows?
My eyes drag up this man’s exquisitely cut suit, over his broad shoulders and thick neck. When I reach his face my eyes dart around, taking in the man’s perfect, non-eighty-year-old face. A strong jaw, full lips and thick, dark eyelashes framing bright, caramel eyes merge to form a sum greater than their parts.
Our eyes meet, and a shiver pulses down my spine. Fuck me. This guy is so far out of my league it’s not even funny. I’m not only about to be exposed as a liar, I’m about to get knocked down in rejection in front of my father. I will hear about this until the end of time. And this, without a doubt, is the last time I’m ever coming to the Fat Kok.
The gorgeous man smiles in bewilderment. Man, I thought he was out of my league a minute ago, but now the smile has turned his face into a whole new level of unattainableness.
But, rightly or wrongly, his smile eases my anxiety and I press ahead with my plan. I turn back to face my father, hoping beyond hope that the man doesn’t make faces behind me when he hears what I’m about to say.
“Dad, this is my boyfriend… um,” should I make up a name? Change of plan, I look back at the man. Damn, every time I look at him he’s even better looking. “Honey, this is my father, Timothy Knight.” My eyes plead with this handsome stranger as my cheeks burn in shame. Bad plan. Stupid Darcy.
“Timothy, so nice to finally meet you, I’m Liam,” he says, his voice is a smooth, rich timbre. I watch in shock as the man extends his hand to my dad.
“Liam, it’s a pleasure. I hope you’ll stay and join us for dinner.”
“Dad, he doesn’t have time to stay and eat. He’s just popped in to meet you.” Good God, I just changed this stranger’s plans for the evening. I mean, he did just come in here to eat, and now I’m sending him away. Except he’s not going to go away, why would he? I need to stop talking, slink out the door, and let the night swallow me whole.
Liam looks down at me, his eyes wide and kind and smiling, and half my insides melt. Whatever else happens, I can remember that look when I get home to my trusty vibrator.
I stumble as a woman brushes past me on her way out of the restaurant, and fall into him.
Liam wraps his arms around me, as if we had some sort of intimate familiarity between us. I lean into his hard body and try to imagine the muscles hidden by the suit. My heart bounces off my ribs.
“I’d love to,” Liam says.
With his hand, he tilts my chin up, leans over and presses his mouth against mine. His lips part my lips and I find myself drawn into his kiss. When his tongue slips into my mouth, I can’t stop my own tongue from swirling around it. Putting an arm around my lower back, he presses my entire body into his in a way that’s not entirely suitable in public or in front of my father.
Feeling as though I may explode, I wrap my arms around his neck, this stranger’s neck, bringing myself yet closer to him. Our kiss deepens again, my tongue reaching all the way to the back of his throat.
I become aware of my father clearing his throat and I start to pull away. But the stranger doesn’t let go, he keeps on kissing me. His hand moves from my lower back to my ass, cupping and squeezing it.
Overwhelmed, my mind shuts down. Time passes, maybe three seconds, maybe thirty minutes. All I’m aware of is the explosion bursting through my body from his touch. Inside, I am fourteen years old and have just kissed the world’s most famous popstar.
I make an audible moan, snapping me back into the room.
My father clears his throat louder and then louder still. That doesn’t stop us. We don’t stop until a table of customers needs to get past us to get out the door.
“Are you sure you have time to eat with us?” I say breathlessly, giving him a way out but secretly willing him to stay. Our eyes meet again, and I struggle to keep my knees from buckling again.
A big smile spreads across his face, fanning the flames already burning in me.
My father and Liam start to talk but I tune them out, visualizing what I’d like Liam to do to me. What I’d like to do to him.
At this point, I’m ready to push Liam out the door so we can pursue things on our own. I’m even considering sending my father away so Liam and I can enjoy a nice first date in this super non-sexy place.
Mmm, Fat Kok. I bet Liam has one.
“Darcy?” I have no idea what my father is asking me. Puzzled, I look at him. “I was telling Liam what a great business strategist and asset you are to Knight Global Events.”
“Oh, thanks, Dad,” I say, shifting my gaze to the floor. It’s the nicest thing my father’s said about me in years but I can’t look at either of them knowing what my last thought was about.
“Knight Global Events is lucky to have you,” Liam says, squeezing me. He sure knows how to put on a good act, whoever he is.
The two continue talking about business. Even though I’m more knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Knight Global Events than my father, I’m too distracted to engage in the conversation and I retreat into my thoughts again. My thoughts being oh my God a gorgeous man is holding me, oh my God I told my father he’s my boyfriend, oh my God what do I do now, oh my God he smells so damn good.
“Follow me,” the hostess snaps.
“About time,” my father barks and turns on his heels after her.
Holding my hand, Liam follows them and I float along behind. We sit at a round table, allowing me to see both my father and Liam but I’m too freaked out to look at either of them.
The hostess hands me a menu. Not caring about food, I set it on the table and sneak looks at Liam.