Chapter Two…
Knowing which table we were to be seated at, I caught a glimpse of my blind date—mostly of the back of his head through the window. He looked promising body wise, but he appeared to be in need of a bit of shaping up around the neckline. Maybe I was being too critical, however, I did know the difference between a good haircut and someone who hadn’t been friendly to his dark locks. I also knew a bit about fashion and he had passed my assessment of his clothing; jeans, a very pale teal dress shirt and leather casual shoes. The final matter to be critiqued was addressed by Pansie or at least I hoped that she was contacting me as I watched her step in my direction, pulling out her phone. I swear to God seeing those little I’m typing bubbles or dots—whatever you want to call them—had me totally on edge. I didn’t know whether I should turn and walk away or just burst through the door and say, “the hell with it,” and make it a true blind date as it was supposed to be… and then there they were:
Laced With Spice!
“Yes,” I said to those three beautiful words with a fist pump as I watched Evie shaking her head at me out the window as she approached him.
Showtime! I smoothed down the sides of my dress—or wiped the sweat from the palm of my hands, more like it—and pulled the door open. Stepping inside, Vixen greeted me calmly but I could see by the gleam in her eye, she was dying to say more or maybe even scream like a giddy school girl. Allowing her to show me to the table, I still didn’t have a good view as he was staring toward Vin. So even though I had been given the stamp of approval, I was still totally in the dark about his face. Which allowed me the right to tell Evie that it really wasn’t a total cheat. It was a welcomed surprise to see just how good looking he was when I made it to the table, and he stood up like a gentleman. Wow!
I didn’t even hear the first few words coming from his lips… his inviting mouth had me wondering if it would be wrong to beg for a kiss at that moment. Not to mention that the rest of his face was gorgeous too in a clean cut, boy next door kind of way. He looked rather wholesome but there was a hint of fire in his eyes as he stared back at me and something told me that he had a wicked streak racing through his veins. “…I thought it best that we see each other at the same time rather than me watching you walk up to me…” Yeah, whatever you are rattling on about my brain said until I saw his eyes widen and I decided to come back down to earth. “…Never mentioned an unusual hair color.”
Maybe his expectations or requirements were not met seeing me. Perhaps he should’ve had someone text him also. Suddenly, I was on the complete defensive. “As I recall height and age and race were the only things allowed. No weight. That was a good thing; no one wants to tell their weight. Which could be a bad thing too as you could find yourself with a six foot man weighing six hundred pounds.”
As he chuckled at my words, I realized that we were still standing, and seated myself—he followed moving to a different chair that brought us closer together. “You know, I think if I were to be tipping the scales toward a thousand pounds, our date probably would’ve been at my home or you’d have seen a crane parked out front…” His words trailed off and then he hit me with new ones. “You are stunning.”
“Is that code for interesting, strange or do you mean that I am absolutely exquisitely gorgeous stunning?” I wasn’t so sure this date was going to get beyond me downing a glass of wine or even a beer—whatever alcohol was readily available.
“I think I love you…”
“Woah! Brakes on!”
He laughed. “I love your attitude… distinct character…”
“I get it. You’re not experiencing love at first sight. You love my wit. I get that a lot and it usually goes all downhill from there. Wine… let’s order wine. It makes me look a whole lot better, I assure you.” I had never been so on edge, bordering on tears, and fiddling with things on the table.
Within an instant, he reached out and grasped my wrist firmly. “Stop.” It was an authoritative command that sent my body reeling with prickly sensations from my wrist straight down to my tiny lusty nest that housed my sacred la la pearl right below it. I found myself silently staring into blueish-green eyes that, strangely enough, reminded me of my own minus black mascara and liner look. “You are absolutely stunning as in so gorgeous that you actually take my breath away and if I wasn’t a gentleman I would beg you to skip dinner in favor of me ravaging your body in a million different ways that end with you screaming my name.”
Mesmerized, I said nothing like an idiot, but with perfect timing, Pansie arrived with menus and her wine suggestions. “Good evening. May I interest either of you in a glass… or bottle of wine? Depending on your food selections, I would recommend a nice red Sangiovese to go with our Ribeye—it’s Laced with Spice.” I could not believe she was mentioning my codes and smirking at me. “Or if you are leaning toward our fish of the day which is a seared ahi, I would say a Rosé or a Sauvignon Blanc is a great choice. I personally love a Pinot Grigio, but we did just get this new white in and I hear it is to die for… definitely not Out of Coffee.”
Mason looked confused, tilting his head, and I assumed that it was her mention of coffee. I understood her meaning, perfectly. “Who knew you were such a sommelier.” I shook my head and Pansie laughed. “Mason, this is my best friend Pansie, she owns the café. Pansie, this is Mason whom I don’t know much about yet. So give us a bottle of wine…”
“Sangiovese. Spiced with Lace sounds promising to me,” he chimed in.
“Laced with Spice…” I corrected him and he raised an eyebrow. “But… the wine sounds perfect to me. I’m not much of a pairing wines kind of girl. I like what I like and go all out to get the job done.” I realized that I was no longer talking about the wine like he seemed to have done mentioning spicy lace, and redirected my comments. “Red is my preferred shade of wine.”
Quickly, our date appeared to be heading toward sexiness. Chilling it down a bit, I asked him what he did for a living and he told me that he worked in communications. He was in charge of a new division of a big company and I had to say—to myself—that it sounded extremely boring as I pictured him trying to sell people phone services. I had no problem switching gears to what I did for a living as the owner of Salon Luxe. I truly love working as a beauty engineer and I love the look on people’s faces when I tell them my job title.
I was pretty sure he probably thought I was out of my mind crazy. I was also pretty sure that he was ready to see just how crazy I was between the sheets. The date might not be headed toward a perfect connection involving marriage and babies, but I was certain we were on the path to meaningless sex at the end of the evening—it was just the matter of whose home we would end up in, connecting on a lusty level.
Even eating our selected meals had turned into a sexual act as he insisted that we try each other’s food by extending forks to eagerly opened mouths. We were both pretty vocal when it came to appreciating the café’s cuisine. I loved that he moaned almost as much as I did and I had visions of cooking breakfast for him in the morning.
“You moan when you eat.” He was the first to point a finger.
“So do you. And you, also, close your pretty blueish-green eyes when you sip your wine… and you inhale it too. You appear to have an affinity for good food.”
“So you like my eyes?” He winked at me and changed the subject as I felt my face heat. Did he actually make me blush? No one did that to me. “I can’t believe I never knew about this place. It’s a hidden gem… like finding a hidden gem.”
“Not hidden anymore.” I smiled, sipping from my wine glass.
“You seem to like to contradict me with words.” He was right; since the first moment he greeted me, I had been defensive. “There’s no competition going on between us… and if there was, I would always win.” He smirked at me as if he was waiting for my rebuttal… anticipating my reaction, and sure enough, I fell into his trap.
“Ha! You don’t know me very well.”
“I have a feeling I could put you in your place.” His remark had me wondering exactly what was hidden behind the clean cut look he exhibited—something about him screamed naughty boy… bad boy. Which wouldn’t surprise me, I always seemed to gravitate toward them but never ones that looked innocent like Mason.
Innocence is in the eye of the beholder? No, not it. Quiet but deadly? Closer. Beware the silent type? He wasn’t exactly the silent type… just the opposite, he was highly opinionated… like me. Looks can be deceiving? Yes, once again, I was reminded of Saylor’s warning.
“I’d like to see you try.” I definitely saw fire in his eye with my challenge.
“Let me let you in on a little secret. I think that it is sexy as fuck…” I was a bit taken back by his use of the f-word, it didn’t seem like it would stumble from his lush lips. “… when you moan while eating. Another little insight, you close your eyes… your eyes even roll back in your head when you’re savoring your wine, and your food. The little shudders your body makes has me cursing the fact that we are not somewhere more private and…” And seemed to dangle in the air forever. “And I really want a taste of your lips right now.”
I was speechless when I really wanted to say, “ooh la la, bring it on.” And, as if my lack of a retort was an invitation, he leaned toward me and ran his lips over mine seductively before capturing my mouth right there in the café for all to see.
He had me wanting to skip out the front door for more. Yet, after that heated exchange and that equally steamy kiss that left me panting and soaking wet, I was surprised that we stayed and had dessert. But then again, I had boasted all about Marzi’s baking skills so much that he was ready to order dessert first. Assuring him that you had to save the best for last, we made it through every course and then shared a couple of new recipe mini cakes. A spiced ginger with a cream cheese frosting topped with a marzipan grasshopper and then, of course, an “orgasmic cake” as Pansie announced it. It was truly explosive like the cookies or maybe even better as it was moan-worthy. Imagine a decadent sinful brownie cake like no other with mascarpone buttercream frosting—a naughty looking flower decorated the top of that one.
“You do know you owe me.” I tilted my head, slipping the last morsel of cake icing from my fork, and licked my lips as he watched me intently. “Did you drive?”
“No, I hired a car.” All the better for you to drive me home.
“I’m taking you home.” Oh, goody! We’re on the same page... I hoped.
“And then what?” I had a feeling I knew exactly what that meant, but something told me he was a dirty talker—he had made many innuendoes already—and my body was dying to know details.
Leaning forward, he didn’t disappoint, at all. “You have been moaning, licking your fork, sucking food off mine. I’d like to see how it feels to have my cock in your mouth.” Check please!