NINE
If I had any doubt about classifying tonight as a date, it was erased the moment Alex walked into the restaurant.
A woman didn’t look that good for just any old charity event. This was definitely date attire.
Her red dress had every eye in the place turned toward her when she walked through the door, mine included.
I’d arrived early and was waiting at the bar.
The color caught my attention but it was the woman who held it. The fabric clung to her every curve, but it was the whole package rather than the dress itself that made her irresistible.
My gaze swept down her body, from the swell of her breasts above the plunging neckline, all the way down to the red high heels that gave me all sorts of inappropriate ideas. Maybe I was a sexist pig but I couldn’t help myself.
Swallowing hard I forced my focus back up to her face and man, she was gorgeous.
She’d been pretty before, but tonight, with her hair swept up to expose the bare skin of her neck and shoulders, and makeup that made her eyes stand out like beacons beckoning me to move closer, she was breathtaking.
I’d had the pleasure of spotting her before she saw me so I could fully appreciate her unobserved.
When I finally got my head on straight, I stood and moved toward her just as she noticed me and smiled.
That smile brought my attention to her lush lips. I had to fight the urge to kiss them as I leaned in and brushed a chaste kiss to each of her cheeks.
“Hey. You look great.” That I managed to sound smooth even as I was lusting after her was a testament to the sheer number of dates I’d been on in my life. Pleasantries were second nature at this point.
“Thank you.” The sexy as sin woman before me managed to look shy, almost embarrassed at the compliment as her gaze dropped away from mine. She finally brought her eyes back up. “So do you.”
I liked the glimpse of the uncertain girl I’d gotten to know on that bench over jelly croissants.
“This old thing?” I smiled and frowned down at the suit I’d had custom made in Milan last time I was there. It cost more than I used to pay in rent on my Manhattan apartment before I moved—and that was no small sum.
She rolled her eyes at my corny joke, and I didn’t blame her one bit.
“The table will be ready in a few minutes. What can I get you to drink?” I set my hand on her elbow to steer her toward the spot where I’d left my drink on the bar.
“Um. I’m not sure.” She hesitated. “A glass of white wine maybe?”
“White wine, it is.” I flagged down the server and ordered as she slid onto a barstool and laid her small purse on the bar.
Her gaze quickly swept the space, taking in everything. The bar patrons. The staff. The diners in the adjoining space. Even the back exit.
When her gaze finally landed again on me, she smiled and broke eye contact once more, looking shy that I’d been watching her.
I found the dichotomy within her intriguing. Not just tonight but since I’d first met her at the Hamptons fundraiser.
I remembered how she’d been organized and efficient, juggling the uber-rich and their money at the check in desk all while keeping the event chairs happy.
And tonight she was all cool sophistication in dress and appearance, head held high as she strutted through the front door and spoke with the hostess . . . until she saw me.
Then, through the cracks, slipped out the shy, indecisive part of her. She’d gone from a sharp smart woman to one who grew uncomfortable at receiving a compliment and couldn’t decide if she wanted a drink or not.
Was it me? Did I make her nervous? And if so, why?
Maybe it was because she liked me. I enjoyed that idea—probably too much. Not because I wanted to make Alex uncomfortable, but because I loved the idea that she might be attracted to me.
The way she looked tonight, combined with the way I felt—we’d be combustible if she wanted me even half as much as I wanted her.
The server delivered the wine and Alex reached out and took one tentative sip. She caught me staring at her and put down the glass, fidgeting on her stool.
Shit. I needed to take it down a notch. She was the first woman I’d been interested in—I mean really interested in—in a long time. The last thing I wanted to do was send her running.
If it meant I had to tone down my usual level of first date charm, I would.
I sipped at my beer—a local craft brew—and considered how to play this. Cool indifference? Professional?
Fuck it. I couldn’t help myself. I said, “You really do look beautiful tonight.”
“Thank you.”
As expected, the compliment meant I’d sacrificed eye contact with her as her focus skittered away again.
Time to bring her back to me . . . I changed the subject to something she’d be more comfortable with.
“Thanks for telling me about the event. And I did a little research on the history of the venue. It was really interesting.”
“It is.” She nodded.
I nearly rolled my eyes at my own comment. My conversation was all over the place. My mood too, as I waffled.
One moment I felt the need to coddle her. The next, I had to fight the urge to grab her and kiss her until that shy insecurity disappeared.
There was a middle ground in there somewhere and I became determined to find it.
“I’m glad we got a chance to meet before the show,” I continued, in my effort to get Alex to relax.
“Why is that?” she asked.
“Because now we’ll have a chance to talk. Get to know each other better.”
“Oh?” One shapely brow rose. “And what would you like to know?”
“Well, for starters, I don’t even know your last name.”
“Having trouble stalking me on Facebook with only my first name?” Now her stare met and held mine, no hesitation.
“Actually, I was going to try Instagram, but yeah.” I smiled, not at all embarrassed I wanted to learn more about her. “Sorry.”
Not really.
Her lips twitched. “It’s okay. I forgive you. There’s all sorts of stuff online about you.”
“You looked me up.” I laughed, loving she’d been thinking about me and cared enough she’d taken the time to stalk me online. “So, anything shocking?”
“No. Not at all.” She cocked her head to one side, almost as if that lack of discovery perplexed her.
“Is that a bad thing?” I asked.
“Not bad. Just odd.”
“Odd how?”
“It seems like there’d be at least one scandal in your past.”
“Oh, there’s plenty of scandal. Luckily for me, it’s the other members of the large and ever growing Hearst clan monopolizing the headlines.”
“But not you?”
“Maybe long ago in my youth I might have been scandal worthy, but remember, back in those days Facebook was just a fledgling site. Social media was nothing like what it is today. It was easy to stay off the public radar.”
“And what about now?” she asked while trailing one finger up and down the stem of her wine glass in a way that had my gaze fixed to the motion.
I cleared the lust from my throat and answered, “These days I work so many hours it’d be hard to get into any news-worthy trouble.”
She nodded, but something hidden in the depth of her eyes hinted that she wasn’t quite buying my story.
Sadly, everything I’d told her was the absolute truth.
“Mr. Hearst?”
The summons brought my attention around to the hostess. “Yes?”
“Your table is ready.”
“Wonderful.” I looked to Alex and reached out one hand, palm up. “Shall we?”
With no hesitation, she met my gaze, took my hand and said, “We shall.”
Coming full circle, the strong confident woman was back and I became even more determined that I was going to get to know all the many parts of this woman. And wouldn’t that be fun.
I couldn’t wait.