Chapter Three

“It’s my birthday.” She put her hand on his chest and slowed him down. “You have to feel the music. Allow it to flow through your body and then move to the beat.”

He copied her moves making her lips quirk in a smile.

“You could be a good dancer with the right teacher.”

“So, I need you to teach me?”

“Uh huh.”

“How old are you?”

“You’re not supposed to ask me that. Women don’t like men knowing how old they are.”

“Why? Age is a privilege, it means you made it to another day, another year. That is something to be proud of. Not everyone was able to make it here today.”

“You’re right there’s no shame in growing old. I’m thirty.”

“You’re still a baby.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m grown, but I’ll take that as a compliment anyway.”

Her stomach rumbled.

“Are you hungry?”

“Yeah.” She lowered her head. All she had been thinking about was safety. Eating wasn’t high on her list of things to do.

“Can I take you to dinner?”

Her head came up so fast she almost gave herself whiplash. A dinner invitation was the last thing she expected.

“As in go to a restaurant, sit down and eat?” Damn, why was she so surprised? It was just that life had been so mean to her lately that this was unexpected.

He wants to take us to dinner.

Of course, he does.

He should want that and so much more.

I want so much more.

“Enzo told me of a restaurant in Waterfront, he said it has the best steaks.”

“I know the one you mean. Deja told me they went there. She said the food was to die for. I want to go, but haven’t had a chance.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes!” Hmm, maybe she was a tad bit tipsy, not drunk. He placed his hand on her arm and led her back to the bar.

“I’ll be right back.” He disappeared into a door behind the bar, Enzo followed him.

“Deja,” she waved her over. She stood on her tip toes to whisper in her ear. “I’m going to dinner with the hottie, I mean Declyn.”

“Fire.”

“No, no, no It’s my birthday, Deja. Why shouldn’t I get to go out with a hot guy?”

“It’s just that these guys play for keeps. There not the hit it and quit it type.”

Fire’s hand came up to her chest. “Are you saying I am?”

“No, I just know that turning thirty is hard, and you may just be looking for a night to forget, but Declyn is more than a night.”

“Not all of us get lucky like you did.” Her voice was bitter, but then she picked herself up. Deja was wrong she wanted forever it’s just at thirty she resigned herself to never finding it.

She ignored Deja and gave Declyn a bright smile as he walked over to her.

“Do you mind if I drive?”

“No.”

Her smile became even brighter. This way if he were a jerk she’d be able to dump him, then one of his friends could come get him.

“I’m parked outside.”

He took her arm and led her out while she waved goodbye to Deja. She slid into the driver’s seat and waited to make sure she was sober enough to drive. He never rushed her waiting until she turned the car on.

“I’m happy you came into my club tonight.”

“So am I. I almost stayed at home and drank a bottle of Jack.”

“That doesn’t sound like fun.”

“It wouldn’t have been, but sometimes you just want to be alone. Have you ever felt like that?”

“Yeah. There was a time when everyone was around me, and I felt like I couldn’t hear myself think.” Flashes of life on the ship came back to him. “Now I’m so alone that I want to scream.”

“That’s how I feel and turning thirty has just highlighted it. When I was younger, I was sure I’d be married by now and have children.”

They left the barrier, but she never felt it.

“My mom she married and had me young. I thought I would grow up and be just like her.”

“Where is your mom?”

“She died a lot sooner than she should have. What about your mom?”

“I don’t have one never did.”

“I’m sorry, it’s hard to grow up without a mother. I get so sad when I think of my mom that sometimes I forget that others have it a lot worse than me.”

“Do you do that a lot?”

“What?”

“Put other people’s trouble’s ahead of yours?”

“Yes. I’m trying to stop, but sometimes I need to remember that I’m not the only one that’s suffering. Does that sound stupid?”

“No, it sounds just about right if you remember to take care of yourself.”

She shot him a smile and turned into Waterfront. They parked and went into the restaurant. It was divided into two parts. The bar was on the left surrounded by booths. On the right, there was nothing but booths with waitresses walking down the aisles taking orders or bringing food. It was after hours so the bright lights were turned down and it felt intimate. Although there were some groups, most people were paired off.

Their waiter showed them to a nice table. She ordered another daiquiri, this time it was strawberry. He ordered water.

“You don’t drink?”

“I do, but I won’t drink while I’m with such a beautiful female and we are outside of The Wolves’ Den.”

She stared at him with a frown.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, you seem different. I guess the world has all kinds, but I never met a man or male before that didn’t drink because he wanted to make sure I would be safe.”

“Where I grew up there was a shortage of females. To be able to go out with one, to spend time with one was special. I would never dishonor you by not being able to protect you.”

Darn, what was in that drink he made her? She couldn’t think straight because she wanted to get up and hug him, there was something about this male that reached for her. Darn Deja, she insisted Enzo was a male, not a man. Now when she looked at Declyn, she saw a male, and that made him even hotter which was hard to do.

“You’re not from the United States?”

“No, I come from a place that is far away.”

“Some place I wouldn’t have heard of?”

“Yes.” He gave her a smile making her heart pound a little faster.

“There’s room for everyone in America.”

The waiter came back with their drinks and took their order.

“I’ll have your sixteen-ounce steak along with an order of fries, broccoli, and rice.”

“Ma’am?” The waiter turned to look at her.

She was out on a date, she should order the salad, with a side of lite dressing.

“Fire?”

“Sorry, it all looks so good that I can’t make up my mind.”

“Order whatever you want.”

“I’ll take the eight.” She drew the word out. “The twelve-ounce steak medium well with the lobster tail. I’ll take a side of fries with it along with an order of corn.”

“I’ll take a lobster tail also.”

“I’d also like a glass of water and a glass of coke.”

“Your order will be up shortly.”

When the waiter walked away, she braced herself for what he was about to say. There was a deafening silence at the table that she couldn’t take any longer.

“Just say it.”

“Say what?”

“I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten all day.”

“I know. I thought I might have to fight if I didn’t get you out of the club. Whenever you come, don’t come hungry. It sets off a primal urge that the males have a hard time resisting.”

“You still haven’t said it.”

“Tell me what I’m supposed to say.”

“You’re supposed to give me that look that says why did I come out with a big female. Then give me helpful tips on my diet. If you ate less Fire, you’d be a beautiful woman in no time. Then invite me to the gym.”

“How would you reply to those words?”

“I would tell you I have a gym membership that I use. I’m already beautiful. My doctor would like to see me lose weight but I am healthy. Then I would say it’s my birthday, and I can splurge a little, I’m even eating dessert.”

“I would simply rip apart the male who spoke to you like that. I am enjoying your curves. You’re beautiful. I don’t care what you order as long as you enjoy it. Everyone should splurge every now and then. I know your fit. Mostly I would tell you that I’m enjoying every minute with you.”

She snuck a peek at her phone, mostly to see if it were the witching hour. Guys didn’t say things like that, did they?

Her hand reached for her drink before she pushed it back. Declyn was different, and she was going to need her wits to understand him a little better.

“What do you do?” His eyes were so green that they seemed to glow in the dimmed light. It was strange, but it appealed to her, it also appealed to all the voices in her head.

“I co-own The Wolves Den with Enzo.”

“How long have you known each other?”

“We were practically born together.”

“That must be nice. Deja and I didn’t meet until we were teens. No one thought our friendship would last, but here we are.”

“What do you do Fire?”

“I’m an artist. I draw pictures, I paint, I may have even done some tagging in my day, but I confess to nothing.”

“Tagging?”

“Some people call it graffiti. I always thought there was a difference between a beautiful picture that made everything look beautiful and foul words or initials. In the end, though it’s all wrong without permission.”

“Where might I go to see some of the tagging that you do not own up to?”

“Well, there is this picture on the busway, maybe if you're nice to me, I’ll take you to see it one day.”

“Yes, I want you to take me to see it.”

And there went the butterflies in her stomach. That’s why she was staying away from the liquor. As long as he was near, she wasn’t feeling the need to drink.

“Thank you.” She gave the waiter a smile as he placed their food in front of them.