Page 24 of Hunting the Alpha
The restaurant had a few people already dining when we arrived. The owner, Mateo Rossi, welcomed us with open arms, leading us to a table set off to the side for some privacy. He brought us the house wine, took our order, then breezed away with a knowing smile on his face as if he were cupid himself.
“This place is adorable,” I said, playing with a blood-red napkin set upon a crisp white tablecloth. “Or suave. No. I should say suave. It’s elegant but cozy. No pretense here.”
My nerves returned with us tucked in the corner away from the view of the others dining and the safety of Mateo. I grabbed the wineglass and took a sip. The house red slid down my throat, the sweet berry taste tolerable. I took another sip, and another, and one more until Donovan reached across the table. He took my hand in his.
“Slow down on the wine.” He smiled with warmth. “It’s stronger than you think.”
“It’s good. And I’m thirsty.”
“I’ll ask Mateo to bring some water when he returns.” He eyed me. “Are you nervous, Savannah?”
“What? Me?” I laughed. “Of course not.”Control. Get control of the situation.“Okay,” I admitted, my lips curving into a shy smile. “I am nervous. I didn’t expect to be stranded here, let alone on a date with a man I’ve just met. Not that this is a date.” I lowered my eyes, not needing to act very hard with embarrassment. “I’m sorry for being presumptuous.”
“Hey.” His thumb rubbed my fingers. “You’re not being presumptuous. I said it was a date, remember? And I want to get to know you more while you’re here.” So sleek, he released my hand, retreating to his side of the table. I snatched mine into my lap.
“Okay.”
“Then let’s enjoy the evening.”
Mateo brought over a bread basket. The aroma was delicious. He also brought water, and I figured I’d better switch to that to keep my wits about me. The soup followed—one we’d ordered from the specials menu, and I dug in, my stomach growling as the server placed it on the table.
“Anything else?” Mateo offered, the older man eager to leave us alone.
“All good, Mateo,” Donovan drawled. “Thank you.”
Needing the food and the distraction, I grabbed a bread roll and dipped it into the soup. A long, drawn-out, “Mmm,” escaped my mouth the moment the herbs danced with my tastebuds. “This is good.”
Donovan grinned, eating his own as he watched me. “The best.”
I chuckled, taking another bite. “I like food.”
“Yeah. Me, too. Kind of need it to survive.”
“True. But I like good food. You know… food that’s a lady on the streets and a freak in the sheets.”
“What?” He laughed.
“I like it when it looks good and tastes good. And I mean really good. Like this. When everything is mixed to cause a frenzy in your mouth, it’s food you have to devour.” I shrugged.
His eyes crinkled as he looked at me, his beaming smile lighting up his face. I relaxed seeing him like that, seeing he had a sense of humor. It pleased me; him acting nice and funny.And ripe to drug, so you can drag him back to Gideon.
Guilt slammed against the back of my head, waking me up to why I was here.
“Tell me about where you’re from,” he asked, throwing me off track.
“Idaho,” I replied without missing a beat.
“Idaho is a large place.”
I smiled. “I live close to Idaho Falls.”
“Ah, I see. Pleasant city.”
“You’ve been?”
“A long time ago. I understand you broke down on the way to your aunt’s funeral?”
Shifting in my seat, I nodded. “Yeah. We weren’t close. But they’re doing a reading of the will. I called ahead and told them about my delay and that I might miss the funeral. It’s all good. I’ve enjoyed the drive so far.”