Page 175 of Into the Dark
“New suit?” she asks, casting an appreciative eye down the Gucci two-piece.
It is, in fact. With a price tag to make my fucking eyes water. But she likes me in a suit.
She runs her fingers down the lapel and lets out a soft sigh. “You look so bloody good in a suit, you know.”
I nod. “I know.”
She smiles wider and lifts her glass to her mouth, sipping delicately. “Mmm. Expensive champagne,” she points out.
“Happy hour,” I say, and she laughs softly. My eyes dip down her body again. “Now let’s talk about this fucking dress…”
She glances down her body and then back up to my eyes, smiling innocently. “What about it?”
“Are you kidding me?”
“You don’t like it?”
“Like it? I’ve been hard since you walked through the fucking door. It’s just as well this place is empty and no other guy is gonna see you in that.”
“Actually, the waiter who took my coat just saw me in it.” She raises her eyebrows playfully and sips her champagne again.
“Hmm, wonder if he can still serve us with a broken jaw…?” I suggest, looking toward the door she came in.
“Do you always have to solve everything with violence?”
“Sex and violence are my problem solvers—you know that. And I’m not about to fuck him, so…”
“Why not? Is he not your type?” she asks, dead serious, as I grab the bucket and move toward the table. “I think you’d make a cute couple.”
“No, baby, he’s not my type. Last time I checked he wasn’t a hot, auburn-haired doctor and the mother of my daughter, so no, we wouldn’t make any kind of couple.”
She giggles softly as she follows behind me across the dimly-lit room. When we reach the table, I set the champagne bucket down and go to pull her chair out for her. As she sits, I kiss the back of her neck, liking the way it makes a shiver run down her partly exposed spine. The waiter appears behind us through the curtain when I sit down too, and I give him a small nod, which he returns.
From this angle, the dress does even more damage. How it’s sticking to her breasts I don’t know—it seems to be defying gravity. I’ll find out that secret later when I peel it off her.
The menu was prepared as per my request, and as she glances down at it she gasps and looks up at me in surprise. “Jake,” she whispers.
“Didn’t want you coming here and not liking anything on the bloody thing, did I?”
“I love you. Have I said that today?”
“This morning. When I was fucking you,” I say quietly.
She blushes and turns her head to give an embarrassed look to the waiter, who just then arrives by the table. He sets down a stand and lifts the champagne bucket to sit it on it, then he lifts out the bottle and tops up our glasses.
“Good evening, Alex. Happy to have you,” he says, smiling at her.
She smiles back and gives me a soft look. “Thank you. I’m a bit overwhelmed by all this.”
“Just to let you know that the menu has been pre-set, but if there’s anything not on here that you want, just let us know, and your chef will arrange it for you—it’s no problem at all.” He smiles harder.
He’s smiling too fucking hard at her. Why didn’t I arrange for a woman waiter? A waitress.
“That’s very kind of you.” She looks down at the menu. “But he knows me well. This looks spectacular. I’m starving.”
“You want wine, baby, or is the champagne good?” I ask.
“Champagne is good just now. I might have some red with my main, though, if that’s okay?” She looks at me and then at the waiter.