“I aim to please.”
“And you never miss.”
We’re flirting. I like it. “Not if I can help it.”
She’s laughing softly as we go down to the entrance, where our ride is waiting. It’s a cool, foggy night, and outside the car, the city is full of light and vibrance. Already, bookings are coming in for the Gold Dust, and I wonder how long the excitement will last. Months? Years? A lifetime if I can help it. Every hotel that bears my name will always be the first name in luxury accommodations. That’s my goal.
The car stops in front of Cameron’s restaurant and Rachel is looking at me. She has been silent through the ride, deep in thought. I turn in her direction, and she looks away. I reach over to stroke her hand, and she lifts her eyes to mine. There’s an uncertainty in her gaze I don’t understand.
Leaning across the seat, I place a kiss on her lips. It’s supposed to be quick and gentle, but she doesn’t let me pull away. She deepens the kiss, seeking more. I oblige her without hesitation, pushing past her lips to taste the sweetness of her mouth.
She lets out a soft moan, and I let her go, barely stopping myself from fucking her in the car.
“I can’t imagine why I thought I could make it through the evening without wanting to tear off your clothes,” I say with a rueful smile.
She slides a small hand along my thigh then lets her fingers tease the ridge in my pants. She wets her lips in a gesture that goes straight to my cock. “I’m not very hungry,” she whispers, her face inviting me to turn the car around and go back to our hotel.
I take a deep breath, sorely tempted. “I wish we could go back, but there’s someone expecting us.”
Cameron’s restaurant is on the hill by the waterfront and the views are spectacular. Inside, a waiter leads us to our table, and just as we sit, Cameron arrives.
He’s like a vibrating ball of energy with twinkly blue eyes and bright red hair, and I’m glad to see him. After we hug, he turns his attention to Rachel.
“You must be an angel,” he proclaims, gazing deep into her eyes.
I shake my head, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. “Rachel, this is Cameron McDaniel. Cameron, Rachel Foster.”
She smiles up at him. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Delighted.” He places a kiss on her hand, and I glare at him. There’s only so much I can take.
“Cameron is an old friend,” I tell Rachel. “And he only recently opened this restaurant, so he’s dying to hear you say it’s awesome.”
She gives him a charming smile. “Definitely awesome.”
“Definitely—I like you already.” He takes a seat at our table. “What are you doing with this handsome devil, anyway?” He gives her a serious stare. “We reds should stick together. I know all the dirt on him, known him for years. I could tell you things that’ll make him squirm.”
Rachel is smiling. She glances at me, her eyes warm in a way I haven’t noticed before. This is the first time she’s seen me outside of work and sex, I reason. Yes, I am a human being, Rachel, one who can’t wait to peel your clothes off and make you melt with pleasure.
She turns back to Cameron. “I look forward to hearing the worst.”
Cameron can’t hide his excitement. He summons a waiter and orders wine. “For my friend, who I haven’t seen in ages, and his lovely girlfriend, I have prepared something special.” He looks at Rachel. “You don’t mind seafood, do you?”
I see Rachel’s eyebrows go up when she hears the word girlfriend. Apart from a small headshake, she doesn’t give any other reaction. She doesn’t seem flattered, either. She’s clearly not hanging on to the hope that b
eing with me in that way will become a possibility.
I don’t want a relationship.
Well, neither do I.
Cameron charms Rachel with his bottomless well of stories, making her laugh almost to the point of tears. While I’m glad Cameron is running his own restaurants now, some of his stories make me nostalgic for the days when we were both flying by the seats of our pants in New York, me trying to run a hotel that was much larger than anyone thought I could manage, and Cameron learning the ropes in restaurant management and trying to make his way in the world.
The food is delicious, as is the wine. Hours later, after much laughter—much of it at my expense—we leave. Cameron follows us to the car, giving Rachel a warm hug before turning to me. “Take good care of her.”
“I believe I’m already doing that,” I reply with a chuckle. My eyes find Rachel’s, and she flushes. She knows what I mean.
There’s a sudden flash from across the street and I curse, one hand going to pull Rachel close to me and shield her from the camera.