Once I’m sitting, I allow my eyes to close and take a deep breath, letting the candle’s scent fill my lungs. Vanilla and lavender—two of my favorite scents. I let out a long sigh and open my eyes.
Gideon is watching me from across the table. When he sat is a mystery to me. I was too wrapped up in the ambience that he arranged.
I look down at my plate, and the dome is no longer covering it. In front of me is probably one of the most beautiful presentations of food I have ever seen.The detail. The time. The effort.
He truly is so thoughtful.
“It’s a Kobe steak served over a bed of black rice with sesame and roasted tomato,” he announces like the server at a fine restaurant.
I smile, taking in a deep breath to enjoy the smells.
The fragrance of the spices filters through the air, making my mouth water.
“Wow.” That’s all I can muster.
Looking down at my plate, I grab my fork and take a bite into my mouth. The sweet, buttery morsel bursts on my tongue. It’s the most delicious thing I have ever tasted.It’s like a symphony of flavors, each note blending together to create a masterpiece of a meal.
I take a few more bites, drinking the freshly poured champagne between nibbles. Before long, half my glass is empty, and my cheeks feel warm.
I don’t drink often, and I know the champagne has gone straight to my head. It’s obvious when no matter how delicious the food is, all I can think about is Gideon.
How I want him. How I can’t stop watching him.
“Firefly…stop looking at me like that, or we won’t be eating.”Gideon’s gaze is heavy and hungry. His presence looming like a dark force ready to devour me whole.
“What if I don’t want to eat right now?”
A muscle in his jaw tics. “What do you want, Sasha?”
I lick my lips. “You.”
I won’t regret what comes next because I know I’m about to become the meal, and it will be my favorite part of an already incredible night.
39
GIDEON
“Get on your knees,”I growl, but Sasha shakes her head, standing from the table and making her way over to where I’m sitting.
“Not this time, Gideon,” she says seductively, eyeing me like a tigress.
Cocking my head to the side, I assess her. “Explain.”
She shakes her head again, and my balls tighten in response. Typically, this would not be the reaction I’d get to being told no, but with her, nothing is typical.
“You’re not in charge tonight.” Her voice is assertive.
I narrow my eyes and lick my bottom lip. “That’s not going to happen.”
Sasha leans over and kisses me softly on the mouth before pulling back and meeting my gaze. “Please, Gideon. Let me lead.”
I can see the want in her eyes. It’s a deep, primal desire that’s been simmering just below the surface.
This is more than a request.
She needs this.
My heart beats just a little bit faster.