“Handsome, witty, charming.”
“I was thinking incorrigible.”
“So you were the chicken parm,” the petite waitress assigned to their table said as she placed her plate in front of Genevieve. The aroma drifted to him; it looked and smelled incredible.
Graham’s stomach grumbled as his eyes took in the sight of his chicken and ribs.
The waitress turned to face him, her smile widening and her eyes drinking in the sight of him; her flirting while taking their order hadn’t been missed. If he’d been alone he’d have been flattered, but with Ginny sitting across from him it only made him uneasy. He feared he was walking the line with her right now and desperately wanted to get in her good graces and perhaps see her again. He didn’t want anything to jeopardize that.
~*~*~*~*~
~ Genevieve ~
“I think the waitress liked you.” Genevieve’s grin was wide as she looked up at Graham, while they walked down the sidewalk back to her boutique and their vehicles.
“What?” Graham let out a dismissive huff. “If she did, I didn’t notice.”
“Bullshit! How could you not?” She leaned into him, pressing her breasts against his arm as she reached across him. “Here’s your ribs, Sir. I really hope you enjoy them, Sir.” She attempted to mimic the voice of the waitress, but failed miserably.
Graham slipped a hand around her waist and kept her tight to his side as they continued to walk. “I never noticed. My attention was completely focused on you.”
“Oh, now I know you’re a bullshitter.” Mischief danced within her eyes when her gaze lifted to meet his. Instead of pulling away, she kept herself close to him. Over the course of the dinner, she’d begun to realize there could be much more between them than that one-night stand.
Staying away seemed an exercise in futility.
“All right. Maybe I noticed.”
Her eyes narrowed at him, but her smile didn’t fade.
“But her boobs were right in my face.” He placed the palm of his hand a foot from his face.
“Right there. How could anyone with a dick not notice that? At least give me kudos for admitting it.”
“So are you and your brother always like this? Joking and whatnot.”
She thought she noticed his smile fall, but she blinked and the grin was back. “Not really. If you’re into funny guys then I’m much funnier than my brother.”
“I’m not into funny guys.”
“Oh, in that case, I’m not funny at all. Barely crack a smile normally, this whole date was a façade.”
They reached her car and stopped walking. She was having a good time with him and sad to see it had come to an end so soon. “So this was a date?” She attempted to keep her expression blank, but it was hard; it seemed she’d been wearing a goofy smile on her face from the moment they’d sat down at the restaurant.
Graham paused, his eyes searching hers seeking the correct answer. “Well, if it was a date then it should be ending with a kiss.”
The humor within her faded as their eyes locked. They’d spent the past couple of hours joking and laughing, keeping the atmosphere light and fun. Would they have the chemistry they had in Vegas? There was only one way to find out.
“I think this could be considered a date.” She stepped into him, closing the distance, but keeping far enough away that he’d have to make the final move.
His blue eyes grew dark as he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him.
“I’m glad you decided to let me feed you.”
Genevieve’s hands slid up his chest and fingers locked around the back of his neck. “Thank you for coming to see me. I know that may not have been easy. Especially after how we left things.”
They stood staring into each other’s eyes while pedestrians strolled past them, none of them paying much mind to the potential lovers. With each second she waited for him to close the distance and meet her lips with his, her anxiety increased.
When he finally bent and his lips touched hers, she breathed a sigh of relief. But instead of being the deep, passionate kiss that she was expecting his lips merely teased hers. He teased just long enough to ignite the fire between her legs, before he ended the kiss and straightened, leaving her longing for more.
Her body screamed out in frustration, remembering vividly and longing to feel him more intimately. Closing her eyes she forced the thoughts of his beautiful, naked body from her mind.
He has it right. Take it slow. No mistakes. If we do start seeing each other we don’t want to blow this by getting too physical too quick.
“So if I were to stop by the boutique in a day or so and ask you for another dinner?”
She swiped her tongue along her lower lip, forcing his eyes to follow the travels of her tongue. “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”
“Good.” He stepped back and opened her car door for her. “Have a good night, Ginny.”
Chapter 8
~ Genevieve ~
Genevieve couldn’t concentrate. The entire day went by in a blur and now that she was sitting home alone, she couldn’t keep her mind from thinking about her “date” with Graham the previous day. Admittedly, she was disappointed he hadn’t shown up at the boutique today. Each time the door chimed, signalling a customer, her mood would perk up and she look up at the door with teenaged excitement. But it was never him.
Dressed in a pair of jogging pants and sweatshirt, she flicked on the television and began surfing the channels, hoping for a show interesting enough to keep her mind occupied. She’d just found a semi-interesting reality television show when there was a knock at her door.
She frowned. How the person at the other side of the door got past the security lock front door was beyond her; must have been a neighbour knocking. The only time they came to her door was to bitch about something. She didn’t want to deal with a bitching neighbour, but considering her television was on and easily heard into the hallway she could hardly pretend not to be home.
On tiptoes she peered out through the peephole and her heart skipped a beat. Graham. a smile spread across her lips. Taking a deep breath in she attempted to calm her excitement as she opened the door to greet him.
“Hey Gra - ” She stopped herself when she noticed the man opposite her didn’t have the scar on his jaw. “Wow, Dane. Ummm…” Her eyes lowered to his hands. One carried a four-pack of beer and in the other was a brown takeout bag.