Page 24 of Tempt Me

“Wow, lucky I’m hungry.”

“Yeah, I got a bit excited.” He wriggled his eyebrows.

“Oysters and strawberries, I see. Looks like you’re trying to get me excited.”

“Well, that too. I’m just pleased you came.” He ran his tongue over his bottom lip. Clearly, his sexual innuendo was intended. He sat again and offered me a small plate. “Please eat.”

Our fingers touched when I reached for the plate, and I smiled. Henry had the perfect features to be an aging movie star. With just the right amount of gray hair and wrinkles, he appeared to be maturing gracefully. He could sit right alongside George Clooney or Pierce Brosnan and look like he was meant to be there. Right now, though, he sat with me, and that made me feel wanted. What I really wanted, though, was for him to do to me what he’d done last time. And any other special tricks he’d like to teach me while he was here, too.

He topped my plate up with a few oysters and a dollop of pink sauce.

I’d had oysters a few times in my life but couldn’t say I’d really enjoyed them. Unlike Lolita, she raved about them. She was convinced fresh oysters were a sign of a great restaurant. Using a tiny fork, I scooped it into my mouth, and after a moment’s hesitation, I chewed. The slightly tangy pink sauce and the fresh oyster were the perfect combination. It was delicious. “Yum,” I said as I forked another into my mouth.

“I agree. These are Cape Hawke oysters. Bought them fresh this afternoon.”

The creamy, buttery texture was exquisite, with just a touch of lemon. Although I could have eaten a dozen, I resisted and scoured the selection for what to have next.

“Try these,” Henry suggested. “It’s just come out of the pan.” He reached for a spear of asparagus with his fingers. “Here.”

He held it toward me, and the head of the vegetable bobbed up and down, begging me to bite it, so I did.

Henry grinned. “You are hungry.”

“Always.”

We ate in silence for a moment or two as the moon continued its grand entrance up from the horizon. The silvery orb dominated the inky black sky.

“Have you ever had sex by the moonlight?” Henry’s deep baritone was that of a man in his prime.

I cleared my throat. “Ummm, no.”

“Good. Here, try some mini bruschetta.”

He diverted the topic so quickly. I couldn’t resist the portion he held toward me.

“It’s buffalo mozzarella, fresh tomato, seasoned with salt and pepper. Simple, yet delicious.”

Henry seemed to have planned this so well, and I wondered if his timing with the full moon was also intentional. Until this year, I’d always had sex with the lights off. The idea of having a man touch me by the light of the moon set my insides into a frenzy.

The bruschetta was so delicious I reached for another one.

“I love watching you eat.”

I brushed some crumbs off my lips. “Seriously?”

“Yes.” He nibbled down an asparagus spear. “My wife was so finicky about her food, always so worried about the calories or sugar content that each meal became a mathematical equation. Just watching your eyes light up with each new taste is a refreshing change.”

“I don’t think you can see my eyes light up out here.”

“On the contrary, under this moonlight and the flickering candles, you’re bathed in an exquisite glow.” He reached for my shoulder. “Do you mind?”

I shook my head, and Henry glided a lock of hair to my back, reached for my sleeve, and tugged it down my shoulder. “That’s better. I can see more of you now.”

As the delicate tendrils of the ocean breeze drifted over my bare skin, I swallowed another sip of champagne.

Henry’s eyes were intense, and when he licked his bottom lip, the urge to lean over and kiss him was excruciating. “Would you like anything else?”

Just your hands all over me.

---