Page 59 of The Grump

“I haven’t eaten this in a while,” I said, then dug in.

It only took a spoonful to understand why D had three Michelin stars. It was creamy and a bit garlicky, but not too strong. There was also some smokiness that fit perfectly.

My shoulders dropped of their own accord, and a calmness came over me as we sat and ate comfortably. I leaned my head back, smiling for no reason before taking another spoonful, just enjoying the evening.

“I like seeing you this relaxed,” Xander said.

He touched my leg under the table, and I stilled, hoping my body wasn’t going to react in an inappropriate way. No such luck. My panties instantly felt superhot, but at least the bright side was that Xander couldn’t tell.

“That’s my plan for this evening,” he continued.

“To r-relax me?” I stuttered.

He had a mischievous glint in his eyes. I thought he might have an idea of what was going on between my thighs.

“Yes.”

“You’re on your merry way to doing just that,” I assured him.

The evening was amazing. The second appetizer was shrimp, and it tasted even better than the soup. D served it on a bed of spiraled carrots and zucchini, which weren’t my favorite vegetables, but these were so delicious that I could eat a truckload. The main course was turkey breast with ham and pureed potatoes.

“It’s a good thing D doesn’t allow people to order.”

“Why?” Xander asked.

“Because I would never have ordered any of this, and it’s amazing.”

“I agree.”

“Want more wine?”

“Want me to get drunk?” he teased.

“No, I just want you to open up so I can get some info out of you.”

“Such as?”

“How you discovered D and what you usually do with your dates.”

Chapter Sixteen

Bailey

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Oh crap.Xander might have only sipped from his wine this whole evening, but D had refilled my glass a few times. I wasn’t drunk by any means—I didn’t even feel really tipsy—but clearly I’d had enough to speak out of turn. I pressed my lips together. “That didn’t come out right.”

“Bailey,” he said, reaching over the table for my hand. Heat instantly coursed through my entire body when he laced our fingers together. The gesture felt so intimate. “Listen, I’d rather not talk about that.”

“I’m not even sure why I wanted to know,” I admitted.

“That doesn’t matter. All that matters is that it would put you at ease. I don’t have any secrets. I’d just prefer that we enjoy this evening. As to the other thing, that’s a secret I’ll never share. It’s not mine.”

We didn’t get to talk much more because D returned with dessert. He’d made Christmas trifle and doused it in booze for all it was worth. It tasted more like amaretto than cake, but it was amazing.

“This has been spectacular. It’s like every course goes with the next one,” I murmured as I finished my dessert.

Xander was looking at me intently. “You didn’t say anything about that list. The things that confuse you.”

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