Page 23 of Little Monster
“Thanks,” I say, and when I walk past him and into the evening air, I let my arm barely graze his.
He draws a small breath.
I don’t know why I did it. Ishouldn’thave done it. But looking like this,feelinglike this, gives me confidence. It’s not like anything will come of it, and as long as I keep clear on who and what Dex is, there shouldn’t be any harm in it.
Right?
chapter 9
THE DRIVE TO THE RESTAURANT is... exhilarating. I’m in the passenger’s seat in Dex’s Rover, and Sebastian is riding in the back. The others rode with Jordan in her Mercedes, so it’s just the three of us.
Sebastian talks the whole time, but I barely hear a thing he says; my focus is on Dex, who keeps glancing over at me, his eyes gravitating toward my bare legs and the thin line of black fabric where it hugs my upper thighs.
And I revel in it.
It’s not often I get to be an object of desire, especially in the eyes of a man like Dex Reid. I’m still surprised he’s evenlookingat me, let alone seeming drawn to gaze at me every time he can tear his eyes away from the road.
By the time we pull up at Luxe, Dex has a taut muscle in his jaw from clenching his teeth, and I’m riding a wave of joy.
Until I see all the other women lounging outside the upscale restaurant.
They’regorgeous.
And now that little voice that tells me I’m nothing compared to them slips back in.
I reach for the door handle, but a valet pulls it open for me and offers his hand.
“Thank you,” I say, slipping from the Rover and giving him a surprised smile as he closes the door gently behind me.
Sebastian joins me on the sidewalk, and we wait while Dex tosses his fob to another valet. Jordan and the others pull up behind us in the Mercedes, and they’re laughing and talking animatedly as they get out of the car.
“Have you ever been here?” Jordan asks, slipping her tiny black clutch under her arm as her gaze shifts to the sign illuminated over our heads.
If she were someone else, I might think her question cruel—how could I ever afford to eat at a restaurant like this?—but having known her for even a short while, I know the question is genuine.
I shake my head. “Never.”
“Oh, you’ll love it. They’ve serve thebestcaramel apple martinis.”
“Caramel apple?” I scrunch my face up, and Jordan smiles.
“They’re good, I promise.”
Michael sweeps up behind her and presses a kiss to her cheek, and the others flock around us. We head toward the entrance, and two doormen hold the doors open.
Inside, warmth washes over us, chasing the cold from my bare legs. A pretty hostess greets us, and when she sees the guys, her eyes light up.
“We have a special dining room for you,” she says, a hint of red touching her high cheeks as she glances at Dex. “Please follow me.”
We trail after her, and heads turn in our direction. Whispers start going through the dining guests, but the others in the group either don’t notice or are so used to it that they ignore it altogether.
The hostess leads us up a flight of stairs and into a private dining area at the back at the restaurant, and I have to actively strive not to let my mouth fall open.
I’ve never seen such an exquisite restaurant. The lights are dim, and the evening sky outside the windows casts a calming blue shade over the dark tables and chairs. Twinkling lights hang overhead, lending a sexy feel to the space.
“Please take a seat. Your waiter will be with you shortly.” The hostess watches the guys as they take their seats, but her gaze lingers on Dex—as I’ve come to expect.
I drape my jacket over the back of my chair and take a seat between Jordan and Alisha. Lucas, Sebastian, and Michael sit across from us, with Dex at the head of the table, his back to the evening sky outside.
