Page 44 of Accidentally Mine
But Brent wasn’t like any man I’d ever known, and even though I’d kissed men before, this was something entirely new.An explosion of sensation, so overpowering I could barely feel my legs as he lavished attention on my lips like I was the only woman in the world.
His fingers moved down to my sides, biting into my hips, my waist, searching desperately for what was beneath the fabric.As parts of me awoke that must have been asleep my whole life, he suddenly tore his mouth away, ripping a gasp of protest from my lips.He was breathing heavy, his pupils dilated, his eyes focused on my mouth like he wanted more.“We’re here.”
I could only stare at him.His mouth was red and wet, the aftereffects of our torrid kiss.“Oh,” I murmured, disappointed.“That was fast.”
That glimmer of mischief returned to his eyes and he reached out and twirled the lock of hair framing my face with an index finger.“As good as you taste, Rebel, I promised your aunt I’d take you on a date.”
I glowered at him.“You and I both know that if you wanted to take me to your bed right now, she’d approve.She’d probably approveeven moreif you wanted to take me right here in the back seat of this limo.”
His laugh was a low rumble.“But you’re too beautiful to hide away, Roselynn.I want to show you off.”
Staring into his eyes, I gathered the confidence to tell him.“I’ve never been on what most people would consider a real date before.”
I sucked in a breath as the driver opened the door for us.Brent touched my cheek, his eyes flaring so hot I had to stop myself from panting.“Then let’s go have some fun.”
I was so used to being hidden away, kept from the spotlight all these years.When I walked into the restaurant on his arm, I knew it wasn’t the wisest thing on earth.But with him next to me, strangely enough, I felt invincible.
11
Brent
Iled her into the dining room, feeling like a king with her at my side.Every man in the place admired her as we passed—she was without a doubt the most gorgeous woman there.The dress was hot as hell and didn’t even do her justice.
The server seated us at once, at a dimly lit, private table in an alcove behind the piano bar.When she sat and the waiter placed the open menu in her lap, she scanned its offerings with wide eyes, then took a sip of water.
“I’ve gone past this place a million times.Never thought I’d eat here.I feel so out of place.”
“Believe me.You fit right in.”I couldn’t stop gazing at her in the candlelight, the way her blonde hair was tousled from my hands, the pink wetness of those delicious lips I’d kissed.“I don’t understand.Your boyfriends didn’t take you out to eat?”
“Boyfriend,” she corrected, a slight flush on her cheeks.“I only ever had one.We dated over two years, when I was in college.I was young, though.And stupid.”
“And since then?”
“Since then, I haven’t dated at all,” she said, her fingers twisting her napkin.“I’ve…been living away, and kind of wrapped up in things.And like I said, I didn’t have the best relationship with him, so I’ve been wary.What about you?”
“Same.I’ve dated.Not seriously.I’ve been wrapped up too, with my business.”
The waiter came right on time, because I wasn’t interested in talking about the other things that had taken up my time as of late.I ordered a bottle of wine as I thought about how to tell her truthfully, without getting too much into the sob story that my life had been for the past couple years.
Before I could formulate a diplomatic way to tell her, she spoke up.“I suppose being a CEO of a billion-dollar company is kind of all-consuming.”
I knew CEOs who spent all their lives at the office.That wasn’t me.Workaholic I was not.Not anymore.She had to know that, considering I’d blown off good chunks of the day to sit with her in a café.“Not as consuming as one would think, not anymore.I have a team of dedicated staff who keep the place running with little input from me.I owe everything to them.”
The wine came.The waiter poured it, a light pinot grigio.I knew I could have one glass before the headache started to kick in.I took a sip.
She sipped hers, seeming to savor the flavor before she said, “It’s amazing you created something you’re so passionate about, that has been so successful for you.”
“You’re passionate about your stories, no?”
She shrugged.“Sometimes, but I can’t say I’ve been as successful as you.Not even close.I have maybe a hundred dedicated readers in the world.That’s it.”
“Hey.Everyone has to start somewhere.What’s most impressive is not so much the achievement, but in putting yourself out there, Rebel.”
“I guess.I actually went to school to be an architect.But…” She looked down at her hands, clasped together in front of her.“I’m sorry, but I didn’t tell you the truth.I’m not in school here.I grew up in Boston.I actually dropped out of Boston College before finishing my junior year.”She hesitated, shaking her head, and I waited, sensing I was hearing something no one else had.“I still think of going back.I just, can’t.Not now.Maybe one day.”
Another can’t.She couldn’t stay.She couldn’t go to school.But I was determined to make this night more about what wecoulddo instead.And right now, I wanted to share a meal and just enjoy her.I didn’t care about anything else.
“Roselynn, I think you can do anything you set your mind to.But right now, you have to decide what to order.”I smiled, letting her know I wasn’t upset about her white lie.
