Page 65 of No More Billionaires

It felt like a rustic but upscale wine cellar, combining exposed stone walls and dark wood with modern design elements. The atmosphere was dark and intimate, though it was so busy, I couldn’t call it exactly romantic.

The menu was locally-sourced and intriguing. I went with the pan-seared scallops and a salad with cornbread croutons while Larson chose a ribeye covered in a relish of arugula, scallions, and almonds.

The food came out quickly, though I wasn’t in any hurry to get through the meal.

Not at first anyway.

Larson was talkative and relaxed. Happy was a good look for him.

And the way he gazed at me whenever I spoke—like I was the most interesting person he’d ever met, like he wouldn’t mind havingmefor dinner—had me thinking ahead to what might follow.

I was growing more and more eager to get back to the intriguing bag on his kitchen counter.

“So, I still want to take you to my favorite place—where Iwasplanning to take you tonight.”

He paused as I reached across the tabletop and drew my fingertips down his bare forearm.

“Although this is nice,” he said in a slightly pained voice.

There was a hungry look in his eyes that had nothing to do with restaurants. “Do you want to order des—”

“No.” My answer was quick and definitive and accompanied by a suggestive grin.

Larson blinked and went very still. I was surprised to see his expression turn uncertain.

His gaze dropped to the tabletop, came back to my face again. He started to speak, stopped and swallowed, and when he spoke again his words were halting and purposely too low for other diners to hear.

“Would you like to come up to my place for a little while after din—”

“Yes.”

Again, I’d cut him off, and I hoped this time, he got the message loud and clear. Just to make sure, I lifted his hand from the tabletop and turned it over, bringing his palm to my mouth for a soft kiss.

“I want to be alone with you.”

His eyelids widened, and his other hand shot up to catch the attention of the passing waiter.

“Check please!”

* * *

We’d barely made it inside his condo and gotten the door shut when Larson’s mouth came down on mine and he pulled me tightly against him, letting me feel the desire he’d been holding in check since we’d left the restaurant.

Gone was the tentativeness of our first kiss at the cabin. His lips parted, and his tongue searched me in ravenous strokes. I kissed him back with matching desperation and a new level of determination.

We both knew what we were doing here and what we wanted.

Larson’s hands were greedy, exploring me over my clothing, making me want to tear it all off right there. He pulled away from my mouth, sliding his lips hotly down my neck.

“You feel incredible,” he murmured against my sensitive skin between kisses. “You make me absolutely crazy, you know that?”

I nodded, agreeing with him, tangling my fingers in his hair. Thiswascrazy.

I’d never felt such desire before. With Mark, I’d always needed a good amount of warming up before I was ready to move on to the main event.

Sometimes, I never got all the way ready and just did it anyway to please him.

But with Larson? A few fully-clothed caresses and a kiss or two, and I was ready to draghimto the bedroom.

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