Page 15 of Mr. Scandalous

Eden appreciated his proprietary touch. It made her feel protected. Her pulse accelerated at the casual contact and immediately a half-dozen sexual fantasies tumbled through her mind exactly as they had the day before. The same fantasies that had vanished the minute he’d left her shop.

The more she was around him, the more she suspected this man was indeed her sexual muse. A decidedly masculine version of the mythical Erato. Eden shivered at the fanciful notion.

Careful, Eden.

Starry-eyed romanticism had led her into that disastrous experience with Josh. She had to be careful. Her fragile ego couldn’t handle another mistake like that one.

The maître d’ greeted them and led them to their table tucked behind a wooden partition draped with artificial grape vines. He pulled out her chair for her and then, with a flourish, settled a white linen napkin in her lap.

“Thank you,” Eden murmured, and glanced over at Alec.

His eyes were on her face. “This place is a little extravagant, but I thought perhaps you might enjoy something special.”

“It was very thoughtful of you.”

Eden felt like a powerful politician’s mistress meeting her lover for a clandestine tryst in the dimly lighted, quaint bistro at one-thirty in the afternoon. Only three other couples were in the restaurant, and they were seated at the far end of the room. The isolated privacy, the decadent aroma of mouthwateringly rich food scenting the air and the flickering candlelight heightened the romantic mood.

Their garçon, efficient and ghostlike, waited at the ready with two menus and a wine list in his hand. A bottle of shockingly expensive champagne sat chilling in a bucket beside Alec’s elbow.

A nosegay of pansies graced the center of the table. Eden loved the delicate, colorful flowers and was surprised to see the card propped against the small bouquet with her name on it.

Oh, my.

“The flowers are for me?”

“Go ahead, read the card.”

Tentatively she reached for the envelope and opened it with shaky fingers.

From one sensualist to another, Alec.

Uh-oh. Because of her unusual profession, Alec had assumed she was much more sexually knowledgeable than she actually was. She hoped he wasn’t disappointed when he learned the truth about her.

Ifhe learned the truth, she reminded herself. Keep things low-key for the time being. Feel out the situation before proceeding. Pretend this is nothing more than a business luncheon.

“The flowers are beautiful,” she said, feeling bowled over by his attention, and dropped the card into her purse. “Thank you.”

The garçon handed them their menus and an awkward silence ensued as they studied the choices.

“The coq au vin here is excellent,” Alec said.

“I’ll have that then.” She smiled and passed the menu back to the garçon. “And a house salad with vinaigrette dressing.”

“Oui, mademoiselle. Et pour vous, monsieur?”

“I’ll have the same,” Alec replied.

The garçon bowed and left.

“It’s too formal here.” Alec made a regretful face. “I went over the top.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” she reassured him. “Very elegant.”

“I gravitate toward grand gestures. My sisters say it’s because I’m a show-off.”

In that moment he seemed as vulnerable as a little boy gifting his mother with a dandelion bouquet and holding his breath waiting for her approval.

Why, he’s just as nervous as I am.

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