Page 58 of Reckless Desire

“Excellent decision, Mrs. Lowe.” I wink and lead her to the elevator.

“So much for keeping things private for the time being,” she sighs as we ride down.

“I think he stepped over so many boundaries tonight, he should think twice about his future actions—inside and outside the school.”

She looks at me and tilts her head like she’s just noticing me fully for the first time. “You clean up nice.” Her lips tug up slightly, playfulness finally reaching the crevices of her eyes.

“Why, thank you. I appreciate your choice of a dress. Very appropriate.” I wrap my arm around her and pull her closer, finding her lips. I want to devour her, but she’s probably still upset from earlier, so I dust her mouth lightly.

“You remember.” Finally she smiles fully, and it’s the most enticing sight. The small lines around her eyes crinkle, softening her face.

“I remember everything about you, beautiful.”

* * *

Sydney

“I’m so full.” I throw the napkin onto the plate.

“Well, then we’re following the itinerary to a tee.” Hunter studies me with the same intensity as he did our first time here. His gray eyes glimmer with sin and mischief. I was intimidated by his stare three years ago. Today, I welcome it. The way he lazily drags his gaze from my eyes to my lips. To my throat. Down my cleavage. I’m almost sure he can regulate my breathing and swallowing through that scorching look.

He’s wearing a suit like the last time, but this time with a black T-shirt instead of a dress shirt, and somehow that careless style choice makes him even more sexy. The bespoke suit jacket hugs the planes of muscles over his shoulders, chest and arms. It’s almost impossible to focus solely on his face.

The Ritz-Carlton’s dining room is just as stuffy now as it was then. The place is so pompous, I fear that our conversation might scandalize people even if we’re quiet. Most of the guests are eating in silence, as if annoyed by the social obligation of being here.

Hunter made a reservation at another restaurant, in case we wanted to avoid this place, but then we agreed to stick with the original plan. We definitely don’t belong here, and somehow that’s twice the fun. I don’t know how we look to the other guests, but we are raising eyebrows with our sensual touches and telling looks.

Some things are different this time around. Instead of drowning in uncomfortable anxiety, I flirt more openly. And Hunter didn’t take the seat across from me like the last time. He sits beside me at the square table. His closeness is a decadent promise of the next phase of our date.

To my relief, Hunter unleashed his charm and we passed through the dark cloud of the incident with Dan. I don’t understand what got into him. Seeing him drunk and aggressive nudged at my confidence and my already hampered ability to trust people.

Again, I misjudged a person gravely. If someone would have asked me before tonight if Dan could lash out like that, I would have defended him. Because that’s not the man I know. Yet here we are.

After two cocktails and Hunter’s masterful steering of the conversation, I’ve succeeded in pushing the incident away, storing its consequences for further exploration at another time. After this date. A date that is shaping up wonderfully.

“Tell me about your family. Is London your only sister?” Hunter asks.

“We’ll be here for a while because there are eight of us.”

“Eight? Wow! I thought having one sister was more than enough growing up. Julia was such a princess. She would provoke me all the time and then play innocent, and I’d get shit from my parents. Always.”

“Similar to us, just times eight.”

Hunter laughs.

“I have three sisters: London, her twin, Paris, and little Brook. I guess she’s not little anymore, but she’s the youngest. London established a foundation to support leukemia research and runs several charities related to the cause. Paris is a sought-after interior designer. Brook has extended her post-graduation backpacking trip several times now. Last I heard she was somewhere in Asia.

“My father re-married—well, they never legally married, but our families merged when I was thirteen. The best thing for an awkward teenage girl is to join a household with four boys.” I chuckle and sigh at the same time. “Though Bianca became our mother and took us in like we were hers. Massi is an in-demand chef and he invests in new promising restaurants. He just got back with his ex-wife.

“Giovanni is a venture capitalist. He’s the CEO of a holding company that eats up other companies or something. Andrea is a successful artist, asshole and womanizer. And little Baldo, who is Brook’s age, so not so little anymore, is somewhere doing something.”

“It seems they all are successful at what they do.” Hunter idly draws circles on the back of my hand. The simple connection spreads peace through me.

“They’ve done well with the trust funds and their own skills.” I swallow, my own failures blooming in my stomach. “I chose to be a teacher.” A strong need to defend myself swipes through me.

Hunter narrows his eyebrows and smiles. “And you’re great at it. I didn’t mean to… Do you feel less than them because you don’t swim in money?”

“The reason I don’t swim in money has nothing to do with my capability or career choice,” I blurt, regretting it immediately. I’m not ready to go this far, to bare this much.

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