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~Cora~
I HAD A FEW MINUTES while he went to the bar for menus to catch my breath. My heart had been hammering in my chest since I saw him at the bar, his tall frame encased in jeans and a slim-cut T-shirt that showed off his biceps, talking to Jake. And everything he said seemed to be laced with innuendo. Or my overactive imagination had me thinking he wanted to lay me bare on the table and show me exactly how he’d be a knight out to save me...or a bad boy out to ravish me. I wasn’t sure how one man could be both, but the promise of ravishment and safety came through his gaze and his words.
I hadn’t lied earlier. It had been a long week, and I had been looking forward to tonight.
“Here you go. They have the best wings around. I especially like the dry-rub ones.” Dixon slid back into his chair and handed over a menu.
Our fingers brushed and that little tingle snaked up my arm. There was no denying the attraction, and I’d made up my mind while he was at the bar chatting with Jake that there was no reason not to act on it. A fling...a short-term relationship with all the benefits...it might actually be a good thing. Maybe if I was dating someone, both my father and Mark would finally take my rejection of Mark seriously. I took a sip of my beer and glanced at the menu. “That sounds fine. And a salad, too.” I looked back to see Dixon staring at me. “What? Did I spill some beer or something?” I hadn’t felt any wetness—well, no beer dripping down my chin, although maybe my panties were a little damp—but checked to see whether there was something on my neck or the table. Nothing.
“Uh...no. Just watching...I mean, you watching your weight or something? A salad? Really? In a bar?”
I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to be stern. “You know, one of the quickest ways to piss off a woman is to ask if she’s dieting. Yes, a salad. It’s called nutrition. Woman cannot live on chicken wings alone, Mr. Shining Knight.” At his look of contrition, I laughed. “Relax. I’m kidding. Sort of. I try to keep things pretty good on the food front. That way, when I indulge in decadent desserts, I can tell myself that at least I ate my veggies. Or have one too many beers.” I raised my glass in a silent cheers.
He raised his glass to meet mine. “Gotcha. Here’s to indulging.” His heated stare was only interrupted by the waitress.
“You ready to order, Dixon?” Shayla had her order pad at the ready, glancing between the two of us.
“Yeah. An order of the Kentucky dry-rub wings and a salad. Make that two salads.” He grinned at me when he added his own salad to the order. “Gotta get my veggies in so I can...indulge in dessert later on.”
Shayla gave him a quizzical look, as if he’d never ordered a salad in his life. “Right. Two salads. Dry-rub wings. Any refills?” Her look bounced between the both of us.
“I’m good. But a glass of water would be good sometime.” I grabbed the glass and took another sip, trying to hide my smile.
“Another beer when the food is ready.” Dixon handed over the menus. “Thanks, Shayla. Now go tell Jake everything is fine here and that I’m behaving myself.”
Shayla took the menus and sauntered off in the direction of the kitchen.
“No doubt he has her checking up on me to make sure I’m treating you right. He’s already told me twice that I shouldn’t be my usual idiot self and mess things up with you.”
“I can’t imagine you being an idiot. You’ve been nothing but a gentleman. You and Jake have that in common, I think.” I glanced over at the bar, and sure enough, Jake had his eyes on our table. “So, tell me more about you and Jake growing up.”
A wall seemed to come down around him, cutting off the brightness in his eyes and shrinking him into his chair. “Not much to tell, really. Just regular boys getting into regular trouble. More me than Jake, though. He was always taking care of me, trying to keep me on the straight and narrow. He pretty much raised me on his own.”
“What about your mom? She married his dad, right?” I fiddled with the wrapped silverware, breaking the seal around the napkin. His eyes still had that dull look, as if he were lost in a memory.
“Yeah. When I was about ten. Jonah—Jake’s dad—had dated my mom for a few years before they got married. Once we moved in, things changed. And then...” He took a gulp of his beer. “Anyway, I want to hear about this long week of yours. And how’d that presentation go? You never said in your texts.”
We’d texted each night, when I was snuggled up in my covers. A very excellent way to end the day...and apparently the inspiration for the naughty dreams my imagination conjured up each night, too.
“Ugh. My boss let me do the presentation to the board, and it did not go over well. Actually, there was one person who wasn’t on board—my dad.” I took a sip of the beer, thinking back to that awful Monday morning meeting. “And when he wasn’t happy, the rest of the board just backed him up. I swear, the man does not want to join this century, much less this decade. I just don’t get it. He talks and talks about how he wants to keep the company in the family for generations but doesn’t look to the future of the hotel business at all. I’m just giving him tools for advertising...I haven’t even broached the subject of the actual hospitality standards we need to meet and exceed to survive.” I huffed, and my beer sloshed as the glass hit the tabletop a bit harder than I meant it to.
“Do you think it’s because you’re the one with these ideas that he’s discounting them? I mean, if he heard the same idea from your boss or someone else, would he still resist?”
“I’m not sure. He tends to talk over me, as if I’m not really there. Or a better way to put it is that he’s convinced his opinion should be my opinion, and it doesn’t register when I tell him something that doesn’t fit into his view of things.” Like about marriage and Mark, especially. But I would not let thoughts of either of those men—Mark or my father—take up any more space in my head.
Shayla walked back to us with a serving platter in her hands. “Here you go. I brought everything together...I hope that’s okay.” She smiled at us as she dropped off the wings, salads, Dixon’s beer, and my water. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
As she left, Dixon watched her. Or rather, he looked in the direction she was going, but past her...right to Jake watching Shayla.
“What is that about?” I stage-whispered to him, watching the same scene. Shayla seemed oblivious of Jake’s stare as she stopped at tables to check on customers, but anybody else could see it a mile away.
“I dunno. But I think he’s going to break that glass if he keeps cleaning it with his hands clenched around it.” He nodded in Jake’s direction, pointing out the beer mug Jake was apparently testing for durability. His smile turned devilish. “Maybe Jake’s finally figured out what’s right in front of him.” His attention turned back to me. “God knows me and my brother might not be the brightest bulbs, but when we get our minds set on a goal, we go for it.”
That smile turned into a sexy promise that had me grabbing for my beer and taking a big gulp. The thought of being the object of his full attention had my throat going dry and my panties going wet.
––––––––
AS WE ATE OUR DINNER, I never wanted the night to end. His corny jokes had me laughing. His eyes sparkled, promising heated passion in their depths. His hand clasped mine as we sat at the table in the back of Jake’s, watching the crowd and each other. My pulse throbbed, imagining his kisses instead of his gentle strokes on my hand.
But a ping from my phone distracted me momentarily, and the lock screen displayed the time.
“So, as much as I hate to say it, I’ve gotta get going. Work in the morning, you know.” I put my phone in my purse, finding my car keys in the process.
Dixon stood and held his hand out to me. “Well, you can be sure I’m not going to let you leave on your own. I understand that parking lot can be hell on ladies in heels.” He grinned as he pulled me up and toward his chest. “This way to your chariot, my lady.” He pressed his lips to my knuckles and bowed in a bad impression of a servant.
“Thank you, kind sir.” I couldn’t help but giggle at his actions. Then I snuggled up into his body as we walked through the crowded bar to the door.
The heat from our bodies next to each other as we walked had my blood thrumming. The smell of Dixon—fresh, manly—enveloped me. He wrapped his hand around my waist and pulled me closer. Once outside the door, he pulled me over toward the steps to the upstairs apartment and against the wall.
I couldn’t resist any longer; I had to taste him again. Had to feel his lips against mine. His body against mine.
“Oh.” A breathless pant escaped as he nibbled my neck. “Dixon...oh. Yeah.” I squirmed until my hands could make their way over his shoulders to draw him closer. “Yeah. Right there.”
The electric pulse between us intensified but somehow he pulled back. “You know, you kind of drive me wild.” He rested his forehead on mine and huffed out a breath. “Any chance I can sweep you off your feet and drive you just as wild up at my place?”
The air seemed to thicken...or maybe it was Dixon who made it hard to take in a full breath.
“I think...not. I’m tempted, believe me. God, I’m tempted.”
At my words, he smoothed his hands down my sides, gripping my hips. There was a slight pressure at our joined hips, making it clear he was more than tempted. That hard bulge had my body ready to throw caution to the wind.
But my logical mind won out, and I put a firm hand on his chest. “Seriously. Tempted. But not tonight. Can I have a rain check? What about Saturday? Spend the day together?”
And the night. I left the words unsaid, but damn, the promise of them hung in the air.
Dixon let out a deep breath. “Yeah. Saturday. Saturday’s good. How about I pick you up around two? We can hang out for a bit, find something to do—a movie or something—and then have dinner. And dessert.” His voice went husky on the last words.
“I’d like that. Dessert’s always been my favorite.” I leaned forward to give him a quick parting kiss, but my tongue found his and they tangoed together, leaving me breathless once again. “Night, Dixon.” I snuck out from between him and the wall, ready to head to the parking lot to get in my car...and cool off.
“Not so fast. I was serious about getting you to your car. Never know when a rogue pothole will show up and attack.” He clasped my hand as we walked out to the main parking area and my car. With one last lingering kiss, he opened the car door and watched as I settled in.
“Night, Cora. Sweet dreams.”