Читать книгу Playing With Fire - Kayla Perrin - Страница 10

5

Nicholas didn’t call back. But he did send a text to tell Zienna where they would dine. And she wasn’t surprised when he said he’d made reservations at Café Tagine in the West Loop for Mediterranean fare, as it was one of the few places he enjoyed eating other than his own restaurant. The highlight of the dining experience—if you were there at the right time—was the belly dancing performance.

Zienna sent him a text back to ask if she should meet him there or if he would pick her up. She wasn’t one of those women who expected to be picked up for every date. She had her own car, her own career, and she could take care of herself. A few guys she’d dated had told her that she was too independent. But after years of providing for herself, she wasn’t about to pass over the reins to a man.

Not yet, anyway.

When her cell phone trilled, Zienna lifted it from the bathroom counter and looked at the screen.

I’ll pick you up.

She grinned. It would be better this way. Because being beside him in the front seat, she could get a little frisky.

Sample a little of the heat of what was to come.

* * *

At 7:30, Zienna’s cell phone rang. Even before she looked to see if Nicholas was the one calling her, she hurried to the window of her second floor condo, which looked down on North Kingsbury Street, and saw Nicholas’s car. He was nothing if not punctual.

She then ran to pick up her phone, which was on her dining room table. “Hey, you.”

“I’m downstairs.”

“I know, I just saw you. I’m on my way.”

She gathered her clutch purse and headed to the door, where she stopped to give herself one last glance in the hall mirror. She was wearing a red dress with a plunging neckline that went to the base of her cleavage. It was an outfit that revealed what Nicholas had termed her “great boobage.” The dress hugged her waist, then flared slightly over her hips. It was a sexy yet classically feminine outfit.

Beneath the dress, she was also wearing red—a lacy red thong adorned with a tiny white bow at the front, and a matching bra with little bows on the straps. A grin played on her lips. She knew she looked absolutely amazing in the ensemble, and she knew that Nicholas would go nuts when he saw her without her dress later.

Zienna made her way downstairs. Ever the gentleman, Nicholas got out of his black Infiniti SUV to meet her as she headed down the short walkway toward him.

“Wow.” He whistled, then reached out and fingered a strand of her long, flat-ironed black hair. It was a look that suited her well.

“Gimme a kiss,” she told him, and took him by the jacket lapel and pulled him close. He kissed her on the lips, a peck that lasted a few seconds.

Zienna pouted a little when he eased back. “That’s all?”

“I don’t want to ruin your lipstick.”

“Okay then,” she said, giving him a you’re-missing-out look. He hurried to the door and opened it for her. As Zienna sat, she deliberately pulled her dress up on her thigh, allowing him a glimpse of her bare legs.

“Damn,” he uttered.

Then he got into the vehicle beside her and gave her a wink before driving off. Zienna frowned slightly. She had hoped... Well, she’d hoped for at least a little grope in the car before Nicholas turned his attention to the road.

She couldn’t have looked more seductive. Her makeup was perfect, the deep auburn shadow on her eyes meant to accentuate the red in her outfit. And she was wearing a pair of four-inch Louboutin leopard print pumps. Even her purse matched—leopard print with red at the edges. Not to mention that she’d changed her toe polish after work to make it a cherry red.

Nicholas had always told her that he loved her in red, and she’d been hoping for a more carnal reaction from him.

She offered him a smile. When he grinned back at her, she took his hand and lifted it to her breasts.

“Easy, babe,” he said. “I don’t want to get to the restaurant with a throbbing erection.”

Zienna kissed his hand, then released it, inwardly disappointed.

Nicholas was gorgeous and ambitious and a gentleman...but sometimes she wished he’d be a bit more spontaneous. She wouldn’t mind if they got a little hot and bothered in the car and missed dinner altogether. But she knew that wasn’t something Nicholas would do, because he’d already made reservations for the night.

Sex before dinner wasn’t in the plans.

“You really look great tonight,” he said to her. “Smoking.”

“Thank you, baby.”

He must have picked up on her disappointment, because he said, “You’re not upset, are you?”

“Upset? Why?”

“Because...” Now he reached for her leg, trailing his fingers along her exposed thigh.

Zienna glanced at him, wondering if he was going to do something out of character.

“You think I don’t want to touch you?” he asked. “Quite frankly, I’m tempted to forget dinner and do you right here.”

Now Zienna beamed. Nicholas had come to a stop, so she eased her body across the front seat and kissed him. This time he didn’t pull away, and they continued until a horn blared from the car behind them.

Both of them giggled, and Nicholas began to drive again.

“And so you know,” Zienna began, “this is that lipstick that’s guaranteed not to smudge off. During dinner, or kissing...”

“Ah. Well, good to know.”

“I’m happy to forgo dinner...well, at least in a restaurant. Because I definitely want to eat something else.”

Lust was already consuming her, and she wanted nothing more than to get naked with him. Have wild sex tonight, unlike the pleasant sex they’d had the night before.

Nicholas’s groan was low and throaty. “What did I tell you?”

His eyes went downward to his lap. Zienna followed his gaze and saw the evidence of his desire for her straining against his black dress pants.

“Then let’s turn around.”

“You know we have reservations for tonight. And I always hate when people skip out on reservations.”

“I know....”

“Plus I have a surprise for you.”

Now her eyes lit up. “You do?”

He wriggled his eyebrows. “Yep. Besides, I love the idea of wanting you so badly during dinner that I can hardly stand it. It will make it that much better when we finally get home.”

He had a point. And maybe the sex would be even hotter after sitting through dinner for a couple hours.

She could wait.

Nicholas turned on the car stereo, and the sound of smooth R&B began to play. Zienna looked out the window as he continued to drive, wondering what the surprise was.

She liked what he’d said about keeping the sexual tension between them going through dinner. Maybe they could even do something a little risqué, like have sex in the backseat of his car. Something they had never done.

She was falling in love with Nicholas, she knew. But while he satisfied her sexually, she kind of wished he was a bit more...

Well, wild.

Typically, when they got it on, it was at his place and in his bed. He’d never specifically said that he didn’t want to dirty the leather sofas, but Zienna had to assume that was his issue, because even when they got hot while on a sofa, he always made sure to lead them to the bedroom before they got naked.

It wasn’t a big issue, but Zienna would enjoy a bit of variety.

At Café Tagine, Nicholas left his car with the valet, took Zienna’s hand and headed inside. The moment guests entered the door, they felt as if they’d stepped into Morocco. Lively berber music floated from the sound system. The hostess, a gorgeous woman with olive skin and long, dark hair, greeted them with a bright smile. She was dressed in a jeweled black halter and a long, flared gold skirt adorned with a top layer of strips of black beaded material.

“I have a reservation,” Nicholas announced. “For Aubrey.”

“Ah, yes,” the hostess said. “Follow me.”

Zienna loved the architecture and ambience of Café Tagine. There were archways designed to look like the top of a temple. Delicate gauzy swags in bright reds and oranges divided the seating areas.

She was grinning as she peeked past the privacy swags and saw various diners. Earlier, she had hoped to simply forgo dinner and do Nicholas, but now she was happy that they were here. She really loved the romance and elegance of this place.

The hostess stopped, then gestured for them to enter the draped-off area that housed their table. Zienna stepped in first—and then stumbled in her four-inch heels, toppling sideways.

“Whoa,” Nicholas said, instantly reaching for her before she hit the floor. He pulled her upright against his hard body. “I gotcha.”

Zienna’s heart began to pound erratically. This couldn’t be happening.

Wendell was sitting at their table!

“Are you okay?” the hostess asked.

“Fine.” Zienna brushed a strand of hair from her face.

“You know I love heels on you,” Nicholas began, “but dang, they’re dangerous.”

The hostess put the menus on the table. “Ghita, your server, will be with you shortly.”

When the woman had walked away, Zienna faced Nicholas. “Wendell...” Her heart was racing in her chest. “He—he’s eating with us?” she murmured quietly.

“Yeah.” But there was a question in Nicholas’s voice. He continued on to Wendell, who stood to greet them. Nicholas shook his friend’s hand, then asked, “Where’s your date?”

“She couldn’t make it. Sorry.”

“Date?” Zienna’s throat went dry.

“Hello, Zienna.”

She didn’t respond to him, but instead turned to Nicholas. “You didn’t mention we were having dinner with anyone.”

“That was the surprise. Wendell was supposed to be joining us for dinner with his girlfriend.”

Zienna was aware that her breathing was coming in painful gasps, and wondered why the idea of him joining them at the restaurant should even bother her.

“Not really a girlfriend,” Wendell explained. “A friend with potential. But she couldn’t make it, and I didn’t want you to have to cancel. I figured the three of us could have a nice dinner instead.”

“Of course, man,” Nicholas said.

“Especially since Zienna had to leave early last night,” Wendell went on. “Feeling any better?”

Her eyes went to his. She couldn’t be certain, but she thought she saw a hint of self-satisfaction. Clearly, he knew that she’d made up an excuse to flee yesterday.

“Yes,” she told him stiffly. “Much better, thank you.”

Nicholas pulled out a chair for her, and Zienna sat, a feeling of dread spreading through her. It was one thing to try to put all thoughts and memories of Wendell behind her, but how could she do that if she had to see him at every turn?

“You were right, Nick,” Wendell said. “This place is awesome.”

“It opened up after you left town. Last-minute reservations can be hard to come by, but I know the manager, and he always leaves at least one table open in case special guests come by. Usually celebrities, city officials, that sort of thing. So he gave me the table. And in time for the eight o’clock belly dancing show.”

“Lucky us,” Wendell commented.

Lucky? Right about now, Zienna would have considered being thrown into a dungeon a luckier stroke of fate.

Nicholas sat beside her, with Wendell sitting across the table from them. No matter where she sat, she wouldn’t be far enough away from the man she had vowed to forget.

She let him and Nicholas talk while she pretended to study a menu she already knew too well.

Ghita came to the table a few minutes later. She was dressed similarly to the hostess, except her outfit was in pink highlighted with silver, and she was just as gorgeous.

“Good evening.”

Zienna couldn’t help herself...she watched Wendell. Watched how his face lit up as he regarded this beautiful woman.

Shit, what was wrong with her? Why did she care?

Because it was so obvious now. Obvious that Wendell only had eyes for pretty faces and sexy bodies.

“Can we get a bottle of La Dame Blanche?” Nicholas said to Ghita. “Then we could all use a few more minutes before deciding.”

“Absolutely.”

When Ghita turned to leave, Zienna once again looked at Wendell, certain she would find him ogling the waitress’s behind.

Instead, she saw him watching her.

She quickly pulled her gaze away and returned it to her menu. She was well aware that her pulse had picked up speed.

There was silence for several moments as they checked out the menu, then Nicholas suddenly said, “Hey, Youssef!” He pushed his chair back and stood to greet the manager. “How’re you doing, man?”

Nicholas and Youssef pumped hands, smiles on their faces. “You remember Zienna,” Nicholas said, gesturing to her.

“Of course.” Youssef took her hand in his. “You get more beautiful each time I see you.”

“Thank you.”

“And this is one of my best friends, Wendell Creighton. He used to play for the Chicago Bears.”

Wendell stood to shake Youssef’s hand.

Zienna tuned everything out as they chatted for about a minute, but her hearing kicked in again when Nicholas said, “I’ll be back in a few minutes, babe.”

She looked up at him in alarm. “Where are you going?”

“Youssef wants to show me something in the kitchen.”

“I won’t keep him long,” the manager promised.

And then they were off.

The silence that followed was profound, with Zienna not daring to look in Wendell’s direction.

He finally broke it, saying, “You’re not going to look at me?”

Zienna drew in a sharp breath. “Why are you here?”

Wendell gave her a confused look. “Nick invited me out.”

“You know what I mean. Why are you... You know it’s not a good idea for us to be hanging out together.”

“What am I supposed to say? Hey, Nick—don’t invite me out because I used to sleep with your girl and she might be uncomfortable around me?”

Zienna said nothing. She knew he had a point.

“You want me to tell him, I will.”

She remained silent.

“So now you’ve got nothing to say?”

“I don’t like this. It can’t be comfortable for you, either. Figure out a reason to say no to us getting together, that’s all I’m saying.”

Ghita arrived with the wine and poured some for Wendell to taste. He nodded to indicate it was fine, and Ghita filled the three glasses.

Once the waitress was gone, Wendell turned his attention to Zienna. He stared, and she felt as though she were on the hot seat. “Zienna,” he said after a moment. “What are you so afraid of?”

But before she could answer, she saw Wendell’s gaze jerk upward. She looked up, surprised to see Nicholas standing there.

He smiled at both of them, reclaimed his seat and then took Zienna’s hand in his. “I think Youssef has a little crush on you. He remembers the appetizer you love, and he’s sending it to the table, complimentary.”

“Oh.” Zienna forced a little chuckle. “Well, isn’t that sweet of him?”

“Youssef’s a great guy,” Nicholas went on, speaking to Wendell. “He came to the States for school, planning to go into medicine. But he dropped out because opening a restaurant was really his passion. He told me how his family was upset, thought he would fail. Three years later, this place is a huge success.”

“That’s why I always say go after what you want,” Wendell commented.

The way you went after me, Zienna thought. Simply wanting another notch on your belt?

“Excellent,” Nicholas said. “The wine’s here.” He lifted his glass. “I’d like to make a toast.” Zienna and Wendell lifted their glasses. “To Wendell being back in town. And for him agreeing to manage my new restaurant.”

Nicholas and Wendell clinked glasses, but Zienna merely gaped at them. “What?” she asked.

Nicholas faced her, looking excited. “That was my real surprise. The news that Wendell has agreed to manage the new location.”

“Yep,” Wendell concurred.

Zienna didn’t get to say anything, because at that moment, Youssef arrived at their table carrying a platter of beef Bourgogne, a mix of sirloin and tenderloin tips roasted with onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms and served over a bed of garlic mashed potatoes.

“Enjoy,” he said, placing it before them.

Somehow, Zienna made it through dinner. It helped that the belly dancing show distracted her and prevented them from engaging in conversation during that time. But she hardly ate her dessert, brûlée royale, which she typically enjoyed.

Nicholas rubbed her leg. “You okay, babe? You’ve been a bit quiet.”

“I’m fine,” she lied.

A beat passed, then Wendell spoke. “I think I know what’s wrong.”

“You do?” Nicholas asked, sounding confused.

“Nick, there’s something I should tell you. We should tell you.”

Zienna’s heart spasmed. No! she thought. Please, no...

“We?” Nicholas asked. “As in you and Zienna?”

“Nicholas, let’s just call it a night,” Zienna suddenly said. “I know I wasn’t the best company this evening, but it’s just because I’m overtired.”

But Nicholas wasn’t looking at her. He was gazing at Wendell. “What is it, man?”

Now Wendell looked at Zienna. And to her horror, she saw resolve in his eyes.

“Do you want to tell him, Zienna, or shall I?”