Читать книгу Desire In A Kiss - Nicki Night - Страница 14

Chapter 4

Chris dragged himself into his luxury condominium. One of the few high-rise structures of its kind on Long Island. He loved the charged atmosphere of the city but didn’t want to deal with its noisy, restless backdrop the entire night. His condo offered the best of both worlds, with modern city-like living in a serene, suburban setting, but without the steady buzz of people and honking of car horns. He’d kept his place in Manhattan to hang out there when he had to handle business or had grown too tired to make it back home.

Tossing his keys onto the antique side table by the door, Chris trudged into his sleek kitchen to grab a bottle of water. Moonlight filtered through the glass walls in the living room, casting an amber glow throughout the spacious apartment. Propped against the white marble countertop, he nearly drained the water in one long gulp. He set the almost-empty bottle down, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Moments from the evening flashed in his mind’s eye and a smile eased across his lips. The Reserve had been packed to the gills. He perfectly recalled the pop of corks, the hum of voices and rumble of laughter that had filled the space. Blackwell’s performance had been stellar. He had breathed life into his sax, capturing the audience in a melodic trance. Collectively, fingers tapped, heads bobbed and the small area where Trina suggested they keep clear of tables and chairs was filled with dancing couples. At one point, the audience urged Chris’s eldest sister, Chloe, to join Alfonzo onstage for a duet—her voice and his sax had joined and floated soulfully through the air, lifting everyone with them. By the time they were done, Chris felt like the floor was miles below his feet. The staff hadn’t had a free moment all night, but by the time they had left, they were all happily exhausted.

Chris sniffed a chuckle, remembering the gorgeous blonde who had kept flirting with him. Her green eyes sparkled and her voice dipped an octave, emerging sexy and seductive through honey-colored lips that were made perfectly plump by injections. She had zeroed in on him and he had enjoyed every ounce of the sweet attention she poured over him like molasses. He’d fought the urge to lick his lips when she smiled. He’d begun to wonder what their first date would be like, until she shared that she had just had to meet him when she’d found out he was one of the owners. His excitement shut off like a light. He wondered if she would have given him the same attention if he’d just been a patron. These small indications of superficiality were fast becoming turnoffs.

In his distinctly charming manner, Chris had eased out of her magnetic hold without chipping at her dignity. He had told her how beautiful she was, which wasn’t a lie. With a soft touch slightly above her lower back, he had leaned close to her ear and expressed how he had enjoyed talking to her but unfortunately needed to get back to work. He had thanked her sincerely for patronizing The Reserve and had mentioned that he hoped she and her friends would come again. With a kiss to the back of her hand, he had bid her a wonderful evening and departed, backing away slowly, smiling, without false promises. She had got the message and pouted, seeming a little disappointed, but smiled seductively, still with an arch in her long neck and a bare shoulder pushed forward. She had winked, slid a finger across her lips and said good-night before sauntering away and joining her friends at their table. As he moved around throughout the night, he had caught her staring several times. She’d pout, smile and allow her lustful gaze to linger for seconds before turning away.

Chris finished off the water and tossed the bottle into the recycling bin. Despite being tired, he was still too wound up to sleep and figured a long, hot shower would help him relax. Picking up the remote, he turned off the lights in the kitchen and living room and headed toward his bedroom. Walking through the closet, he pulled boxers from a drawer and continued to the bathroom for the shower. Emerging clean and smelling like mint, he slipped into his underwear and flopped onto the bed, ready for a comforting night of sleep.

A half hour later, the anticipated slumber still hadn’t come. Chris picked up his phone and started scrolling through pictures on The Reserve’s Facebook page. So many people had posted about the night’s performance. Others posted everything from pictures of their food to wine choices to selfies outside with the name on the awning in the background. The blonde had even added a comment to a posted picture about how much she had enjoyed herself and had to come back soon.

Seeing the woman’s picture made him think about the theme common to the women he’d been meeting lately. Chris hesitated a moment, letting his finger hover over the screen of his phone. After a moment he touched the icon that brought up a search engine. He laughed at himself. Was he really considering this? He entered dating sites into the search bar. Several of them came up, as well as options for apps that he could download on his phone. After perusing the list for about ten minutes, he settled on one of the apps that, based on its description, didn’t seem so intrusive. It offered local prospects, which seemed reasonable. He never thought he’d do well in long-distance relationships.

Chris downloaded the app and started putting together a profile using the name Chris Mullins. He completed every swipe, upload, and tap of a letter with trepidation. He selected a full-body picture so that his facial features wouldn’t be as prominent. His thumb hovered over the image. Once that finger connected with the screen, his profile would become visible to a vast pool of companion seekers. He hated to think that this would make him seem desperate. He tried to bear in mind the reassurance of his friends.

Chris had never been the kind to follow the herd, but this time, knowing that many others had searched for mates online seemed comforting. He wasn’t alone in this. He wasn’t the first. This would expand his options. He personally knew someone who had succeeded in finding a great woman online. Convincing himself worked. He touched the screen, making his profile public. It was official.

He sat up in bed and, resting against the headboard, closed his eyes. Letting out a deep sigh and then a grunt, he blew out his concerns. This couldn’t hurt him. In fact, it could prove to be interesting—fun, even. He didn’t have to commit to anything or anyone. He considered it a new method of blind dating, with the benefit of seeing what your date looked like before you actually met. Curiosity captured his focus as he thought about the possibilities.

He swiped through a few profile pictures, surprised at how many attractive women he found there, but wondered if the images they posted were depictions of what they really looked like.

“Ha!” Chris released a hearty laugh into the silence that enveloped his room. What if he got catfished? That would certainly make for a good story with the guys.

Reading through profiles, he formed a few opinions. There were several options for filtering his search, such as location, interests and ethnicity. The site offered a smorgasbord of women, featuring every type of personality. This he determined much from the pictures alone, which showed women in everything from business suits to minuscule bikinis that advertised all their major “assets.” He did come across one or two that he was tempted to send private messages to but seemed to be at a loss for what to say. That never happened when he was in front of a woman in real life.

Chris laughed at himself again. He still wasn’t one hundred percent sure about this, but he was now official. He was in the game despite his reservations. Connecting his phone to the charger, he lay back down on the bed and pulled the covers up to his neck. Nestling into his memory-foam mattress, he thought about the possibilities until his lids grew heavy enough to shut out all thoughts.