Remembrance: A Contemporary Erotic Romance (Iris Series Book 4) (30 page)

Janie walked into the swanky restaurant and immediately caught Eric’s eye at the bar.  He was facing the door, and he looked good, dressed in a navy blue suit, his russet hair gleaming, his eyes dancing with mischief.  When they made eye contact, his gaze moved over her in a lazy sensual sweep.  With a charming smile, he sauntered over to where she was by the maître d station.  Wasting no time, he gave her a full frontal hug and a soft kiss on the cheek.

This man definitely knew what he was doing.

“Hi,” he said with a very telling smirk.

“Hi,” she smiled back.

“You look fantastic.”

She’d worn the sides of her hair up and left the rest down, curling over her shoulders and back.  Covering her curves were a cashmere plum colored sweater and a long fitted wool skirt with high heeled boots.  Her requisite bohemian sweater coat and chunky jewelry finished her outfit.

“Thank you.”

“We’re ready to be seated now,” Eric said to the maître d.

“Right this way, Mr. Weston.”

Once they’d been seated with wine poured, Eric sat back and looked appreciatively at her.  “Tell me about your business.”

She did and by the time she was done, the waiter had returned to take their order.  While waiting for the food, they talked about his father’s business, for which he worked.

He was all charm and ease, occasionally reaching out and touching her hand, rubbing her knuckles.  When their food had arrived, they’d eaten for a few minutes and then Eric jumped in to another subject area.

“So, let’s get something out of the way,” he began.

She raised an eyebrow at his intro.  “Okay.”

“What’s going on between you and Luke Daniels?”

She examined him first, then raised an eyebrow again as if she didn’t know what he was talking about.

He gave her a
Come on
look.  “There’s a photo of the two of you on the internet in a heated embrace from the party, so something is happening.  There’s also a photo of him with his model ex-girlfriend at the same party.  Looks like he got around that night.  I’m just curious what your relationship is with him.”

“Luke and I are good friends.”

“How good?”

She gave him a look that said it was none of his business.

“I’d like to know who my competition is,” he shrugged cutely.  “It’s not like he’s known to be a one woman man, Janie, so I’m thinking there may not be as much competition as I’d originally thought.”

Her conversations with Luke rushed back into her memory about how Luke’s desires were the complete opposite to what the general population thought;  Luke wanted long term, but Eric obviously thought otherwise. 

“And you are?”  She cocked an eyebrow.  “A one woman man, that is?”

“I could be, if the right woman came along.”  He pinned her with his stare, then
threw her a confident smile.

She sighed.  “Eric,” she began, “I’m go
ing to be honest with you.  I don’t know if you and I would be a,” she hesitated, “good fit.”

“See, that’s where I disagree.”  He leaned forward intimately.  “I bet we’d fit just perfectly,” he said, his voice taking on a sexual and cajoling quality while emphasizing the word ‘fit’.  “Besides, you won’t know that until we get to know each other a little better.”

She gave him an exasperated smile.  “A woman doesn’t have to have sex with a man to know whether they’ll work out or not.  Can’t we just have a nice dinner together?”

He dissected her with his eyes then finally nodded.  Then, “
Is
something going on between the two of you?  You and Luke, I mean.  I don’t mean to be insensitive, but,” with a note of sympathy in his tone, “he’s got women all over the place.  You don’t strike me as a woman who’d like to share.”

She was starting to get pissed. “You know, it doesn’t really matter who Luke is dating or not dating.  You and I having dinner, and me not thinking we’d be a good fit doesn’t have anything to do with him.  And quite frankly, it’s really none of your business what my relationship is with him, Eric.  We’re only having dinner here,” she pointed out.

“Now you’re angry,” he sighed.  “I just think maybe you need to know more about him.  You say you’re good friends, but I don’t know what that means.  Do you know much about who Luke Daniels is?  I know you catered the party, but do you know his reputation with the ladies?”  He paused to let that sink in.  “Unless, of course, you’re just looking for a little fun.  And if that’s the case, I can definitely provide that,” his voice low and wrought with promise. 

Unbelievable.
And this guy was part of
GSoul
?  She wondered if Luke knew how this man talked about his CEO.

Rather than show her attitude, she decided to take the humor route.  Humor had saved her for many years.  It had always been her good friend.

She chuckled lightly.  “Well, this conversation isn’t fun, Eric.  And that was all I was hoping for tonight, that we could just keep it light.”

Just like that his demeanor changed, lust gleaming in his eyes.  “Light it is, then.  And I can definitely do fun.”  His eyes twinkled.  “Let’s get outta here.  We’ll finish up and head to my place.”

She stopped at the implication and gave him a pointed look.  “I’m not sleeping with you,” she reminded him.

“I don’t want you to sleep with me.”  He purposely misunderstood her and the look he was giving her said that he knew it.

“Let me clarify then.  I won’t be having sex with you.  I don’t want you to think I’m just playing hard to get.  I’m not.”

His mouth gave her a promising smile, but he put up his hands.  “No expectations.  We’re just keeping it light and fun.”

“I don’t know how smart it would be for me to go to your place,” she said drolly.

He gave her an arrogant look.  “Afraid I might change your mind?”

This guy just wouldn’t stop.  She had to admit, he was arousing her with his banter, but at the same time, she didn’t want to lead him on and was beginning to understand why Luke told her not to go out with him.

“It’s more like I’m afraid you won’t know how to take no for an answer.”

“I’ve never had to force a woman in my life, Janie.”  His eyebrow picked up and his tone was all ego.  She wasn’t sure she cared for how he’d worded that statement.  It just made her uncomfortable.

“I’m still going to say no, Eric.”

He sat back and crossed his arms, obviously disappointed.  “I’ve made you angry in some way and that wasn’t my intention.”  He leaned forward after taking a breath and propped his forearms on the table, reaching for her hand.  “I just want to,” he looked around then dropped his voice, “get outta here.  Be with you in a more private setting.  Again, no expectations.  I promise I won’t pressure you.” 

Shit, this man is a pit bull.  So much for not pressuring her.  He really wasn’t taking no for an answer.

“Eric, I’ve had a great time tonight.  I’m glad we went out.  But I don’t know that it would be wise for me to go to your place.”

“How about your place, then?”

Geez already.

She sighed, exasperated, then smiled.  “Not my place either.”

“Okay.”  He waited, watching her, letting the silence play out.  Eventually he sighed.  “Then at least let me get you home.”  Before she could protest, he put up his hands and said, “We’ll share a cab, I’ll walk you to your door, and that will be that.”

She continued to look at him, then finally capitulated and nodded.

The look of triumph on his face almost made her laugh.  “Good.”  He continued playing with her fingers, soothing her.  “Would you like some dessert?  Coffee?  More wine?”

“No.  I think I’m good.  Thank you, though.”

“Okay.  I’ll just get the check then.” 

He did, and then within moments they were outside getting a cab.  She gave her address to the cab driver, then they sat back for the ride.

“Thank you for coming out with me tonight,” he murmured and took her hand to rub her knuckles.  He was definitely a toucher which normally she loved.  She came from a family of demonstrative people, especially the men.  But this time, she was wound too tightly, trying to keep her wits about her so she could be on her toes.  His touching was only making it more difficult.

“I’m glad I did,” she said, looking at him.  She
was
glad she’d gone, if for no other reason than to realize she and Eric would never have been a good match.  There was a fine line between going after what you wanted and being too pushy.  She knew most women might have found his determination attractive, but considering she was in love with another man and she’d had to tell Eric ‘no’ in a million different ways, it only made her want the evening to end sooner rather than later.

They talked about inconsequential things, with Eric touching her all the while, her hands, her hair, her knee.  By the time the cab pulled up outside her loft, her body was humming with awareness and she was ready to get into her loft.

Eric got out of the cab and asked the cabbie to wait, then took her hand leading her to the door. 

She turned to him, always a little nervous about that first awkward moment when a man dropped her off at her door.  She didn’t have a lot of experience with it, quite frankly, and wondered how this would play out.

“I’ll walk you inside,” Eric said.

She didn’t want to appear ungrateful, so she unlocked the door and let them into the foyer, walking up to her loft door.  When she turned, his hand was cupping her cheek almost immediately.

Before she could react, his mouth moved slowly to hers and just as his lips touched hers, he licked into the recesses of her mouth seeking out her tongue.  His body began to press into hers, slowly moving her back until she was against her loft door.

He was a good kisser, she had to admit.  His hand moved into her hair at the base of her neck, where he kneaded and pulled gently, then he bit softly into her lower lip.  He began picking up the pace and her nipples tightened with arousal. 

Her mind catapulted back to Luke.  …
who do you think you’ll be thinking of if they kiss you?  Who will you be thinking of, Janie?

Damned if he wasn’t right.  Luke was all she was thinking about.  A sound escaped from her throat and Eric took that as encouragement, pressing his erection into her and deepening the kiss.

She broke away as best she could and put her hand up on his chest to stop him.  Eric’s eyes were glittering, his color high on his cheeks.

“God, I wanna fuck you so badly, my balls ache,” he whispered while dropping his forehead to hers.

Well.  Okay, then.

When she finally caught her breath, she said, “Thank you for tonight.”

“Come out with me again.”  He hadn’t moved from his stance, his hand still in her hair, his body pressing her to the door.  He took a moment to roll his hips into hers.  “I promise, I can make you forget all about him.  I can make you feel so good, Janie.”

Shit.  She did
not
want his words to stir up her sexual appetite, but they did.  The only problem was they weren’t being said by Luke.

“I don’t need to forget about anyone, Eric.  I’m absolutely certain you’ll find another woman to have fun with.  I’m afraid it’s not go
ing to be me, though.”

He let go of a loud exhalation of breath trying to hide his annoyance, “Come out and play, Janie.  Come on,” he cajoled.

“I’m sorry, Eric.”
Not really.

He waited, let go of a deep sigh, and then finally stepped back from her, releasing her hair.  “If you discover that you want to play after all, Janie, I would love to come out and play
with
you.”

I bet you would.

“I appreciate that,” she said, trying to end this on a positive note.  “If I change my mind I know who to call.”

“Don’t lose my number,” he said with a tight laugh. 

“Will do.”

“Bye for now, gorgeous.”

“Bye, Eric.”  Then he walked away.

Janie made it inside and slammed the door.  She rubbed her hands over her face and let out a growl of annoyance mixed with sexual frustration. 

She threw her purse onto the floor then tore off her coat.  Grabbing her phone, she fell onto the sofa and thought through her text to Luke.  It was still early, not quite ten o’clock.  She began typing.

JC: 
I’m home, Dad.  No need to wait up any longer.

She let her head drop back onto the cushion and closed her eyes, imagining what it would’ve been like if it
had been Luke kissing her goodnight.

Her call box went off.  She picked up her head wondering if Eric was coming back for round two.  She walked over.

“Hello?”

“It’s me.” 
Shit
.  It was Luke.

“What the hell are you doing here?” she nearly screeched into the call box, her heart now pounding double time.

“I
do
live in the neighborhood.  Open up.  It’s cold.”