Amused, Beth did a quick spin to appease her. Marianne’s enthusiasm was a welcome distraction.
“That’s a great dress. And snazzy shoes,” Marianne said, a wistful smile on her lips. “There was a time I’d dance all night in a pair of shoes like that.”
“You mean last week?” Beth tossed over her shoulder as she reached for her purse and matching wrap.
Marianne’s delighted laugh filled the kitchen. “You’re a sweet one. Now, you give me a head start. I want an uninterrupted view of his face when you make your entrance.”
“He’s here?” Beth clenched her hands to keep from rubbing her palms against her dress.
“Yup. Give me ten seconds, then come on out.” Marianne paused at the door. “And Beth? Have fun tonight, sweetie.”
Ten seconds. Ten seconds separated her from the first date she’d had in three years.
God, what am I thinking?
Chicken shit. The words crossed her thoughts, but the voice was all Rachel. Dammit. Somewhere, Rachel was utterly amused that she was the voice in her head. Beth took a deep breath and walked toward the door.
Chicken shit, my ass.
“She’s coming, honey,” Marianne said as she cruised back into the café.
“Thanks.” Restless, Braden propped his left arm on the bar and stuck his right hand in his pocket. When no one emerged, he glanced to where Marianne was still hovering.
“You sure she’s not sneaking out the…” The soft click of heels against wood heralded Beth’s arrival. His chest tightened and his breathing stalled.
She wore a deep blue dress that hugged her frame and swirled like the tide around her legs as she walked into the café wearing shoes designed to drive a man crazy—tall heels with little strappy things that tied around her ankles and extended her toned legs into impossibly long planes of silk. It required a conscious effort to drag his gaze back up, only to discover that the rest of the picture was every bit as enthralling.
She’d pulled her hair back, a curly mass loosely pinned to the nape of her neck. Though he’d wondered more than once what it would feel like to run his hands through the long lengths, he found this style held a certain appeal. How long would it take for her hair to tumble around her shoulders if he pulled out every pin, one by one, replacing each with a kiss to her exposed throat?
Everything about her captivated his imagination, but her eyes snared his attention. She’d done something to them, something that brought out the cobalt hue. When he finally recovered enough to smile in greeting, her eyes were the first to respond, crinkling at the edges as a warm welcome bloomed across her face.
“Hi.” Hardly smooth, but the best he could do until blood rushed back to his brain.
“Hi.” She said, pulling her wrap over her shoulders.
“Ready to go?”
“Sure. You said the restaurant’s close, right?”
“Two blocks. It’s nice outside, but if you’d rather drive, I can pull the car around.”
“Walking sounds good.”
“Goodnight, Marianne.” Braden smiled over his shoulder and slid an arm around Beth’s waist as they moved toward the door. It was a nice evening to walk, the warmth and humidity of the afternoon lingered, but a pleasant breeze blowing in from the west made it a comfortable evening to be out.
“The weather today was perfect. Did you get a chance to enjoy it?” Braden cringed.
The weather? Lame. Very lame.
“Not directly, I had to work for most of it, but the customers brought the atmosphere in with them.” Her amusement was clear in her tone. “What about you?”
She pressed closer to his side to avoid bumping into another pedestrian. The warmth of her seared straight through him, scattering his thoughts. “What?”
“Did you enjoy the day?”
“Oh. No, not really, my brother’s in town.” Braden maneuvered them off to the side and under a rich expanse of maroon awning.
Glancing around in confusion, Beth asked, “Is everything alright?”
“I’m sorry.”
Her shoulders tightened and she opened her mouth to speak, but he slipped an arm around her waist and pressed her against the rough brick of the storefront behind her. His slid a hand carefully along her jaw, letting it rest against the nape of her neck. Her breath hitched, as he pressed his lips to hers in a caress that began as a warm and gentle greeting and accelerated into a promise of things to come.
Finally, when reason prevailed over greed, Braden forced himself to step back and suck air into his lungs. She’d been beautiful in the moment before he’d kissed her, and beautifully responsive as he had. But neither compared to the picture she presented now. The faintest flush warmed her cheeks and her pupils had expanded to swallow all but the thinnest halo of blue. Her hands must have come up at some point to grasp his arms because she still had a viselike grip on his jacket. He leaned his forehead down to rest against hers, breathing in the scent of her one more time before he stepped back, out of temptation’s grasp.
“Sorry. I couldn’t seem to think.” He smiled when she blinked twice before focusing on his face.
“Huh?”
“I just thought I’d get it out of the way.” He admired the way her blush deepened as awareness returned to her eyes. “This way I won’t be wondering what it feels like to kiss you the rest of the night.”
“Did it work?” A small smile graced her face.
“Yeah.” He settled his arm around her shoulders and led her to the door of the restaurant. “But now I’ll be looking forward to doing it again.”
The restaurant was both warm and opulent. Thick carpet ran from wall to wall, an intricate sage design sprawling like vines across the cream surface. Two-story windows glinted gold in the setting sun along the wall facing the street. Rich draperies of dark blue cascaded down the windows, tied back with heavy silk cords. The atmosphere was so rich and elegant that Beth struggled to keep from fidgeting. How was it that she was standing in such a beautiful place, on the arm of such an attractive man?
And he was attractive. Dressed nicely in a soft, chocolate brown sports coat, neatly pressed slacks, starched white shirt and a forest green tie, he was an ad executive’s dream. The picture of casual sophistication—broad shoulders, tapered waist and a tan combined to present an image that stated he was right at home sailing, hiking or trail running. Self-conscious awareness prickled across her skin, even as a powerful thrill, entirely feminine, raced through her. For tonight, his attention seemed focused exclusively on her.
As they followed the hostess through the restaurant, Beth tried to soak in every visual detail. Square tables covered the floor of the main dining room, each one dressed with perfectly pressed white linens and a small vase of fresh flowers. Chandeliers bathed the dining room with a warm, low light that set the silver gleaming. They wound their way toward the back of the restaurant and along the far wall, stopping at a small square table near the corner. Before she could pull out her chair, Braden’s hand covered hers, gently maneuvering her aside to pull out the chair for her, before taking his own.
“Your server should be with you shortly. Enjoy your evening.” Beth barely noticed as their hostess retreated, too caught up in the splendor of the evening.
“I love the atmosphere here and their steaks are amazing,” Braden said.
A waiter stopped at their table, snapping starched white napkins open and placing them in their laps.
“It’s beautiful, but I wasn’t expecting something so extravagant.” Beth placed her hands in her lap to keep from toying with the silverware. “I would have been happy with one of the chain restaurants.”
Braden grinned, though whether it was at her, or at the waiter’s scandalized expression, she wasn’t sure.
“Good evening, my name is Carlos. I’ll be your sommelier this evening. May I get you started with something to drink, a bottle of wine perhaps?”
“Do you have a preference?” Braden asked Beth.
“What?
” It took her a moment to catch his meaning. “Oh, no. A red, I guess?” Red went with steak, right? God, could she feel like a bigger idiot? Somewhere between the potency of Braden’s kiss and the elegance of the steak house, she felt as if she’d stepped into another reality.
Beth forced herself to take a couple of bracing breaths while Braden and the sommelier discussed the available wines. She was determined to get her nerves under control and enjoy the evening. One way or another.
An hour and a half later, warmth infused Beth’s face and her cheeks ached from a wine-induced smile. She didn’t care. They’d torn their way through half a bottle of wine before the food started to arrive. The relaxed state she’d failed to achieve on her own had been readily supplied by the wine. By the time appetizers arrived, they’d been actively engaged in conversation.
“Might I interest you in a dessert menu?” The waiter offered.
“What do you think?” Braden glanced at her from across the table. “Did you save room for dessert.”
“Absolutely not.” And wasn’t that the truth? She was one bite away from having to be rolled out the door.
“Are you certain? We have an amazing bananas Foster and a fabulous six-layer chocolate mousse cake garnished with a delicate raspberry sauce.”
“The chocolate cake here is really good.” Braden’s grin was wicked and Beth couldn’t help but laugh. How many times had she smiled and laughed during the meal? More than she could have believed possible.
“Maybe next time.”
“Very well,” The waiter pulled a black bill holder out of his apron and placed it in front of Braden. “Whenever you’re ready, sir.”
After they’d settled the check, they made their way to the front of the restaurant.
“Did you park at Angie’s?” Braden held the door for her as they moved out of the restaurant.
“No. I’m at one of the public lots a few blocks over.” A wall of cool night air hit her as she exited the warmth of the restaurant. The sidewalk did a quick roll in front of her, confirming she’d had a little more wine than intended.
“Then I’ll walk you back to your car, if you’re sure I can’t talk you into coffee and dessert?” Braden slipped his arm around her waist as they moved onto the sidewalk and up the road. The warm afternoon breeze had developed into a light wind that swirled around the street and carried the scent of another spring storm blowing in off the Pacific.
“I don’t think I could eat anything else tonight. But walking for a while might be a good idea,” she said, the cool air cleansing her wine-fogged brain.
“Okay.” When she shivered a little in the breeze, Braden pulled her under his arm. “Do you have family out here?”
“No, I’m originally from the Boston area,” Beth answered, hoping to stick to easy topics.
“Do you get back often?”
“Not anymore.”
“That’s too bad. You must get homesick.”
Caution flared to life. She should have expected this. Dinner had been fun and engaging, and she’d managed to steer Braden into talking about himself—where he went to school, how he’d ended up in the family business. Every time he’d echoed her questions, she’d tried for vague or boring answers and then turned the conversation back to him. Most guys would have basked in the opportunity to focus the conversation on their interests and accomplishments. It both annoyed and impressed her that he seemed genuinely interested in hers.
“Not as much anymore. Portland’s becoming more like home all the time.”
“Your family must miss you.”
Beth sighed, but couldn’t fault his curiosity. Maybe a blunt approach would work. “My mother died several years ago. It was just me and her, so, well…”
Braden paused, clearly taken aback by the confession. “I’m sorry.” Though she suspected he wanted to, he didn’t push. Damned if it wasn’t endearing.
“It’s alright.”
They walked in silence for a few minutes, crossing the street and leaving the warm glow cast by the restaurants and shops behind for the muted lighting of the office district.
“We didn’t really get around to talking much about what you’ve done over the last several years, something tells me you weren’t always working in coffee shops.”
“No. That’s a more recent development.”
“So, what were you doing before? I’m dying of curiosity here.” When she paused, Braden pushed. “Alright, I’ll guess.” He furrowed his brow, as though giving it careful consideration, then said, “You were a Las Vegas showgirl.”
“God, no.” Beth choked on a laugh. “Stage fright.”
“You ran a scuba shop in Cozumel.”
“I’m a terrible swimmer.”
“You weren’t a yoga teacher, were you?” Braden gave her a playful leer, “’Cause while I’m down with flexibility, I’m not sure I can deal with chanting and the scent of patchouli.”
“Yoga enthusiasts everywhere are offended by your terrible generalizations. But no.”
“So does that mean you aren’t flexible?”
A pointy elbow to the ribs was the only response she gave.
“Peace Corps?”
“Definitely not that noble. I like my modern amenities.”
“Oh, oh, I know. You could tell me, but then you’d have to kill me, right? Please tell me you know thirty different ways to kill a man with your bare hands…”
Beth snorted at his ridiculousness.
“What? Female spies are sexy.”
“Sorry to disappoint. I don’t know thirty ways to kill a man with my bare hands.”
“Damn. So no skintight catsuit either, huh?”
She laughed, full and delighted. “Where do you come up with this stuff?”
“Hey, a man’s imagination is a dangerous place. Care to rescue me?”
“I was in college.”
“College, huh? Let me guess, underwater basket weaving?”
“Architecture.” Surprise stole across his face. “With a minor in mayhem and destruction.”
“Really?”
“No. I minored in photography.”
“An architect and a photographer.” He inspected her closely, as though seeing an entirely new side of her.
“You sound disappointed. But, then, I guess it isn’t as exciting as a female spy.”
“I’m intrigued. Why aren’t you in some office somewhere, designing suburban America?”
Beth shrugged. What could she say to that? She didn’t want to lie and she didn’t want to leave the question between them. Whether it was pride or the desire to share something with him, she wasn’t quite sure. “I’d planned on continuing school, getting my master’s. I never thought I’d end up taking time off, working odd jobs.” Beth took a moment and collected her thoughts. “Some days it still surprises me, but I didn’t see a lot of things coming and after…” Oh, God, she wasn’t sure she could say it. “After…”
His hand, warm and steady, squeezed her shoulder. “I can’t imagine how hard it must have been when your mom died. That kind of loss would derail anyone’s plans.”
Beth glanced up, surprised at the gentle concern in his expression. Even if his assumptions weren’t exactly accurate, they were close enough. It was easy to reach up and press the hand he had draped around her shoulders. “Thank you.”
Silence fell between them and though she knew he would drop the conversation, Beth found, much to her surprise, that she wasn’t ready. “A lot of people didn’t understand why I just couldn’t go ahead with my plans. But I just…” She blew out a frustrated breath.
“Couldn’t go forward as though your world hadn’t completely shifted?” They rounded the corner and entered the parking lot, Beth’s Jeep the only car left.
“Yeah. It just felt wrong. Like that future wasn’t there anymore.” She shrugged a little. “That must sound ridiculous.”
“Not at all. Losing your mom was a major change in your life, it would take a pretty cold person to move
forward as though it hadn’t happened.”
“I guess. I think I needed a little time to adjust, to figure things out. I’ve been pretty restless since. Moved around, took a few different types of jobs. Just recently I’ve started thinking about staying in one place, maybe going back to school.” She stopped next to her Jeep, pulling her keys out of her purse. “Small steps, I guess.”
“You’ll figure it out.” His fingertips brushed her cheek as he pushed an escaping tendril of hair behind her ear. “No matter the circumstances, I’m glad you’re here.”
She seized a moment of bravery and allowed her hand to curl around the soft silk of his tie and pull him closer, pressing her mouth against his. His lips were warm and pliant against hers, but the way he held himself perfectly still broadcasted his surprise. Beth eased down off her toes and let the cool silk slip through her fingers, ending the kiss on a soft sigh. “Thanks.”
His brow settled into a line of confusion and it took a moment for his gaze to focus on her face again. “What for?”
Beth let a little shrug escape her. “Tonight. Listening.”
“Uh-huh.” His warm hands slid around her, one settling at the hollow of her back and the other sliding up, a warm caress against the thin material of her dress. “I’ve wanted to do this again all night.” His lips, still stretched in a smile, found hers. Beth tilted her head, letting her arms settle around his neck, one hand threading through the thick hair just above his collar. That small action snapped his restraint; warm and gentle slipped quickly into hot and consuming. It was the sort of kiss that simultaneously managed to fire every nerve in her body and completely fade the rest of the world away, leaving her senses to focus exclusively on the long, male body, warm and solid against hers.
Everywhere they touched left a focused impression of heat. She was intensely aware of his hands, they way the left one warmed her skin at the small of her back and the way the right one tangled in the hair at the nape of her neck. She was excruciatingly self-conscious of the way her breasts pressed flush against the smooth planes of his chest, aching with arousal. The cool night air that rushed between them when he finally pulled back was shocking and very unwelcome. But it was enough to make her realize that she was out of breath and could hear the blood rushing in her ears.