***
By the time she stepped out of the shower a little later, Callie wondered if her entire trip was jinxed or something. First, her father hadn’t been able to fly up from Florida. Then the motel had mixed up her reservation and her room hadn’t been ready. Finally, to top it all off, there had been no hot water for her shower. If things kept going the way they were, she might just pack up tomorrow morning and go home and forget about the meeting with her father.
Right now, though, she needed to concentrate on getting through dinner with Dylan Talbot. Whenever they were together, she felt off balance, drawn to him in a way she hadn’t felt before. Callie couldn’t fully explain it. Granted, he was worthy of god status. Any woman with eyes would agree. Still, she’d been around handsome men before and not been affected by them in the same way. It unsettled her, and she wasn’t sure how to handle it.
“Just remember who he is and who you are. Men like him don’t get involved with elementary school teachers. Even if they are excellent teachers who have the Massachusetts State’s Teacher of the Year award to prove it.” Callie told herself as she looked through the outfits she packed. She didn’t have many options. She didn’t want to wear Lauren’s violet skirt again, and it seemed like a good idea to save her other skirt for her meeting with Warren. Depending on where they were going for dinner, shorts might be too casual, so that left only the red sundress.
Nervously, Callie cut the tags off the dress and slipped it on. The bodice of the dress was formfitting with a low-cut back and full skirt that ended just above the knee. Callie chewed on her bottom lip and examined her appearance in the full-length mirror. While the dress would definitely look better on her friend Lauren, she had to admit it flattered her figure and coloring. She only wished the top wasn’t designed to fit so snugly.
That evening, Dylan took her to The Spiced Pear, an upscale restaurant located at the beginning of Newport’s famous Cliff Walk. Although butterflies danced in her stomach, she found Dylan surprisingly easy to talk to. So easy in fact, before she knew it, their waitress had finished clearing away their dinner plates.
With a heavily laden dessert tray in one hand, the pretty, well-endowed, bleached blonde waitress returned to their table. “Would either of you be interested in dessert?” As the woman spoke, her eyes never left Dylan’s face, and Callie got the distinct impression that the dessert she was offering Dylan wasn’t on her tray.
The young woman had been flirting with him since they’d been seated, but so far he hadn’t reciprocated. Callie didn’t know if that was because he truly wasn’t interested in the blonde or because she was there and he wanted to be polite. Either way, she appreciated it. How embarrassing it would be to have him flirting back with her sitting right there.
Though she couldn’t fault the woman, Callie wanted to throttle her every time she smiled seductively in Dylan’s direction. It wasn’t that she was jealous or anything. She had no reason to be jealous. This wasn’t even a date. Although the waitress had no way of knowing that. Did the waitress think she was too unattractive to be on a date with someone like Dylan Talbot? It doesn’t matter what she thinks.
Instead, it was a matter of proper behavior. Having worked as a waitress in college, she knew what most restaurants considered proper conduct. Many restaurant managers considered flirting with customers a no-no. Although many women still did it often in the hopes of getting a better tip.
“I’m all set tonight. What about you, Callie?” His voice pulled her thoughts away from how a waitress should act and back to reality.
While the white chocolate mousse on the tray looked delicious, she didn’t think she could spend any more time watching the waitress flirt with Dylan. After all, a woman could only take so much. Callie shook her head and smiled. “Couldn’t eat another bite tonight.”
With obvious disappointment that her prey for the evening intended to leave, the pretty blonde accepted Dylan’s credit card and left.
“Let me pay half.” Callie wasn’t comfortable with him covering the whole meal. After all, it wasn’t a date. Not even close.
Dylan pushed away the money she offered him. “Don’t even think about it.”
“But—”
“But nothing. You’re a guest down here this weekend.”
Callie wasn’t deterred by his argument. “Still, it’s not...” she almost said ‘a date’ when their waitress returned with Dylan’s card. Quickly, he signed the receipt and came to his feet, ready to leave.
“Don’t argue with me. You won’t win.”
A little annoyed, she let the matter go and stood when he pulled her chair back. She really wasn’t comfortable with him paying for her. His clenched jaw, however, told her any further argument would be useless.
With his hand on the small of her back, Dylan guided her through the crowded restaurant. The heat emanating from his large hand seeped through the light sundress she wore, nearly scorching her skin.
She wanted to quicken her pace and dislodge his hand. At the same time, she wanted to lean into it. Lean into him. The powerful sensations his innocent touch sent through her body were exquisite. Callie hadn’t felt this physically drawn to a man in a long time.
That fact scared her.
No, correction, it outright terrified her.
She couldn’t be attracted to this man. Only heartache could come from such an attraction to a man like him.
I’m not attracted to him. He’s only affecting me this way because my emotions are already on overload and because I’ve been single for so long.
She’d let her social life become nonexistent when her mom was ill. Since her mom’s death, she hadn’t felt up to dating. When she got home, she’d make an effort to date more, Callie promised herself as he opened the car door for her. A new gym teacher had started in the district the month before and he was cute. The few times she’d spoken with him, he’d been friendly. Maybe he’d like to go for a coffee or something one afternoon. She’d also look into the dating site Lauren kept telling her about.
Yes, as soon as she got home, she’d take control of her social life again.
Once they were both settled, the Aston Martin’s powerful engine roared to life, but remained idling in the parking lot. Dylan turned his body so he faced her. “How does a drive by the water sound? There’s a great cafe near First Beach where we could stop for coffee.”
Lord, it’s warm in here.
She wasn’t sure if it was the confines of the small sports car or not, but suddenly Dylan seemed bigger, more masculine than before. If that was even possible.
“Or if you like jazz, there’s a great Jazz Club on Thames Street.”
Uncomfortable under his direct gaze, Callie shifted in her seat. The sound of her sundress moving against the leather seat seemed unusually loud in the silent car.
For the life of her, she couldn’t understand why he wanted to prolong their time together. Although she hadn’t thought it necessary, she understood why he’d taken her to dinner. He felt obligated because of his association with her father. With dinner over, he’d completed his duty as a host. There was no reason for them to spend any more time together.
Have I grown a second head? Dylan couldn’t read the expression on Callie’s face. Since proposing ways to continue their outing—he refused to think of this as a date—she’d sat staring at him with the most unusual look on her face. He didn’t know what to call the expression exactly. To some extent, it bordered on confusion, but at the same time there were elements of excitement and fear.
The splash of fear confused him the most. Fear was an emotion women never exhibited around him. At least not the women he usually took out. Perhaps a few business executives feared him. He could be ruthless in a boardroom when the need arose. Women, though, tended to look at him with expectation. The expectation of an expensive gift. Or the expectation of a great night of sex.
“If there’s something else you’d like to do, just say the word.” He couldn’t sta
nd the silence or her unreadable expression any longer.
If she doesn’t like my ideas, let her come up with some.
Even as the thought passed through his mind, Dylan knew there was more to her silence than the fact that she didn’t like his suggestions. In the deep recesses of his mind, he knew her silence had something to do with him personally. In the same tiny corner of his brain, he also knew his efforts to spend time with her had nothing to do with playing host until his stepfather arrived. His efforts also had nothing to do with determining if she had a hidden agenda where Warren was concerned.
Callie moistened her lips, and Dylan couldn’t help but follow the tip of her tongue with his eyes. He’d seen women of all ages do exactly the same thing. Yet it’d never aroused him before. When she did it though, he found himself wanting to run his own tongue along her lips. Taste her. See if any hints of the Merlot she had with dinner lingered.
“Thank you for dinner, Mr. Talbot. It was very nice, but you can just take me back to my motel now.”
Though she hadn’t said it, he knew Callie was telling him she didn’t expect or need him to entertain her.
You must be losing your touch, old man.
Dylan couldn’t recall ever meeting a woman more reluctant to spend time with him. Then again, it was probably better if she kept her distance. After all, he wasn’t looking for a relationship. He was merely playing host in Warren’s absence. A pang of guilt jabbed him swift and hard at the thought of Warren, quickly dousing the desire he’d felt seconds earlier. This was his stepfather’s daughter. Under no circumstances should he be feeling anything toward her.
“If that’s what you want.” He shifted the car into first gear and eased it out of its parking spot. He wasn’t going to try to change her mind on this one. He doubted he could anyway. Just look how much effort it took to get her down to Newport in the first place. No, he’d drive her back to her motel and not waste any more thoughts on her.