Page 2 of Crow
The waiter nodded and rushed away.
As Angie ran a finger over the stem of her wineglass, the urge to look over again at the gorgeous guy was strong, but she fought against it.
“Do you like the restaurant?” Eddie asked.
“Yes, I do.”
“Flanigan’s is the best steakhouse in Alina.”
“I know. It was a good choice.”Amazing how his opinion of the place has suddenly changed.
At first, Angie hadn’t wanted to come to such an expensive restaurant with a blind date, but Eddie had insisted, so she relented. A part of her was excited to see what all the buzz was about, and she was dying to try the filet mignon with black truffle butter. Subdued lighting, shimmering candles on the tables, red leather chairs, and rich cherry wood paneling added to the elegant and warm ambiance. Dining at the steakhouse was a treat since her government salary didn’t stretch far enough to enjoy eating out in high-end restaurants, especially after paying all her living expenses.
After munching down the rest of his dinner, Eddie pushed away his empty plate, held her gaze for a long pause, then lifted his armpits. “They say that if you like someone’s natural scent, then you’re compatible.”
Is he for real?
“I bet you smell sweet.” He lifted his arms above his head. “What do you think I smell like?”
“Is this a joke?”
A frown skipped across his face as he slowly lowered his arms. “No. Why would you ask that?”
“Because your question is a bit weird.”
“It’s not, really. There are a lot of animals who use smells to sniff out a good mate. I saw that on some TV program. They use”—he snapped his fingers a couple of times while tilting his head—“pheromones … Yeah, that’s it. Anyway, we have those too.” He smiled widely. “So you see, my question isn’t so ‘weird.’ As a matter of fact, we release numerous scents.”
This date is the worst one yet, Aunt Rosa.Angie shifted in her seat and smiled sweetly. “When you watched that program, did you also learn that animals use scents to fend off predators, you know—other animals who bother them. Think of the skunk.” She picked up her glass of wine and took a sip.
Eddie’s brows slightly creased as he leaned back in the chair. “Are you saying that I’m like a …” his voice trailed away, then a loud laugh escaped through his lips. “You’re teasing me.” He snapped his fingers again, and Angie wanted to impale them with her fork. “No … you’re flirting with me.” Another laugh burst from him.
A headache began to build at her temples. Sighing, she rubbed the back of her neck. “I’m not flirting with you,” she muttered.
“Yes, you are. I know these things.”
Looking down at her empty plate, Angie used both index fingers to massage the bridge of her nose. “I’m sure you do, but you’re wrong on this one. I was adding to the conversation, that’s all.”
“Yeah, sure you were.” Plopping his elbows on the table, he cradled his chin in his hands and leaned toward her. “You’re beautiful, but you already know that. I never met a nice-looking woman who didn’t know it. And I don’t give out compliments too freely. It can go straight to a woman’s head; then she starts wanting to be the one in charge, you know?”
“Tiramisù?” a young woman asked.
Pointing at a spot in the middle of the table, he said, “Put it here. You brought two forks, right?”
“Yes, sir.” She set down the dessert between them and placed a fork and fresh napkin next to Angie. “Anything else?”
“Do you want another glass of wine, sweetheart?”
“No, thank you.”I just want to get the hell out of here.
Eddie waved the server away and pushed the dish closer to Angie, then dipped his fork into the Italian dessert and held it toward her mouth. “Have a bite.”
She shook her head. “I can’t … really. I said I’m full.”
“One little bite isn’t going to kill you,” he coaxed.
He kept it up until Angie grabbed the fork from him and put it into her mouth. The rich chocolate and coffee flavors were delicious.
“It’s excellent, but one bite is my limit.” She picked up the clean fork and placed it next to the plate.
