Would she be more careful around him? Suddenly see him as a fish she could lure in?
Or watch what she said because she thought he would be critical only because he had more.
She might become insecure . . . or defensive.
Whatever her reaction, he would bet his trust fund it would change how they were with each other. I’m not ready to lose this yet.
I want more of her.
More of being just the man who wants her. No explanations. No pressure. Just us and how we make each other feel.
He scooped up the condoms, pocketed them, then began to gather their trash from the table. “Ready to get out of here?”
She let out a shaky breath, but nodded. “Where do you want to go?”
He considered taking her straight back to the hotel, but this was a date. Yes, a cheap one, but he wanted to do it right. “There’s a bar down the street that is supposed to be good. I heard they have darts. I’ve always wanted to try it. Want to give it a go, or are you already a pro?”
She visibly relaxed. “I am awful at darts, but I enjoy it. Let’s do it.”
He returned after depositing their plates and glasses in the trash and held out his arm for her to take. “Cannoli for the walk?”
“I thought you’d forgotten about dessert,” she joked as she looped her arm through his.
“How could I when you’re buying?” he parried back then brushed his lips gently over hers and started walking with her toward Carol Ann’s. She smiled between their kisses, and he was glad he hadn’t said anything.
Just a little more time like this. Then I’ll tell her.
A few minutes later, after sharing one decadently delicious cannoli and making their way to the nearby bar, they took a seat at a high top table and waited for their turn on the dart board.
“You didn’t win, you know,” she said as she looked over the drink menu. “I still have some left in my purse.”
A waitress came over and took their drink order before he had a chance to answer, but once they were alone again, he said, “I suppose it depends on my definition of winning. I’ll gladly concede to you if it means I get to give you what you want.”
Her eyes darkened with a look he already knew well. When her lips parted it was frighteningly easy to forget what they were talking about. Part of him was kicking himself for taking her to a bar before the hotel. Another part, though, wanted to be right where he was, taking the time to enjoy getting to know her before he enjoyed her body again.
“Have you ever been incarcerated?” she asked.
I didn’t see that question coming. “No, you?” He held his breath, hoping she didn’t reveal something that would change how he saw her.
She laughed. “Of course not.”
He accepted the domestic beer the waitress delivered and took a sip as he mulled why she thought he might have been. To his surprise the brew was refreshing, earthy, just like her. He took another sip before asking, “Then why do you think I may have been?”
She sipped at her own beer and took a moment before she answered. “You’re too perfect. There has to be something wrong with you.”
“I’ve been thinking the same about you.”
The shy smile she gave him was adorable. “You don’t have to say that. I’m a walking disaster most of the time.”
“Are you? That’s not how I see you.”
She cupped her glass with both hands and spun it slowly before raising her eyes to his. “How do you see me?”
There was uncertainty mixed with hope in her eyes, and it called to his protective nature. He hated every man who had said or done something to make her doubt herself the way she did. “I see a strong woman who has decided to live her life on her terms and to not settle for the hand life dealt her.” He reached across the table and laced his fingers with hers. “A woman I didn’t expect to enjoy as much as I do. You are not only sexy as all hell, but you’re also fun to be with.” There was an awkward pause after his declaration, as if he’d said too much too soon.
A young man placed darts on their table and said, “We’re done so it’s all yours.”
“Thank you,” Grant said. He offered a hand to Viviana. “I’ll let you go first to show me how it’s done.”
“Okay,” she said as she picked up one of the sets of darts. “But I’m not very good.”
“I’m sure you’re fine.”
The first dart missed the board entirely and stuck in the dark paneled wood beside it. Her second landed on the floor below, falling far short of the mark. She cracked her fingers, rolled her shoulders and squinted at the board. While holding one dart shoulder height she glanced back at Grant. “Do you mind if I take a step closer?”
For the safety of the other patrons he did not. “No, go ahead.”
“The dot in the middle is a bullseye. That’s what I’m aiming for.” She did a couple of test moves with her arm. Just as she was about to let it fly the waitress asked if they were all set and she turned to answer her, a miscalculation that sent the dart soaring about six feet to the left of the board. It landed near the foot of a very large and very drunk looking man.
With a roar the man rose to his feet and stomped over. “You’re fucking lucky it missed me,” he yelled at Viviana.
Grant stepped in front of Viviana, which brought him toe to toe with a man who towered over both of them like some Neanderthal throwback. “It was an accident.”
“They’ll call what I do to your face an accident if you don’t back the fuck up.”
Grant took a step back only because there was no reasoning with drunk and angry. “You’re overreacting because you’re intoxicated. Nothing actually happened.”
“I don’t like the way you’re looking at me,” the bear of a man growled.
“Why don’t you go back and sit down?” Grant suggested.
“Why don’t you shut the—?” The man swung a fist at Grant that was pathetically easy to dodge.
“I don’t want to fight you,” Grant said. He felt a little sorry for the man and whatever had brought him to this place in his life.
The man took another swing that Grant again easily dodged.
>
“Stop now before you get hurt,” Grant said firmly.
Rather than helping the other man gain control of himself, Grant’s warning seemed to push the man over the edge. He charged at Grant, but he did so in such a sloppy manner that a simple leg sweep sent the drunk man crashing to the floor.
“I’m going to kill you,” the man said as he pushed himself off the floor and back onto his feet.
Grant looked around with mild irritation. “Don’t bars like this have bouncers?”
The drunk charged again, and Grant raised his fist and stopped him in his tracks with a controlled punch to the face. The man sank to his knees with a bloody nose. Grant used one of the napkins from their table to wipe a spot of blood from his knuckles. He turned to check on Viviana, hoping the scene hadn’t upset her. Outside of the fact that her eyes were huge and round, she seemed fine. As the man on the floor swore loudly and struggled to his knees, Grant said, “I’m sorry. I thought this place would be safer. Let’s go.”
Viviana nodded, still not saying anything.
Grant tossed several bills down on the table and on impulse picked up his set of darts. He half turned toward the dart board and let the first fly. It hit dead center. The second did as well.
He had the third poised and ready to throw when the drunk took a step in their direction again. He aligned his sight and it whizzed by the man’s head so closely it scared him.
Grant said, “I’m sorry. I’m still learning the game.”
The other man ran his hand over the side of his face as if expecting to find a cut. “You’re both fucking crazy,” the man said before turning away from them and stumbling back to his friends.
“Ready to go?” Grant asked, holding his arm out for Viviana to take.
Viviana blinked a few times then linked her arm with his. “I can’t decide if I’m scared now or totally turned on.”
He let out a hearty laugh as they made their way out of the bar. “I’m the one who should be scared. Please tell me you don’t own a gun.”
She wrinkled her nose at him, then swatted his chest. “I am slightly nearsighted.”
“Really, I never would have guessed.”
