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“By the end of this trip, I hope you do.”
14
WORTH
When the driver dropped us off at the restaurant, I offered Laurie my arm. When he laid his fingers on my sleeve, a rush of heat ran over me. How could such a simple thing feel so erotic? I placed my hand over his, brushing my thumb against the tender skin between his thumb and index finger, smiling when he sucked in a breath.
“You’re going to love this place.”
“I’m sure I will.”
“You can make your own choices, or I can order for us, whatever makes you happy. I’ve been here plenty of times, tonight is all about you.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I want to.”
“You don’t have to seduce me. I mean, honestly, if you….”
“Laurie, this isn’t about you owing me anything. There is no obligation for anything I do for you. I want you to be happy, that’s all. If we eventually decide it’s impossible to keep our hands off each other, if we decide that Beck’s wrong and this is a fantastic idea for us to be together, that has nothing to do with what I’m doing for you here. I’m doing this because I can and because I want you to experience everything the island has to offer.”
His smile made me absolutely certain that this man was mine. I was going to follow Miles’s advice and not let him go.
A man in formal attire waited patiently to open the door for us as I let Laurie walk at his own pace. I wanted him to take in everything and feel the full weight of what I had said about the night. When he glanced up at me, I smiled. “Are you ready for dinner now?”
“Yes.”
I wondered if in his mind he was answering a simple question about dinner or if there was more to it because his yes sounded very much like he was opening himself to something he’d never dreamed was possible. I hoped that was true.
We were shown to the best table in the house, where I’d eaten many times before. It was on the upper floor in its own alcove looking out over the ocean. The view was stunning, and Laurie spent a few moments staring out the windows before remembering he was being seated.
“Sorry,” he said when he realized I was standing there with his chair pulled out for him.
I shook my head. “I’ll wait as long as you want me to.”
His eyes widened at those words, but I didn’t correct any impression he might’ve gotten because I meant the words in every way possible.
Once we were both seated, I ordered cocktails for us to enjoy while Laurie took in the view.
When our waiter returned with the drinks, I looked Laurie. “Would you like an appetizer?”
“Yes, please.”
“Tell me what you want.”
I saw his eyes widen as I hoped they would when I echoed the words I’d spoken in bed. Several moments passed before he looked down at the menu. I didn’t mind that he was reluctant to take his eyes off me. I could wait all night for him to make his decision.
“I’d like the crab cakes.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll put those in right away.”
Laurie looked concerned as our server hurried off toward the kitchen. “If you wanted something else?—”
I held up my hand. “This is about you, remember? This whole evening is about what you want.”
The crab cakes came out quickly. The service here was always impeccable, and I had the advantage of being a respected customer. The staff also knew how to give diners time with each course. I knew that no one would bother us until I signaled to our server.
I smiled at Laurie. “We can go as slowly as you want tonight.” Was every single word out of my mouth going to be an innuendo?
