Page 210 of The Bluffing Game

Pierre walks away, and we all look at the menu. Within a couple of seconds, I can feel Dalton’s hand on my leg again, and I look at him sharply. He grins as he runs a finger toward the edge of my skirt and up my thigh. He slips his fingers down the side, and I cough to cover up the gasp that just escaped from my mouth.

“What are you doing?” I whisper under my breath, hoping that Parker can’t hear me.

“Nothing.” He grins. “Just checking in and making sure you’re okay.”

“I can’t believe you showed up here, saying you thought this was a double date.”

“I’m sorry if I was confused, but I definitely recall us having the conversation, and, well, I didn’t think you’d mind, seeing as we had just said this was a⁠—”

“You really thought I would want you to come and join me on my first date with Parker?” I glare at him. “You and I both know that’s not something that I would have said yes to.”

“Well, I’m here now, so why don’t we enjoy the date?”

He squeezes my thigh and then raises his hand. I can’t help but admit that the feeling of his strong hand against my leg was amazing, but there’s no way I’m going to tell him that or even acknowledge it to myself, especially because Parker might have seen it.

I look down at the menu, but I can’t concentrate. The words are circling on the page. Poulet, crepes, salads, lobster, beef Wellington. I can see them, but I can’t concentrate.

Dalton has me in a tizzy, and I know this date isn’t going to go as planned. There is no way I am going to be able to focus on Parker with Dalton here.

And so, because I am completely out of my element, I move my hand over to his thigh and squeeze. I can feel his sharp intake of breath as he looks at me. He didn’t expect that. He thought that he could do it to me and that I was just an innocent little girl. I smile at him and lick my lips as I slide my hand all the way up his thigh. His eyes are on mine, and he reaches his hand down and clutches mine.

“I think that’s enough.”

“Am I making you uncomfortable?” I smile at him.

I glance to the other side of the table to make sure Parker and Sandra aren’t paying attention to us, that they’re busy staring at the menu.

“I’m not uncomfortable,” he says.

“Well, good.”

I squeeze his thigh again and move my hand slowly across the center of his pants. He growls under his breath as I lightly trace my fingers across his hardness.

“Oops,” I say, giggling, and remove my hand.

“What are you doing?” he mumbles under his breath.

“I’m just playing the game you started, Dalton. Don’t you like to play the games you started?”

“Only if I get to finish them,” he says in a growl.

“Sorry, what was that?” Parker asks, looking up.

“Oh, nothing. I was asking Dalton if he thought he wanted the steak rare or medium well.”

“I think I like it rare,” he growls. “Very rare.”

“Well, that’s a pity because I like mine medium.”

“Oh, I can vouch for the steak,” Parker says obliviously. “It’s really good. I usually do a medium rare and the baked potato, but I’ve been told that the pommes de terre is delicious.”

“I might just get a hamburger and fries,” Sandra says. “I like to keep things simple.”

“You can get whatever you want, Sandra,” Dalton says, and he looks over at me. “As can you.”

“I don’t need your permission, thank you very much, Dalton.”

“Oh, I wasn’t talking about the food.” He grins. “You can get whatever you want in any other way.” He leans forward, and he whispers in my ear, “You can have any part of me to eat, to taste, to do whatever you want with.”