Her eyes flared wide as his deep voice washed over her. She had the strangest feeling that he’d reached across the table to caress her skin with the lightest of touches. The sensation left her aching in certain places and hungry for more of the same.
Once again fate in the form of their waiter intervened. She wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed. “Here are your salads. Would either of you like freshly grated cheese or cracked pepper?”
She said yes to the cheese and no to the pepper; Tino asked for both. While the waiter took care of their requests, she decided she was glad for the distraction he provided. Just as she and her grandfather had discussed, she wasn’t given to impulsive behavior. Even so, she was pretty sure Tino’s picture was now next to the word“temptation”in her own personal dictionary.
And that thought added its own special spice to the meal they were sharing.
—
In the end, they lingered over dinner until it was too late to make the last showing of the film Tino had picked out. He was just as glad. Jack had been right about him hating subtitles, not that he would have admitted that to either his brother or Natalie. If it turned out that she had a thing for foreign films, he’d adjust somehow.
After the huge meal they’d eaten, wandering along the waterfront held more appeal. Walking hand in hand, they strolled along the sidewalk and watched the waves roll in on the beach below. Tino smiled down at Natalie. “You were right about the desserts, by the way. That lemon torte was amazing. I almost couldn’t finish it, but it would have been a crime to let something that good go to waste.”
“Maybe I’ll try it the next time.” Then she laughed. “Who am I kidding? I’ve never been able to resist the chocolate bread pudding.”
Time to step out on a limb. “That looked good, too. Maybe we can order one of each next time and share.”
“We could, but I’m not sure I could bring myself to share the chocolate.” She gave him a considering look. “Well, since it’s you, I might be able to spare a bite or two. Little ones, though.”
Okay, then. At least she wasn’t slamming the door on any future dates. That pleased him far more than it probably should. “Fair enough. Little bites of lemon for little bites of chocolate.”
She looked at him in mock disgust. “But you said you’d split your torte with me. Half your torte for two bites of my chocolate.”
When was the last time he’d laughed so much on a date? Maybe never. “Lady, you drive a hard bargain, but it’s a deal.”
He realized she was shivering a bit from the chill of the night air. She’d put on a lacy sweater when they left the restaurant, but it clearly wasn’t doing the job. He let go of her hand long enough to shrug off his sports coat and draped it over her shoulders.
“Is that better?”
She tugged the collar closer to her neck, clearly glad for the extra warmth it offered. “Yes, but don’t you need it?”
“I’m fine for now. Besides, we should probably head back to the car pretty soon if I’m going to get you home at a reasonable hour.”
Not that he wanted to take her home at all. Well, unless she invited him in, but he suspected that wasn’t going to happen. As disappointing as that might be, he wouldn’t rush either of them into something they weren’t ready for.
They stopped by a low wall to look out toward the water. A thick blanket of fog had rolled in from across the Sound, and the deep rumble of the foghorns on the ferries echoed across the water. He casually put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. “I’ve always loved that sound.”
Natalie leaned her head against the side of his chest. “Me, too. I don’t like driving in the fog, but I was out on the ferry once when it was really thick. It was as if the rest of the world had disappeared. For that moment, nothing existed other than the boat and its passengers. Then all of a sudden, the lights of the ferry dock appeared out of nowhere. I tried to snap a few pictures, but they didn’t do the moment justice.”
“The same thing seems to be happening right now.”
She looked around. “You’re right. We can’t even see the restaurant from here now.”
Which meant he was alone with a beautiful woman, the fog cocooning them from the rest of the world.
“I know we need to be leaving, but there’s one more thing I want to do before we go.”
“What’s that?”
She asked the question, but the fact that she was staring wide-eyed at his mouth meant she already knew the answer and didn’t mind. “I’m going to kiss you. If you don’t want that to happen, you’d better speak up. Otherwise, brace yourself.”
Natalie laughed and immediately put her hands firmly on his waist. “Okay, I’m ready.”
He liked that she went along with the playful, no-pressure tone he’d hoped to set for this first kiss. In fact, he liked everything about her, another reason to keep things light on this first date. It was important not to scare her off by coming on too strong.
Going slow and savoring the moment, he brushed his lips across hers. She smiled and patiently waited for him to get down to business. Instead, he took another slow-motion trip from one corner of her mouth to the other. She moaned and rose higher on her toes, the movement bringing the two of them into closer contact. Her breasts settled against his chest and seriously undermined his self-control. Damn, he’d give anything to get his hands on those plump curves, to learn their weight and shape and, beyond that, their sweet taste on his tongue.
Rather than give in to that urge, he firmly anchored his hands right where her waist flared out to her hips as he deepened the kiss. When he teased her lips with the tip of his tongue, they immediately parted, opening to offer him a warm, wet welcome. She tasted like heaven—a mix of the wine they’d had with dessert, a hint of chocolate, and a whole lot like sweet, sweet woman.
