you, baby.”
He must have picked up on her disappointment, because he said, “You’re not upset, are you?”
“Upset? Why?”
“Because...” Now he reached for her leg, trailing his fingers along her exposed thigh.
Zienna glanced at him, wondering if he was going to do something out of character.
“You think I don’t want to touch you?” he asked. “Quite frankly, I’m tempted to forget dinner and do you right here.”
Now Zienna beamed. Nicholas had come to a stop, so she eased her body across the front seat and kissed him. This time he didn’t pull away, and they continued until a horn blared from the car behind them.
Both of them giggled, and Nicholas began to drive again.
“And so you know,” Zienna began, “this is that lipstick that’s guaranteed not to smudge off. During dinner, or kissing...”
“Ah. Well, good to know.”
“I’m happy to forgo dinner...well, at least in a restaurant. Because I definitely want to eat something else.”
Lust was already consuming her, and she wanted nothing more than to get naked with him. Have wild sex tonight, unlike the pleasant sex they’d had the night before.
Nicholas’s groan was low and throaty. “What did I tell you?”
His eyes went downward to his lap. Zienna followed his gaze and saw the evidence of his desire for her straining against his black dress pants.
“Then let’s turn around.”
“You know we have reservations for tonight. And I always hate when people skip out on reservations.”
“I know....”
“Plus I have a surprise for you.”
Now her eyes lit up. “You do?”
He wriggled his eyebrows. “Yep. Besides, I love the idea of wanting you so badly during dinner that I can hardly stand it. It will make it that much better when we finally get home.”
He had a point. And maybe the sex would be even hotter after sitting through dinner for a couple hours.
She could wait.
Nicholas turned on the car stereo, and the sound of smooth R&B began to play. Zienna looked out the window as he continued to drive, wondering what the surprise was.
She liked what he’d said about keeping the sexual tension between them going through dinner. Maybe they could even do something a little risqué, like have sex in the backseat of his car. Something they had never done.
She was falling in love with Nicholas, she knew. But while he satisfied her sexually, she kind of wished he was a bit more...
Well, wild.
Typically, when they got it on, it was at his place and in his bed. He’d never specifically said that he didn’t want to dirty the leather sofas, but Zienna had to assume that was his issue, because even when they got hot while on a sofa, he always made sure to lead them to the bedroom before they got naked.
It wasn’t a big issue, but Zienna would enjoy a bit of variety.
At Café Tagine, Nicholas left his car with the valet, took Zienna’s hand and headed inside. The moment guests entered the door, they felt as if they’d stepped into Morocco. Lively berber music floated from the sound system. The hostess, a gorgeous woman with olive skin and long, dark hair, greeted them with a bright smile. She was dressed in a jeweled black halter and a long, flared gold skirt adorned with a top layer of strips of black beaded material.
“I have a reservation,” Nicholas announced. “For Aubrey.”
“Ah, yes,” the hostess said. “Follow me.”
Zienna loved the architecture and ambience of Café Tagine. There were archways designed to look like the top of a temple. Delicate gauzy swags in bright reds and oranges divided the seating areas.
She was grinning as she peeked past the privacy swags and saw various diners. Earlier, she had hoped to simply forgo dinner and do Nicholas, but now she was happy that they were here. She really loved the romance and elegance of this place.
The hostess stopped, then gestured for them to enter the draped-off area that housed their table. Zienna stepped in first—and then stumbled in her four-inch heels, toppling sideways.
“Whoa,” Nicholas said, instantly reaching for her before she hit the floor. He pulled her upright against his hard body. “I gotcha.”
Zienna’s heart began to pound erratically. This couldn’t be happening.
Wendell was sitting at their table!
“Are you okay?” the hostess asked.
“Fine.” Zienna brushed a strand of hair from her face.
“You know I love heels on you,” Nicholas began, “but dang, they’re dangerous.”
The hostess put the menus on the table. “Ghita, your server, will be with you shortly.”
When the woman had walked away, Zienna faced Nicholas. “Wendell...” Her heart was racing in her chest. “He—he’s eating with us?” she murmured quietly.
“Yeah.” But there was a question in Nicholas’s voice. He continued on to Wendell, who stood to greet them. Nicholas shook his friend’s hand, then asked, “Where’s your date?”
“She couldn’t make it. Sorry.”
“Date?” Zienna’s throat went dry.
“Hello, Zienna.”
She didn’t respond to him, but instead turned to Nicholas. “You didn’t mention we were having dinner with anyone.”
“That was the surprise. Wendell was supposed to be joining us for dinner with his girlfriend.”
Zienna was aware that her breathing was coming in painful gasps, and wondered why the idea of him joining them at the restaurant should even bother her.
“Not really a girlfriend,” Wendell explained. “A friend with potential. But she couldn’t make it, and I didn’t want you to have to cancel. I figured the three of us could have a nice dinner instead.”
“Of course, man,” Nicholas said.
“Especially since Zienna had to leave early last night,” Wendell went on. “Feeling any better?”
Her eyes went to his. She couldn’t be certain, but she thought she saw a hint of self-satisfaction. Clearly, he knew that she’d made up an excuse to flee yesterday.
“Yes,” she told him stiffly. “Much better, thank you.”
Nicholas pulled out a chair for her, and Zienna sat, a feeling of dread spreading through her. It was one thing to try to put all thoughts and memories of Wendell behind her, but how could she do that if she had to see him at every turn?
“You were right, Nick,” Wendell said. “This place is awesome.”
“It opened up after you left town. Last-minute reservations can be hard to come by, but I know the manager, and he always leaves at least one table open in case special guests come by. Usually celebrities, city officials, that sort of thing. So he gave me the table. And in time for the eight o’clock belly dancing show.”
“Lucky us,” Wendell commented.
Lucky? Right about now, Zienna would have considered being thrown into a dungeon a luckier stroke of fate.
Nicholas sat beside her, with Wendell sitting across the table from them. No matter where she sat, she wouldn’t be far enough away from the man she had vowed to forget.
She