She nodded, but I couldn’t decipher her expression. “She’s become very attached to you.”
The waiter returned with our food, and it was just as delicious as the cocktails.
“She’s a good kid,” I said, cutting into my salmon.
“Completely spoiled,” Alexis joked between bites. “But yeah, she’s a good kid.”
“I still can’t quite wrap my head around her birthday party. The other day, she told me there was going to be a real-live mermaid in the pool.” I chuckled, trying to imagine it.
Alexis rolled her eyes. “That was Juliana’s idea. She thought we could hire an actress to dress as a mermaid for the afternoon. Apparently, it’s the in thing right now.”
“Still,” I said, taking a bite of my salmon. “I can remember my birthday parties as a kid, and they were pretty low-key affairs. Some basic decorations in the backyard, maybe a bounce house—if I was lucky—and a homemade cake.”
She leaned back against the booth, taking a sip of her drink and meeting my gaze over the rim of the glass. “It might seem over the top, but it’s what’s expected.”
I jerked my head back. “Expected?”
“Yes, Preston—expected.” Her tone was stern, and I could see the passion blazing in her eyes. “I vowed that my children would always have what everyone else did. That they would never be made fun of for their clothes or where they live. And birthday parties are a big deal.”
I frowned, wondering what Alexis’s childhood had been like. She never mentioned her parents, and I realized I’d never met any of Sophia’s grandparents. Even if they lived out of state, it seemed unusual that Sophia never talked about them either.
Now wasn’t the time to ask, especially not when the waiter returned with dessert. Alexis had ordered the mixed berries, which were served in a martini glass with a mint leaf. And while they looked delicious, I saw her eyeing my tiramisu.
I remembered Sophia’s comment about Alexis never eating dessert. And I wondered why she denied herself something she so clearly wanted.
My fork slid through the creamy layers, and I scooted closer so I was sitting next to her. I held up the fork to her lips. She kept her mouth firmly closed even as she stared at the tiramisu with longing.
“Just one bite.” I gave her a devilish grin. “You know you want to.”
She stared at the dessert a moment longer before finally parting her lips. The moment it hit her tongue, she closed her eyes and moaned with pleasure.
I leaned in, pressing my lips to the sensitive spot behind her ear. “Better be careful,” I rasped, drawing in a hit of her delicate perfume. “Or I’ll be eating you for dessert.”
She tipped her head back, which only encouraged me to place kisses down the column of her neck. She smelled of jasmine and sunshine and home. And I wanted to lose myself in her forever.
I slid my nose up her neck, along her cheek so that my lips were grazing the shell of her ear. “Mm,” I hummed. “Maybe just a taste.”
I’d expected her to say no, to protest, but instead, she parted her legs ever so slightly. Maybe it was the dimly lit club or the atmosphere that seemed to encourage hedonism. Or maybe she was finally ready to embrace that we were happening. Whatever it was, Alexis appeared to have shed her inhibitions tonight, and I was all for it.
The club was dark, and no one was paying us any attention. I slid my hand up the smooth skin of her thigh, pausing when I came to a narrow band of fabric.
“Fuck,” I groaned. “A garter belt?”
She bit her lip and nodded. I caressed her skin, moving her panties aside so I could delve beneath them. Though she tried to maintain a calm façade, her hand gripped my thigh, her nails digging in. I swiped my finger over her slickness, then placed it in my mouth, loving the taste of her more than any dessert.
“Delicious.”
Her eyes were hooded as she watched me. “You’re such a tease.”
“You’re one to talk.” I leaned back against the booth, placing my arm on the cushion behind her.
She held a hand to her chest. “Me? A tease?”
“Mm-hmm. Those yoga sessions on the lawn in front of the pool house. You knew what you were doing.”
She laughed.
“Inviting me to work out with you.” I peered down my nose at her.
