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The scent of the burger is so aromatic, my mouth waters.Oh, fuck this. It’s only food.Letting him feed me doesn’t mean I’m submitting to him. I’m only pretending to play along with his agenda. I’m trying to lull him into a false sense of comfort, so he’ll let down his walls and share a little more of himself with me.
And he’s trying to entice you to do the same.Sure, he is, but I’m too smart to fall for his moves, no matter how smooth they are.
I open my mouth, and he feeds me the morsel. I close my lips and wipe the tines clean as he slides the fork back. The whole time, he holds my gaze. His blue-green eyes deepen until they are almost azure. My belly clenches, the pulse between my legs speeds up, and somehow, the simple task of feeding me has turned into a seduction. Damn, but he’s good. Then the flavors overcome my senses. The meat is so tender, it seems to dissolve on my tongue, and the herbs woven through are so fresh, I can feel the wind in the trees and the slither of grass between my toes as I walk barefoot through a field somewhere far away from this city.
I flutter my eyelids open—when did I close them? —and stare at him in amazement.
"I know," he laughs. "James Hamilton is the most talented chef in the country."
I gape at him. "You called James Hamilton and had him shut down his restaurant for us?"
He arches his eyebrows. "Have I finally managed to impress you?"
"You got the most sought-after chef in, perhaps, the world to cook for us, so yeah, I’d say, yes."
"So, food is the way to get through your defenses, eh?"
"I never said that."
"You don’t need to. The very fact that you’re more relaxed after eating speaks for itself."
"Good food, good drink—" I raise my glass. "Despite present company, I admit, I’m not as wound up as I was. Let’s just say I was hangry."
He chuckles. "Go on, you can complement me for my efforts. It’s allowed."
"Fine, it wasn’t a bad effort." I admit.
He smirks. "It’s going to be interesting to up my ante with you."
"You don’t have to up your anything with me, Hunter.”
His grin widens, “I could up a lot of things, but in specific, one thing, when it comes to you, Zara.”
I blink. The flesh between my legs clenches.I did not find that hot. I did not. I did. OMG.That was a cringe-worthy remark from him—not particularly original but damn, it seems to be working on me.How am I going to live this down?I raise my hand, palm facing him. “Don’t try to distract me from what I’m going to say."
“Which is?”
“That we’re different. We have nothing in common. And it’s madness to even think we could sleep together and get away with it. But I got to taste James Hamilton’s food, so it’s not a completely wasted evening."
"Say that again." He studies me with a strange look in his eyes. Like he’s realized something but is trying his best not to acknowledge it.
"Umm, that it’s not a completely wasted evening?"
"No, before that."
"That we have nothing in common?”
"Prior to that."
"Huh?" I try to think back. "Prior to that I said.. That we’re so different, and before that I said... Your name?"
"Say it again," he murmurs.
"This is madness." I place my fork back on my embarrassingly empty plate. "I really should leave."
"Zara," he lowers his voice to a hush, and a frisson of anticipation sizzles up my spine. My nerve endings seem to spark. My pulse rate shoots up. And all because he said my name in that tone… That very dominant tone of his.
I rise to my feet. He narrows his gaze. "Sit down, Zara."
