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And of all people, it would happen to be the bookworm I had a crush on in high school.
At my request, we’re seated in the corner, the table with the best view of the river. “This is incredible,” she whispers, her head on a swivel as she takes in the luxurious surroundings. No one would ever guess from outside that there’s a fine restaurant up here, with soft lighting and music, candles on the tables, expensive china, gold cutlery. Christmas trees still sit in the corners, twinkling festively.
“They grill the best porterhouse in town if you can believe that.” She’s still looking around in amazement as I peruse the wine list, choosing a cabernet sauvignon before handing the list back to our server.
“I would never guess this was here.”
“They keep it that way. They’re discreet, as they expect their clientele to be.”
“So, is this what rich people do when they go out to have fun?”
The innocence in her question makes me laugh gently. “Yes, to be honest. And the membership fees reflect that.”
“I feel like I’m dreaming.” The nasty little minx I fucked downstairs has faded to the background, while the innocent, shy little nerd has come forward again. But I get it. When all you want in the whole world is to come, you tend to forget your inhibitions. Afterward, it’s a different story.
But unlike virtually every partner I’ve ever had, I don’t want to shake Harper off like a piece of gum on my shoe. Instead of getting tired of her the moment my dick softens, I want more. Not just her body, either. I want her laughter. I want her open, honest wonder. Like the look that came over her when we emerged from the hotel to find a limousine waiting. I want to give her more reasons to look that way.
Once the wine is poured, I raise my glass to her. “Is this how you imagined ringing out the old year?”
Her cheeks flush as she touches her glass to mine. “You know the answer to that.”
“I have to say, I didn’t imagine you would be as quick to fall in line.”
“I guess there’s a lot about me you don’t know.”
“Tell the truth. There’s a lot about you that you don’t know, either.”
She smiles faintly, nodding. “No, but I’m starting to learn.”
My cock is stirring again. It seems like he can’t get enough of her, either. Maybe it’s because I’ve had her, but she’s even more gorgeous than ever—eyes sparkling, the full lips drawing my attention and making me remember how good they feel wrapped around me, better than I ever imagined. I took off her collar so she could enjoy her meal, but it’s in my pocket, ready to be used again. The faint line circling her throat is a reminder of how easy it was to bend her to my will.
“Real talk.” I lean in slightly, lowering my voice and meeting her gaze. “What’s life been like for you since high school? I guess you already have a pretty good idea of how it’s been for me. I started working for my dad’s firm in my senior year of college. Once my father saw how well I did, he retired. What about you?”
She’s a turtle retreating into its shell, her shoulders hunching, her confidence draining. “You were right about me sticking around back home. I was going to go away for college, but then my dad got sick, and Mom needed me to help out. So I ended up going to community college the first two years, then taking online courses for the rest of my undergrad and graduate work. I just graduated this past semester. In the meantime, I worked part-time doing bookkeeping for a couple of the little places around town.”
And there she was, one of the smartest girls in class. “You were going to Columbia, weren’t you?”
Her features pinch in obvious pain. “I don’t want to talk about it. No offense.”
“None taken.” What a fucking disappointment that must have been. All these years, she’s been sticking around a town where Main Street goes dark at dinner time. Aside from the movie theater, there was nothing to do at night but hang out and maybe get drunk in the woods. She’s too old for that now. “Did anybody else stick around town?”
“Not really.” She laughs shakily, then takes another sip of her wine before adding, “Now you see why I was willing to do anything to keep this job. It’s my way out.”
“I’m glad you got the job, though I’m not surprised. You’re a fucking genius.”
“Is that the word you used to describe me back in the day?” Her head tilts to the side, her lips twitching in a smirk. “Because back then, I’m pretty sure you called me a nerd. Dork. The bookworm, the loser…”
“You know that’s not how I really felt, especially when we got to know each other.”
“Really? Because the last thing I remember, you were making a big joke of asking me out on a date.”
The bitter note in her voice is surprising. “Who was joking?”
“You were. Like I just said.”
“I was not joking. I was dead serious. I wanted to take you out.” I wanted to do a lot more than that, if memory serves. “You were the one who turned me down without even thinking about it.”
She sits back, brows drawing together. “Because I figured you were joking.”
