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She grabbed her bag and hurried to catch up. The smell of teakwood hit her again, and she remembered the night in her apartment. How tightly he held her, his firm, warm body pressed against hers.
“After you,” he said, motioning her out of the door.
She walked out in front of him, and they made their way to the parking lot. She looked around, wondering which car was his. She saw a white Mercedes’s lights blink at the far end.
“Nice ride,” she commented, looking at him. He smirked back.
“One of them,” he responded. She rolled her eyes and smiled. Something about his cockiness was so attractive.
He opened the door for her, and she slipped inside. The car was pristine and smelled like it just came off the production line. A sinking feeling entered her chest as he walked to his side of the car. What if she had just put herself in a grave amount of danger by being alone with him?
He slid into the driver’s seat and started the car. He looked at her as they pulled out of the lot.
“When was the last time you ate?” he asked, his green eyes glimmering as they drove under the streetlights. She watched the rays cross his face and highlight his features. He was noble, pragmatic, and glorious.
“Liz?” he asked, looking at her again.
“Yeah, um ...” she said, stammering. “Around noon,”
“Noon?” he asked in surprise. “You must be starving,”
“Like I said, I could go for an omelet,” she responded. He smiled and pushed on the gas.
The diner looked like a ghost town, save for two older men drinking coffee at the bar.
“How many?” an older woman asked. Liz couldn’t help but notice her bright blue eyeshadow and striking red lipstick.
“Two,” Ben said firmly. The waitress smiled at Ben, but she looked at Liz with distaste.Seems like everyone wants his undivided attention,Liz thought, following the waitress to their table.
They sat by a window, and Liz looked around. The diner had a typical retro style, but it was more worn down than most. She knew Ben had wanted to go to Whelan’s, but this down-home feel was more comfortable. It felt like she was finally on her turf.
The waitress interrupted her train of thought. “Here you are,” she said with a smile, handing Ben's menu sweetly. She placed Liz’s down in front of her without a word before turning around and walking off.
“Someone really likes you,” Liz said, irritated.
“Jealous?” Ben joked, not looking up from his menu.
“You wish,” Liz said, scanning over the specials.
How could she focus on a menu? Her heart was pounding out of her chest. She was at a diner with the sexiest man she had ever seen. She was uncovering mob secrets. Choosing a side of ham or bacon was the last of her concerns.
The waitress brought water to the table. “Anything else for you?” she asked Ben. Ben looked at Liz.
“I think the lady might want something. You should ask her,” he said with a grin. The woman looked at him in shock, then distastefully looked at Liz. With a fake smile, she continued. “Anything for you, dear?”
“No, thank you, I’m fine with water.”
“I’ll take a coffee. Black,” Ben said without looking up at the waitress. She smacked her gum and walked off.
“Nice,” Liz said, looking at Ben over her menu.
“I have high expectations for customer service,” he said, glancing at her. Looking back down at his menu, he cleared his throat.
“See anything you want?”
Liz looked over the menu once more before setting it down and clasping her hands on the table. “The ham and cheese omelet looks divine.”
He smiled. “Very classy.”
