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“Possibly.”
“Hello, I’m Monica, your server for the evening. Can I get you started with anything to drink?”
Zane nodded in my direction, instructing her to take my order first. I didn’t need a menu to know what drink I craved, sliding down my throat with a slight bitterness that was chased with a sweetness that made your lips lickable.Joseph’s, the restaurant I’d chosen, was famous for the zesty beverage.
“A lemon drop, please.”
“And you, sir?” Monica asked Zane.
“Martell. Neat.”
His choice in Brandy was flattering. Brandy of any choice would have you questioning your logic and speaking your truths, but Martell was a bit special. The brother of Hennessy, it was sure to knock you on your behind if you weren’t careful.
“Will we be having appetizers?”
“Lumped crab cakes, four. By the time you return, we’ll be ready to place our orders.”
I admired Zane’s aura. There were qualities of his that immediately attracted me, soothing my femininity and softening my soul. By nature, he was a leader. That much was obvious.
But his leadership wasn’t accompanied by haughtiness or arrogance. It was quiet, like the eye of a storm, yet dominant like a lion’s roar. It reserved your attention in pure, baffling silence. It demanded your submission in the slickest, mildest manner.
“What is it?” he asked, placing his back against the chair behind him.
“Nothing.” Blushing, I shook my head free of the thoughts circling.
“Champagne. I love that color on you.”
The slip dress I’d decided on was beautiful, simple, and elegant. It felt so good against my skin, creating a legion of small, fine bumps against my skin almost every time I moved. The fabric was breathable and cool to the touch.
“Thank you.”
Two thick pieces hung in my face while the rest of my hair was pulled behind my ears, flowing down my back. Body shimmer made my arms, neck, and chest glisten. I studied the menu, trying to keep my eyes from Zane’s handsome face, though he didn’t seem to mind the ogling.
“Admittedly, I’m enjoying the view. It’s been hell getting you in a chair across the table, but well worth the wait.”
“Here we are,” Monica said, setting our drinks in front of us. “Your appetizer is ready. Before I run back, do we know what we’re having for entrées?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah.”
Zane hadn’t picked up the menu, but he knew exactly what he wanted, it seemed. After I called off my selections, he did the same. Monica disappeared again, but not for long. Within minutes, she was back with the crab cakes in hand. Soon after her departure, our forks clung to the glass dish in pursuit of decent proportions of the massive cakes that lined it.
“Ummm,” I moaned as the texture and taste both paraded in my mouth.
There was the perfect amount of everything balled inside a thin, crunchy crust. I chastised myself inwardly for never trying the dish, though I’d been to the restaurant a handful of times.
“I assume we should start with the basics.” Zane chuckled, finishing off the first bite as well.
“Basics.” I laughed, “Haven’t we covered those over the last few weeks?”
“Nah. There’s one thing in particular that has me lost.”
“Yeah? What’s that?” I took another bite of the crab cake I was working on.
“What nigga was dumb enough to let you get away?” he asked with furrowed brows of confusion.
He hasn’t. The words were at the tip of my tongue, but I decided against them. The truth was, Milo hadn’t let me get away, not in his mind. However, I was committed to living my life freely from this point beyond. The chances he’d been given, he’d blown, directly and indirectly. Joining in on the fun didn’t feel like such a bad idea.
