Consumed by a Stranger (Craved Series #4) Page 4

  "Fuck Sandra."

  "And her little dog, too. I couldn't agree more. Still, I better go."

  "Alright. I'll let you know how tonight goes."

  "Yeah you will."

  I hung up and looked at the flowers again where they were leaning against the cabinets in my popcorn bowl. The last time a guy got me flowers they were the kind you slip on your wrist before a high school dance.

  And these were even more special because I was pretty sure Jack's Mom didn't pick them out for him. Speaking of his Mom, he hadn't told me much about her except for the fact that she would definitely take the credit for his good looks.

  I assumed his parents were divorced since he only mentioned that his Dad lived in Thailand, but I wondered if she knew he was stateside again.

  And whether she knew it was all because of me.

  I walked around the corner to my room, careful not to let the blanket I was still wearing drag on the ground.

  Even though I really didn't want to spend the rest of the day obsessing about what I was going to wear tonight, the fact that I was currently working at home meant there was nothing to keep me from doing that.

  Still, I promised myself I would try to decide quickly because I did have some job posts to follow up on and a book cover I had to deliver before the end of the week.

  But forty five minutes later, my bed was piled high with half the contents of my closet and I still had no idea what I was going to wear. Everything either looked too conservative or like I was trying too hard.

  As I hung up another item in the definitely not right for tonight category, my phone rang on the bed. It was my Mom. I wasn't really in the mood to talk to her, nor did I have the time.

  However, it was fun to imagine for a moment what it would feel like to tell her I was going out to dinner with a rich, handsome doctor. She would probably die of happiness, but there was no reason to get her hopes up.

  Or mine.

  Not that I had any longer term plans for Jack and me. I knew it was too early for that. All I wanted at this point was to avoid shattering whatever flattering perception of me he'd built up in his mind.

  I would hate for him to come all the way out here and be disappointed by who I was when I wasn't smiling into the Thai sunshine with a belly full of spicy shrimp.

  At the same time, I needed to remember that I wasn't the only one on trial here. After all, just because he was wealthy and gorgeous and funny and smart didn't mean I had to make it easy for him…

  Even if he was totally out of my league.

  Nevertheless, I didn't want to act that way. I wanted to carry myself like I deserved a man like him. That way, neither of us would be encouraged to question what the hell we were doing with each other.

  As I turned to hang up another rejected outfit, I caught a glimpse of my body in the mirror. It was the same body I always begrudgingly made eye contact with, but it was different somehow.

  I knew I should put the idea out of my head, but I had this crazy feeling that being with Jack had made it glow or something, like it was a little less flawed than it once was.

  Or maybe I was just carrying myself differently.

  It’s not like I was a different shape or anything. Yet suddenly the parts of me that caused me the most stress- the softness of my stomach and the width of my hips for example- looked less offensive.

  Like they were assets instead of problem areas.

  In other words, Jack's visit had clearly gone to my head.

  And since I couldn't think straight anyway, I got dressed, grabbed my purse, and went shopping for some new underwear.

  Chapter 8: Jack

  Thank god she was waiting downstairs in her lobby when I arrived.

  If she had opened her door looking as good as she did, I would’ve had no choice but to cancel our reservations and have her for dinner instead.

  She was in figure hugging black pants and a black knit top that fell off one shoulder. Best of all, she was wearing the necklace I got her with the little white shell on it.

  "You look stunning," I said, leaning in to press my cheek to hers.

  "Thanks."

  "Though I prefer you in the blanket you were wearing earlier."

  She smiled and I felt a momentary swell in my pants.

  "To be honest, so do I,” she said. “But I didn't know where we were going and I didn't want to be underdressed."

  "There's always later."

  "So am I appropriately dressed for now?"

  "You are," I said. "And you’re right. The blanket would have been a little too casual for where we're going."

  "Which is?"

  "A surprise."

  She shook her head. "Of course it is. I should've known. You're all about the element of surprise."

  "It got me this date, didn't it?"

  She shrugged, her eyes forming little crescents. "I suppose it did."

  "C’mon then," I said, taking her arm. "I don't know about you, but I'm starved."

  "Is your body clock still a bit wonky?"

  "Big time."

  "Were you at least able to take a nap?"

  "It wasn't my best, but I drifted off eventually."

  "I imagine the beds are pretty comfy at The Drake?"

  "A bit cold without you, but otherwise no complaints."

  She shook her head and stepped ahead of me into her lobby’s revolving door.

  "Ugh," she groaned when she saw my bike beside the curb. "I forgot about the helmet," she said, smoothing her hair down."

  "It'll be fine," I said, handing her the one hanging on the closer handlebar. "We don't have far to go."

  "Where did you even get a second one?"

  "I bought it."

  "You bought it?" she asked. "When?"

  "Earlier today after you accepted my invitation to dinner."

  "You didn't have to do that," she said. "We could've taken a cab or something."

  "You're acting like no one's ever bought you a helmet before."

  "No one ever has."

  "Maybe you've never met someone who's so keen to take you for a ride," I said, letting my blatant innuendo hang in the air.

  One corner of her mouth curled up as she inspected the shiny black helmet inside and out. "It's nice."

  "It's the best helmet money can buy for the only thing money can't buy."

  "Which is?"

  "You, of course."

  She squinted at me. "Are you saying you would buy me if you could?"

  I pulled my helmet off the opposite handle and unclipped it. "I'm saying I think you're priceless."

  She glanced down at the ground, her eyelashes looking long against her cheeks.

  "And that I'm prepared to woo you with my wit and charm alone."

  "And your body," she said. "Don't forget your body."

  "I do have a lot going for me, don't I?"

  "Mostly just your body," she said. "But I look forward to seeing your attempt at charm."

  I raised my eyebrows and my mouth fell open. How dare she say she hadn't recognized my charm up to this point?! I knew she was joking, but I wasn't planning on her being so spirited out of the gates.

  I set my helmet on my head and reached for hers.

  She handed it to me without complaint.

  I unhooked the strap. "To be honest, I bought it because I'm hoping you'll go for a lot more rides with me."

  "I guess that depends on how dinner goes."

  “No pressure,” I said, extending the helmet over her head.

  She reached up and rested her fingers over mine as I lowered it down.

  Then I leaned forward, clipping the clasp beneath her chin.

  "Well?" she asked. "Do I look like a member of Daft Punk?"

  “Almost.” I slid her visor down so her face was covered by the shiny black screen. "Now you look like a member of Daft Punk."

  Her laugh echoed in her helmet, and she flipped the visor back open. "Up all night to get lucky," she said. "That's me."

  I
fixed my eyes on her bright face. "I can help with that, too."

  She rolled her eyes.

  I walked around to the other side of the bike and hopped on.

  "I think the closest 7/11 is on Trent and Washington in case you’re wondering," she said. "The fastest way is to go left at the third light."

  "Very funny," I said. "Unfortunately, we won't be having toasted cheese sandwiches tonight."

  She made a pouty face.

  "Now hop on gorgeous."

  "Yes, sir," she said, swinging her leg over the bike and scooching up behind me.

  I waited while she wrapped her arms around my chest. Then I pulled my visor down and smiled to myself. I was already having more fun with her than I even thought possible.

  "Ready," she said behind me.

  I revved the engine and took off. I knew better than to think biking through the city could ever be as much fun as the open road in Thailand, but I enjoyed having her behind me as I cruised to dinner, taking the scenic route since I hadn't had much time to get my bearings in the city yet.

  Plus, it's not like I was going to have trouble finding the place so I was happy to get a bit lost in the process.

  Twenty minutes later, I pulled up along the curb under the Space Needle and set my feet back on the ground. "This is where we get off," I said over my shoulder.

  Audrey dismounted gracefully as I turned off the ignition. Then I removed my helmet and lifted my head towards one of the young valets on duty.

  "You know how to drive this thing?" I asked.

  "I do," he said, eyeing the bike.

  "Great," I said, handing him the keys. Then I reached in my pocket for some folded notes and slipped them to him. "And find a safe place for our helmets so we don't have to carry them around, yeah?"

  He nodded eagerly, almost too eagerly to the point that I was worried he was going to go all Ferris Bueller with my rental, but I was too distracted by Audrey flipping her head over and shaking her fingers through her hair to care.

  When she realized I was watching her, she put her hand on her cocked hip and smiled.

  I pursed my lips and looked at her spontaneous bed head, craving her with ever bone in my body as I reached for her helmet.

  She handed it to me and I grabbed the strap, handing both helmets to the valet and thanking him.

  "The Space Needle, huh?" she said.

  "I've never been," I said.

  "Me neither."

  "What?!"

  She shrugged. "I know, but you know how it is when you live somewhere. You always think you'll have time and then you just keep putting it off."

  "Looks like I'm not the only one who's full of surprises."

  She slid her hand in my hooked arm as I led her inside.

  "I've heard good things about the restaurant," I said.

  "Apparently it spins, too."

  "Hopefully not enough to spill our drinks."

  "Why? Are you trying to get me drunk?" she asked, pressing the elevator button.

  I shrugged. "I’m willing to try anything that might make you find me more witty and charming."

  She smiled and batted her eyelashes, twisting the shell on her necklace in her fingers.

  I tried to put the fact that I wouldn't be able to put my hands on her for several hours out of my mind, reminding myself that there was plenty of time for that.

  After all, I didn't come this far just to sleep with her.

  Chapter 9: Audrey

  As I rode to the top of the Space Needle with Jack, I was having an out of body experience. I don't know if it was the way he looked in his crisp white button up shirt or the fact that I knew what was underneath it, but my heart was like a butterfly in my chest and it was hard to keep from smiling at him like an idiot.

  Especially since he kept smiling at me, too, making my insides clench with enthusiasm over and over.

  The last guy I sort of went out with was Emmett, and he never took me to dinner. We only ever went to lunch at cafe's, usually with coworkers. We did stop for Chinese to go cartons on the way home from an office party once, but I was pretty sure I treated.

  And the guy before him took me to dinner a few times, but never anywhere fancier than standard American family style restaurants, the kind of places where they spoiled you by letting you fill up on stale chips.

  And now I was going to one of the fanciest restaurants in town with the most amazing guy ever.

  Meanwhile, Jack was acting super casual, like he hadn't just crossed an ocean to feed and fuck me.

  I couldn't decide if I was the luckiest girl in the world or if I should start preparing myself for the hurt I was going to feel when this fairy tale was all over.

  "Two for Quinn," Jack said to the maitre'd when we stepped off the elevator.

  "Right this way Mr. and Mrs. Quinn," the man in black said with a smile as he turned on his heels.

  I tried not to let my flinch show on the outside since it was an honest mistake, but Audrey Quinn did have a nice ring to it.

  Maybe Jack and I didn't seem so ridiculous together after all. I mean, we obviously passed as a believable couple.

  Jack gestured for me to follow the host first, putting a hand on my lower back so gently I wanted to lean into it, to curl towards him as if we were dancing, look him in the eye, and ask him what the hell he was doing to me and did he know my heart couldn't take this?!

  Instead, I stepped forward, weaving my way to a table for two by the window along the perimeter of the restaurant.

  The host pulled my chair out for me, and while I’m fairly certain I thanked him, it was a long time before I took my eyes off the view.

  "Looks like I'm spoiled for choice," Jack said.

  I turned to look at him where he was sitting across from me, the floor shifting imperceptibly under our feet. "What do you mean?"

  "Between the sight of you and the city below us, I don’t know which lovely view to feast my eyes on."

  I swallowed. I wanted to tell him not to try so hard, not to say things he was never going to be able to keep saying, things I would never tire of hearing.

  "And if the food is as good as I'm hoping it is, I'll really be torn for what to focus on."

  "This is a real treat, Jack. Not just the restaurant and the view, but seeing you again. Here."

  "Thanks," he said, opening his menu without taking his eyes off me.

  "I'm really glad you came."

  "Me, too."

  "And that you didn't hire a private detective to track me down."

  A twinkle of mischief flashed across his eye. "You've been talking to Megan?"

  "Of course," I said. "And you’re very lucky. She's terrible at keeping secrets- other people's at least. The fact that she didn't let it spill that you were coming is a miracle."

  "Well, I'm very grateful for her cooperation. I'm sure she was much more pleasant to deal with than the PI's I looked up."

  "You were really that keen to track me down, huh?" I asked, tilting my head.

  He let his eyes drop to his open menu for a second. "I was."

  "Because you like the thrill of the chase or-?"

  He lifted his head to look at me again. "Because I like you, Audrey. A lot. And because I can't stand the thought of you being with someone else."

  I pursed my lips.

  "Especially when I don't believe there's anyone who will go to the lengths I will to make you happy."

  I didn't know what to say.

  He lifted his eyebrows. "Does that answer your question?"

  "Yes," I said, wishing I didn’t find it so hard to believe what he was saying.

  "Good," he said. "Then look at the menu because I'm starving, and I need to eat if I'm going to have enough energy to have my way with you later."

  My stomach did a little cartwheel as I let my eyes drop to the appetizers.

  "Can I get you something to drink?" a young woman asked, appearing beside our table in a cummerbund.

  I looked at Jack who was scanning
the drinks menu.