Go figure.
He was still a little pissed that I denied him of sex because he didn’t want to wear a condom. He literally hadn’t said a word to me since that day. I was actually enjoying it, to say the least. It was nice to not argue every other night for a change. He was so much more attractive when he was quiet.
I headed into my home office and plopped down into my leather computer chair. With a quick glance at my desk calendar, I saw that I was having dinner with my parents in a few days.
I groaned inwardly. Dealing with my family, or at least my mother, was the worst. My father was a lot more relaxed than my mother. She was constantly pointing out what I was doing wrong and was quick to mention that I’d be a disgrace if I were to do something she didn’t approve of. My dad allowed me get away with a lot of things growing up, and he happened to be the mediator between my mother and me during heated discussions.
I remember one particular time when I was a teenager, and my dad had come to my rescue. It was my 16th birthday, and I had an amazing party, but my mother wouldn’t allow me to eat what my friends were eating because she needed me to be able to fit my pageant dress. She wouldn’t let me have cake, pizza, or any other goodie at my party and instead made me nibble on lettuce. I remember leaving my party and locking myself in my bedroom for the remainder of the time, crying my eyes out. Later that night, my dad had brought up a slice of cake and pizza with a bag of nacho chips and cheese sauce. He simply kissed me on my forehead and wished me a happy birthday once more before stalking off to his bedroom. Needless to say, I still fit in my dress and my mother never knew I indulged.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, startling me from my reminiscing. I smiled to myself when I saw Zane’s name on my screen. What was it about this man that gave me butterflies whenever he contacted me?
If you’re not busy tonight, I’d like to take you out to dinner. I know I said coffee at first, but I really would like to see you tonight. - Zane
I spun around in my computer chair a few times. There was no telling when Julius would be getting back in, and I didn’t want to risk arguing with him again. On the other hand, I really wanted to see Zane, too, but how was I going to pull this off? I bit the inside of my cheek as I mused over the idea that was brewing in my mind. Wherever he wanted to go, I would simply meet him there and have Gia cover for me if Julius were to call her to look for me. After leaving Gia’s apartment the way I did, I would be lucky if she even answered the phone. If I wanted to go out, I would have to press my luck and hope that she’d want to help.
“Are you done throwing a bitch fit yet?” she asked when she answered. I sighed and leaned back in my chair.
“Sorry about that. I’m just becoming overwhelmed with this project and you getting snippy with me just because I’m uncomfortable isn’t making it any easier.”
“It’s just annoying that you act so appalled by sex as if you don’t even want good sex. But that’s neither here nor there. What’s up?”
“Well, I need you to cover for me.”
“Cover, you say?” she questioned, her voice dripping with curiosity.
I giggled and nodded, realizing that she couldn’t see me. “Yes, cover for me.”
“And what am I covering?”
“My ass. I want to go out with Zane tonight.”
“Oh! So you were actually listening to me then,” she joked. I rubbed my temple with my free hand.
“Zane wants me to go to dinner with him tonight. I want to go, but I’m sure if I stay out late, you’re probably the first person that Julius is going to call. Just tell him I’m at your place or something.”
“But what if he wants to talk to you? You know he’s always suspicious of me,” she reminded me.
I frowned at her statement. I hadn’t even thought about that. If he wanted to talk while I was out, he wouldn’t be able to unless…
“If he calls, just put him on hold and three-way me. When he asks, call my name or something, put him on hold, call me and then connect the call. Do you think that could work?” I asked nervously, biting on my fingernails. Gia was silent for a few moments before she squealed in delight.
“You devious bitch! That will definitely work. If he calls, I’ll tell him you’re in the bathroom and get him to call back after I make sure you’re somewhere that you can speak without Zane being around. Have fun and get laid!” she cheered before hanging up. I shook my head and chuckled to myself. Now that I had a secure plan in place, I went back into my messages to reply to Zane.
I’d like that. What do you have in mind?
As I waited for his response, I went into my bedroom to figure out what I wanted to wear. I didn’t want to dress too sexy or else Julius would question me about it. I decided to go with a simple black pencil skirt with a white button up blouse. I could leave a few of the top buttons undone to look a bit seductive if I wanted to. Laying the outfit on my bed, I jumped in and out of the shower. I quickly made my way back to the bedroom at the sound of my text notification. I smiled at the message that displayed on my screen.
Come down to the city. I’ll cook for you at my restaurant. We’re already closed for the evening. It’ll just be us. - Zane
Excitement rippled through my spirit as I got dressed. I went very light on my makeup and hair, wanting to keep things as simple as possible. After slipping on a pair of black pumps and grabbing my purse, I headed for the front door and nearly collided into Julius.
He raised an eyebrow as he examined me. “Going somewhere?” he asked, stepping out of my way.
“Yeah, to Gia’s,” I said flatly, moving around him and leaving him standing in the doorway, watching me leave.
Yep, remember this view, buddy. If he continued acting the way that he was, he would be watching me walk away for good one day, no matter what the consequences were for the both of us.
***
My heart pounded against my ribcage as I drove to meet Zane. Once I had parked in the parking garage next to his business, I texted him to let him know that I had arrived. He responded to let me know that he would meet me at the door. I checked my reflection in my rearview mirror, applying a thin layer of lip gloss onto my lips. I didn’t plan to kiss him, but just in case it happened, I didn’t want to have crusty lips.
I unbuttoned the first three buttons of my blouse and pushed my cleavage up a bit. Reaching into my glove compartment, I pulled out a pair of black, square-rimmed reading glasses and slipped them on. I checked my reflection in my window when I stepped out of the car. I was definitely working the sexy secretary look. I tossed my journal into my purse and headed to the elevator to ride down to the ground floor to meet Zane.
When I approached him, his eyes widened in appreciation, causing me to blush under his gaze. The way he looked at me gave me butterflies and made me feel like a teenage girl being noticed by her crush for the first time.
“Just leaving your office or something?” he asked, opening the door to let me in. I shrugged as I moved past him. I was a little confused about why he wanted to bring me here to cook for me. This wasn’t the type of restaurant where you could sit down and eat. This was a place where people could hold events that he would obviously cater and where he would prepare food that he would take to other events to cater. I was taken by surprise to see that there was a single table in the room with a candle burning on it as well as a piano and pianist in the corner.
“Am I corny for renting a piano for the night and hiring a pianist to play for us?” he asked, placing his hand on the small of my back, sending a spark of desire straight between my legs. I giggled nervously and shook my head.
“No, I think it’s nice. You didn’t have to do that, though,” I said, gazing up at him. The lights were dim, but I could still see all of his handsome features clearly.
“Let’s go and prepare our dinner,” he smiled, taking me by the hand and leading me across the room to enter the kitchen.
The kitchen was a large room with many state-of-the-art appliances as
well as large, industrial ones. This building looked rather narrow from the outside, but there was so much space for multiple people to work while inside. I turned back to Zane as he slipped an apron over his tight grey t-shirt and denim jeans. I noticed that he had an incredibly sexy sleeve tattoo on his right arm. Before I could stop myself, my fingers were running along the beautiful art in awe.
“You like it?” he asked. I jumped and quickly pulled my hand away.
“Sorry. It’s beautiful. What is it exactly?” I asked, examining the tattoo. There were a bunch of abstract designs but in between them, there was a portrait of a young teen who appeared to be a gang member. As you trailed up his arm, there was a gravestone with his name on it, more abstract designs, and a woman’s face. I couldn’t see the rest of it because it was beneath the sleeve of his t-shirt.
“It’s my life story,” he simply said. I looked at him and then back to his tattoo.
“You used to be in a gang?”
“Yeah, was almost killed, too. My mom saved my life though, and I promised her that I would make something of myself. So here I am,” he smiled, chucking me slightly under the chin.
I gave him a small smile as my eyes drifted back down to his tattoo. It was a beautiful to see that he wore his life story on his arm. I was sure he saw it as a constant reminder of how far he had come.
“So what’s on the menu for tonight, chef?” I asked, sliding onto the counter next to him. His gaze raked over my body, briefly pausing at my legs before he looked back into my eyes.
“I was thinking about a pot roast. I like to think that I make the best pot roast in New York, but I’m biased. I’m actually glad that you agreed to have dinner with me because I’ve been slow cooking it all day in hopes to eat it with you,” he said, moving in front of me.
I cleared my throat and nervously looked away. He was getting a little bit too close for comfort, especially since I couldn’t move away. He placed his hands on both sides of me and leaned forward.
“Am I making you nervous?” he asked, inches away from my lips. I just stared at him. His bedroom eyes were such a turn on, that I thought I was going to melt into a puddle on his counter. My throat became dry, making words hard to come by. He tilted his head to the side as a smirk tugged at his lips, waiting for my response.
“N…no. You’re…actually making me horny,” I blurted and immediately blushed when I realized what I had just said. He raised an eyebrow in surprise and chuckled at my statement.
I was officially embarrassed.
Why the hell would I say something like that to a man I hardly knew? Having this project was causing me to act completely out of character lately, and it was almost frightening. Zane brought me back to the present when he caressed my cheek.
“Don’t feel embarrassed. I’m glad to know the feeling is mutual,” he said seductively, leaning in toward me. My mind began racing. Oh my God, he’s going to kiss me was all that I could think of at that moment. Just as our lips were about to connect, a timer went off. He sighed, biting his bottom lip seductively.
“It sounds like our pot roast is ready to come out,” he said softly and stepped away.
I let out the breath that I was holding and leaned my head back against the cool wall. He was so close to me, and when he pulled away, I immediately felt cold, as if he took all of the surrounding heat with him. Every nerve in my body was alert, and my lips were longing to feel his. I quickly shook the thought from my head as my phone buzzed in my coat pocket. I quickly retrieved it and saw Gia texting to tell me she was going to three-way me in 5 minutes. I quickly slid off the counter and went to find Zane to excuse myself to the bathroom.
Seeing him in his element, delicately cutting into the pot roast with professional precision was a complete turn on. I definitely wouldn’t mind waking up one morning after mind-blowing sex to find him preparing breakfast in my kitchen. I cleared my throat, causing him to look up in my direction.
“I’m going to run to the bathroom really quick,” I said. He chuckled and nodded, leaving me confused as I rushed to find the bathroom.
What could possibly be funny about me needing to go to the bathroom? I guess he thought I needed to cool myself off after our slightly heated moment. I giggled at the thought, myself. Maybe I needed to do a panty check while I was in there as well.
When I finally got to the bathroom, Gia called me. “Hey girl, he sounds mad,” she said when I answered.
I sighed. Of course he would be upset. If I’m not at home waiting around for him, he would be upset.
“Okay, go ahead and connect the call,” I said, bracing myself.
“Okay. I’ll say, ‘Here she is,’ and you’ll wait for a few seconds and then say something. When you’re done talking to him, you can just hang up,” she instructed. I inhaled deeply and let it out slowly.
“Okay, let’s do this.”
I paced the bathroom floor as my heart raced. It felt so weird to be lying to him, and I was afraid that I would end up giving myself away. As planned, Gia said her line, and I waited a few seconds before speaking.
“Yes, Julius?” I said, trying to sound as cool as possible. Just stay calm, Arianna, I coaxed myself, trying to control my trembling hands and praying that my trembling didn’t reach my voice.
“Do you plan on coming home tonight? You’re not a single woman who can stay out late into the night!” he yelled into the phone. I rolled my eyes and leaned against the wall.
“Look, I don’t harass you when you come in at three in the morning, so don’t harass me about having a movie night with my friend. It’s only eight, Julius. You’re overreacting as if it’s midnight.”
“It can be three in the afternoon if all I care. I wouldn’t care that much if you weren’t with her,” he spat. I sighed and rubbed my forehead in frustration. Gia pulled the phone away from her mouth to appear to sound far away to tell me to hurry up so we could start the movie. I would definitely have to pay her back for covering for me.
“Look, I’ll be home in an hour or two. Try not to pop a blood vessel in the meantime,” I said.
I looked at the phone and saw that the call ended, meaning that Gia must have hung up before he could respond. I smiled to myself as I texted her a thank you message. I had the best friend a girl could ever ask for.
“Everything okay?” Zane asked when I finally came out of the bathroom. He was placing two plates of food on the table from a rolling cart. I nodded and took a seat.
“Yes, thank you. Everything looks great,” I said, appreciating the pot roast and roasted vegetable medley with a buttered dinner roll. He nodded as he popped the cork off a bottle of champagne that was sitting in a bucket of ice.
“I’m glad you approve. If you like it, maybe I can cook for you more often,” he winked, taking a seat across from me.
We ate in silence for a little while. I would notice him gazing at me over the candle flame between bites. Luckily he couldn’t see me blushing due to the dim lighting. I was thoroughly enjoying my time with him. Somehow or another, we got on the topic of my book.
“So, how is your writing going?” he asked, ripping off a piece of his roll and popping it into his mouth. I swallowed hard and shifted in my seat. I would do anything to have this man devour me in that same way.
“I’m just starting it, actually. It’s not as easy as I thought it would be,” I replied, taking a sip of champagne. He leaned back in his chair. The flame danced in his pupils, causing him to have this mysteriously sexy look about him.
“Is that right? How so?” he asked, his voice on the verge of teasing. I shrugged and poked at the yellow squash on my plate.
“I don’t think I’m experienced enough to write something that people would want to read,” I admitted softly. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel embarrassed by telling him this. It was nice to be able to talk to someone other than Gia who would listen to me. I hadn’t known him long, but he had the personality that made me want to confide in him. He suddenly stood up and walked
over to me, extending his hand.
“Would you care to dance?” he asked. I timidly glanced up at him.
Was he put off by what I said?
Although I was starting to feel a bit awkward since he brushed off the conversation regarding my writing, I took his hand, allowing him to pull me into his arms. The scent of his cologne tickled my nose as I rested my head against his strong chest. His arms were wrapped around my waist as we moved in rhythm with each other.
“You know … I could make every fantasy of yours a reality,” he whispered in my ear. My eyes widened at his words. I didn’t dare move because I didn’t want to appear alarmed, but man, this guy was bold. I giggled nervously, unsure of what to say. I remembered when Gia suggested that Zane should be my research partner. This man was actually saying that he would make my fantasies a reality, and I could only guess it was going to be for book purposes. He tilted my head so that our eyes could meet.
“The moment I caught you from falling that day is the moment I knew I had to have you. I haven’t wanted a woman more than I want you,” he said slowly, his gaze becoming intense.
My mouth opened and closed like a fool as I struggled for words, but it turned out that I didn’t have to say anything. He cupped my face into his hands and kissed me tenderly, yet passionately. A moan escaped from my throat as his tongue swiped against my own, causing a pool of desire to nestle between my legs.
This kiss was everything that I imagined kisses would be. It was even one of those kisses that would cause a woman to kick one leg up like they did in the movies. The sensation of his lips on mine sent butterflies through my stomach once more, and as much as I hated to admit it, all of this felt right. I didn’t feel any of this with Julius, even when we were on good terms.
The thought of him caused me to gasp and pull away. Zane looked at me with apprehension.
“I’m sorry … I … man, I shouldn’t have done that,” he sputtered. I shook my head and ran a hand through my hair.
The Daring Assignment Page 6
