I glanced around and was surprised to find no other diners sitting outside. This beautiful enchanted land was empty except for the two of us, and a part of me wondered if he had arranged it that way.
As if reading my mind, he leaned forward a tiny bit and caught my eyes with his. “I hope you don’t mind the solitude,” he whispered.
Oh God, I could smell his incredible woodsy scent. It was like standing in the middle of a freaking pine forest after a summer rain!
“But, I hate it when I’m tryin’ to eat and someone feels the need to have me take a picture with their eighty-year-old grandmother or cryin’ baby. I’m not sayin’ that we won’t get that on the way out, but I wanted to be able to get to know you without anyone interuptin’ us.” He gave me a look of apology, as if I would be pissed off that we wouldn’t be eating with others around us.
Oh, Hell no! This was perfection.
“It must be hard,” I sympathized, as if I even had the first clue as to how hard it was to be a celebrity.
He suddenly seemed far off and the smile slipped from his full, perfect lips. “I love actin,’” he said, his mouth turning up a bit, “I really do. But, all the hype and invasiveness can get to you after a while. Not to mention the whole intrusion into your life.”
The waiter walked over, and Jack ordered us a bottle of wine.
He waited until the man had disappeared before continuing. “I grew up in a little hoe-dunk town in Louisiana,” he murmured, his eyes taking on a sad, dreamy appearance. “I kind of just fell into all of this by mistake. I agreed to be in a play at our local theater for kicks an’ giggles,” he chuckled softly, shaking his head as he did. “I had no idea there would be a talent scout in the audience.”
The waiter brought our wine and Jack nodded as two glasses were poured.
“Are you ready to order?” The server asked, and Jack had graced me with the sweetest smile.
“Actually,” he laughed in embarrassment, not taking his eyes from mine. “We haven’t even had time to look at the menus. Could you give us a few minutes, Carl?”
“Of course, Mr. Dupree,” the man replied with a quick nod before turning and disappearing back inside.
“So, where was I?” He asked.
“Talent scout,” I mumbled over my sip of wine.
Holy hot hell but I loved the sound of his voice.
Jack winked at me then, and again I felt my heart skip a beat.
At the rate I was going, I would be having a coronary by the end of the night if this kept up!
“Yes…talent scout,” he repeated, taking his own sip of wine.
I found myself absolutely fascinated at how his lips shimmered from the liquid.
Easy girl! I silently warned myself.
“Well, like I said, I joined this play just for something to do. I mean, there wasn’t much else going on, so I figured it was better than tippin’ cows or huntin’ gators.” He grinned when my mouth dropped open in surprise.
People really did those things?
“So, this scout cornered me after the performance, gave me his card and told me to look him up when I moved to L.A. He said I would be a damn fool if I didn’t. And, as they say - the rest is history.” He grinned, his eyes scanning my face with enough interest that I suddenly worried if the dreaded mascara boogers had made a nasty appearance.
“So, tell me your story, Lacy Cooper,” he said finally, his gaze still not leaving my face.
As if he were interested in anything I had to say.
“There’s not much to tell, really.” I replied. “I moved out here when I was twenty after my father died.”
“I’m sorry,” he responded gently and reached over and took my damn hand again.
I had to fight back the urge to fall across his lap and forced myself to take another sip of wine.
It was more like a gulp, but why go there?
I set my glass back down on the table and shrugged. “Thank you,” I whispered, still painfully aware of his hand still holding mine. “My mom and I never really saw eye to eye, and I figured I needed some distance between us if I was ever going to find out who I was. So, I came here.”
Jack turned slightly in his seat so that we were face to face, his perfect features not five inches away from mine. “And, just who are you?” He had asked, his gaze intense…and so sexy.
I chuckled nervously at the question. How do I even begin to answer that one?
Well, nothing like the truth.
“I’m Lacy Olivia Cooper. Twenty-nine years old. I’m a self-imposed hermit, who loves cupcakes and cheesy movies. Oh! And, I have a very severe coffee addiction that desperately needs an intervention, but no one has been brave enough to set one up for me yet.”
Jack broke into laughter and I couldn’t help but find the sound strangely intoxicating. It was deep and masculine, and had the same effect on my senses that getting hit by a truck probably would have.
“Cheesy movies, cupcakes and coffee…huh?” he chuckled, his eyes twinkling mischievously. “I could get used to that.”
His response threw me for a loop.
He could get used to that?
As if he was ever going to want to see me again.
Now, that was downright funny!
There was still a very large part of me that believed this was just some kind of a pity date. Or, perhaps he had always wanted to go out on a date with a plain girl. Who knew! People had their fetishes…who was I to judge?
The only thing I knew for sure was that this man was utter and complete perfection…and I was not!
I chose not to respond and, instead, pulled my hand from his and grabbed my menu. “Um…you had mentioned the gumbo here was good,” I stammered, feeling like a total dweeb.
Jack took my lead and scooped up his own menu, glancing at me from time to time over the top of it. “Yes, I did. It’s amazin’.”
Everything before me just sounded so damn good but, I decided to go on his recommendation and try the gumbo.
Jack ordered the filet and gave me a wink once the waiter walked away. “I figured we could share… if you don’t mind.” He grinned, and I was reminded of a playful school boy.
Not that I was into school boys in any way, shape or form! I’m not a perv for God’s sake. It was just that the sweet, innocence of his grin got my heart to twittering.
We joked and laughed easily until they brought out our dinners and my stomach grumbled noisily when my gumbo was placed in front of me. It smelled Heavenly.
I dove into my meal with gusto and fought back my groan of appreciation.
It was everything he had promised…and more.
Jesus’s gym socks, but it was good!
Without thinking, I scooped some up onto my spoon and turned toward him. “This is so freaking good!” I all but moaned. “Here, try.” I held the glob of gumbo to his mouth and watched in toe-curling fascination as those sexy-ass lips of his parted and he took the bite I offered.
It was one of the sexiest things I had ever seen!
His eyes locked with mine as he chewed slowly, and I could feel the heat rising up my neck. There was just something so sensual about that moment that I couldn’t even think straight.
“Mm,” he groaned, and I was hard pressed not to slide from my chair.
Crap! He must have really liked doing that to me!
“Would you like a bite of mine?” He asked, his voice so low and husky that all that came to mind was “Yes, please !”
I glanced at Jack’s plate, and I just about threw up in my mouth.
His filet was rare, as in cow-mooing, barely cooked, raw…rare.
“No, thank you,” I finally managed to push out, hoping my face wasn’t as green as it felt. “It’s a little too rare for me.”
In fact, I liked my meat cooked to the point that it began to resemble a well-seasoned piece of leather.
“Just let me know if you change your mind,” he said with a wink.
As if.
The re
st of the meal went along amazingly. And by that, I mean, even though I still had my reservations about this whole thing, I really liked the man. More than I was willing to admit even to myself.
He was sweet and funny, and unless my radar was completely jacked up, he seemed sincere.
We sat there, sipping our wine, just enjoying the night. The ocean breeze was warm and gentle and there was no better smell on Earth than the sea air.
Well, the sea air…and Jack Dupree.
“Would you like to take a walk on the beach?” He asked, sounding so relaxed and sexy.
I nodded and began to stand, but in a flash, he was up and pulling out my chair for me.
Damn! But, Mama taught him right.
He took my hand and led me to a gate at the back of the patio, hidden behind some beautifully manicured topiaries. He pulled it open and started down the set of stairs that led to the beach below, all while keeping a firm grip on me to keep me steady.
“Hey, wait!” I gasped. “We aren’t dining and dashing, are we?” I had not seen him either pay, or, for that matter, even get a bill, but I wasn’t about to have some angry waiters chasing after us with meat cleavers.
I’d been out here long enough to know that some celebrities got off on doing crazy shit all the time.
Jack stopped his decent and grinned. “No,” he stated with a chuckle. “I own an interest in the restaurant,” he explained, and I felt relief wash over me in a smooth wave.
We continued down, and I concentrated on not tripping and tumbling down the stairs.
When we hit the last step, Jack stopped and turned to face me. Before I knew what to expect, he had knelt down and grabbed my ankle, slipping my sandals from first one foot, then the other, with a gentleness and grace I had never before dreamt of experiencing.
He stood back up and held up the shoes by the straps.
“Not a great idea to be walkin’ in the sand in these,” he explained, and all I could do was nod dumbly as he handed me my shoes.
Never in my entire life had someone done something so considerate for me, and I was finding myself hard pressed not to just burst into tears.
My brain was screaming at me to say something…anything! Not just stand there like a gaping idiot. “Thanks,” I finally managed lamely, and just wanted to run to the shoreline and dig a hole for myself to hide in.
“My pleasure,” he responded, his hand snagging mine and leading me onto the beach.
The night was glorious.
There was a beautiful breeze and the sky was clear and filled with bright, twinkling stars.
We walked for a while in amazing, comfortable, silence. It was as if no words were needed between us.
I had never ever felt so at ease with someone so quickly before.
I was still a quaking mess of Jell-O inside, but I was strangely comfortable with the silence. I didn’t feel as if I needed to make small talk.
We stopped walking finally and just stood there, gazing out at the waves.
“I love the ocean,” he breathed.
“Me too,” I answered honestly, feeling as if my heart was going to explode inside of my chest at any given moment.
It was perfection.
The ocean was one of the main reasons I had moved to the West Coast and to be standing there with this man, was incomprehensible. I mean, in my wildest dreams I never would have thought this was possible.
Jack turned and looked at me, his eyes traveling over my face in a slow, open appraisal. “Lacy,” he murmured, and there was just something in his expression that had my heart jump-starting, beating so hard against my ribs it was making it nearly impossible to breathe.
“Yes?” I croaked. Not at all sure what could have been coming.
He was silent for a very long moment. He just stood there, staring.
Finally, he muttered a string of curses under his breath and then he pulled me into his arms and slanted his mouth over mine. My sandals dropped to the ground and my mouth opened with a surprised gasp.
He took full advantage of the moment and his tongue tentatively, yet firmly, slipped between my parted lips and urged mine to join in his sensuous game of follow the leader.
And, Lord help me…I did !
My arms slipped around his neck as I pressed myself wantonly up against his glorious, chiseled body.
If I never heard from him again, at least I would know what Heaven was like. And kissing this man was indeed Heaven. Toe-curling, knee shaking, melt my panties…Heaven .
Someone squealed and laughed in the distance.
I broke away from Jack’s embrace to see a young couple come walking towards us up the beach.
I gave Jack a horrified grimace.
The last thing I wanted was for him to be seen necking with me like two horny school kids. He had an image to uphold.
I watched as he glanced at the couple and a smile curved his mouth, as if this was the most natural thing in the world.
My heart jumped to my throat as they drew closer. Good God! What if they had cameras?
They were nearly upon us and I could hear them laughing and whispering, and immediately worried they had recognized Jack. He did not need to become Tabloid fodder as the drop-dead movie star who was caught kissing the nobody chubby girl! No…not at all!
Image was everything out here!
“Evenin’,” Jack said as they passed by, and I felt a knot of embarrassment form in the pit of my stomach. I turned slightly, so my back was to them as they walked past and pretended to find something extremely interesting in the sand at my feet.
“Hey, how you doing?” the kid replied as they kept right on walking. I let out the breath I had been holding in a loud, relieved whoosh.
“What was that all about?” He asked, the smile slipping from his lips and settling in a tight line.
“What?” I whispered, not understanding exactly what he meant.
He looked upset, and for the life of me I couldn’t figure out why. “Are you married or somethin’?” he queried, and I felt my mouth drop open.
What?
“I don’t understand what you mean.” I responded. And…I really didn’t!
“Are you embarrassed to be seen with me? Is that it?” He demanded, and I almost burst out laughing.
Again…what? He had to be joking…right? That had to be the only answer…
Thankfully the laughter stuck in my throat when I realized that he actually looked hurt ! As if anyone in their right mind would not want to be seen with him. Really ?
I had no idea at all what to say to him. I mean, I didn’t want him to be caught with me ! I was an absolute nobody. He was a star! He was breathtakingly gorgeous, and I was…me . I was only trying to protect his image for God’s sake.
Before I could say anything else, he took my hand and headed back down the beach towards the stairs to the restaurant. I could feel the tension in the air as if it were a palpable thing and wondered just what in the Holy Hell I had said or done to make him so angry.
We walked back up the steps in silence and he held the gate leading onto the terrace open for me as I shakily walked by.
It wasn’t until I stepped on a splinter that I realized I had left my shoes on the beach.
Damn it to Hell! I just couldn’t catch a break.
I must have made a sound of pain, because Jack stopped suddenly and faced me.
“Are you, all right?” He asked, his brows furrowing with worry and I nodded, not wanting to acknowledge the concern in his expression. It just hurt too much.
“Just a splinter,” I mumbled, wanting nothing more at that moment than to be home.
What had started off as an amazing, magical evening was quickly going shit south. Not to mention the fact that I still didn’t understand exactly why.
I was only trying to protect him.
Maybe his good sense had finally kicked in and he was swiftly realizing that being seen with someone like me wasn’t such a great idea after all.
Working fo
r Hal over the past nine years had taught me that image was extremely important in this town. It mattered.
Stars dated stars, not nobody’s.
“Shit! Your shoes,” He blurted as he looked down at my bare feet and I could feel my eyes beginning to burn. “I’ll go get them,” he offered, but I shook my head.
I just wanted to get out of there.
“There’s really no need,” I protested. “They were old anyway,” I bold-faced lied. But, I would eat the eighty-five dollars I had paid for them if it would get me out of here any faster. My head was spinning, and I was fighting back tears.
Was he mad that someone had seen us together? And just why in the Hell had he even kissed me in the first place? Talk about a mind scramble!
“Are you sure?” His anger seemed to be easing and I swallowed back the tears with difficulty, nodding my head again.
He seemed to be debating on whether or not he should go and get those damned shoes.
“Really,” I insisted, trying hard not to sound whiny, but I was in panic mode. I needed to get home, crawl into bed and forget this night had ever happened. “It’s no big deal. I…I was planning to throw them out anyway.”
Damn, another bold-faced lie.
“If you’re sure,” he responded tersely, and proceeded to take me by the elbow and lead me out towards his truck in the midst of stares and goodnights.
The ride back to my apartment was a painfully quiet one. I kept stealing glances at his perfect features and couldn’t help but notice a nerve in his jaw twitching as he stared straight ahead at the road in front of him.
When we pulled up in front of my building I quickly grasped the door handle, wanting to make my escape, but his hand on my arm stopped me.
He jumped out of the truck and dashed over to my side to help me out.
I looked up and found him staring at me once again.
“Thank you, for dinner,” I somehow had managed to get out. “It was nice.”
Damn. There was that freaking word again.
Nice, my ass. It had been amazing. It had been surreal. It had been Heaven.
Right up until the time I realized I was not what should be hanging on his arm.
He took a step closer to me, and I instinctively took a step back, my backside hitting the door handle of his truck.
Sinfully Delicious: Six Scintillating Stories of Sweets, Treats, and Happily Ever Afters Page 13
