Intent to Seduce & A Glimpse of Fire

by Cara Summers

She burst out laughing. “Teasing. Only teasing.” She held up her hands. “I swear.”

  With phony gruffness he grabbed one of her hands and pulled her toward him. An older lady wearing a huge straw hat and walking a Chihuahua had to side step them and she muttered a surprising oath about them blocking the sidewalk.

  Eric apologized, though unable to lose the smile, then steered them off to the side. “I thought she was going to sic Bruno on us.”

  “Don’t underestimate those little suckers. One of my college roommates had a Chihuahua. He had me cornered a couple of times.”

  They’d started down Fifty-ninth again, and he looked over at her. “Where did you go to school?”

  She hesitated. “Cornell.”

  “Whoa. Nice. Scholarship?”

  “Partial.”

  He nodded. “What was your major?”

  Dallas stalled a moment. She really didn’t want to get into this personal a conversation, but nor did she want to ruin the evening. “Let’s just say that much to my parents’ delight, I’m not working in the same field in which I studied.”

  “Which would be?”

  She smiled. “Are we there yet?”

  He gave her a speculative look and then decided to drop it. “Almost. Hungry?”

  She nodded, which was a lie but she’d effectively changed the subject. “Hope they aren’t too crowded.”

  He took a long time looking at his watch. “They probably will be.” He looked at her as they stopped for a red light. “I usually take out.”

  She held his gaze. “Fine.”

  “My place okay?” he asked slowly.

  “Sure.”

  His eyes seemed to bore into hers. “It’s only a block from Chun’s.”

  “Let’s go.” The light turned green and they hurried across the street with the few other pedestrians who hadn’t ignored the stop signal.

  Eric didn’t say much for the next block, which made Dallas nervous. Although she hadn’t volunteered much conversation either. Her thoughts kept straying to later. When they got to his place. Of course, nothing had to happen. They could just have dinner. Talk. Kiss a little. Yeah, right.

  She was getting damp just thinking about being alone with him. About the way he’d kissed her last night and how she’d felt the warm, gooey sensation down to her toes. About how he’d gently cradled her breasts.

  Her breathing came so quickly that he even glanced over at her. “Are you okay?”

  Heat climbed her neck. “Yeah, I’m fine. Really.” Fortunately she spotted a sign for Chun’s on the corner. “We’re almost there.”

  “Yeah, that’s it,” he said with a final concerned look before taking her arm and ushering her to the door.

  He hadn’t been kidding. The place truly was a hole-in-the-wall. Really tiny, with only four tables, all taken, and a counter crowded with paper bags, presumably containing take-out orders. Several people waited in line as a young Asian woman efficiently yanked slips from the bags, called names and rang up bills at the cash register.

  The aroma of onions and garlic and exotic spices permeated the air. This place was obviously the real deal and not a watered-down version to appease Western tastes.

  Behind the counter an older man and woman worked side by side, stirring pots and tending a large grill against the far wall, speaking loudly to each other in Chinese. One of the customers got up from the table and went to the corner, where there were pitchers of water and iced tea and a bucket of ice. Sitting on a hot plate was a glass carafe of hot tea. He poured himself some and then returned to the table and his two companions.

  Dallas smiled. She liked the place already. Kind of homey and friendly.

  “I know it smells pretty bad, but I promise the food is terrific,” Eric said as he took her hand and pushed his way inside.

  “Are you kidding? I think it smells great.”

  The cashier looked up and smiled broadly.

  “Eric.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Mom, Dad, look who’s here.”

  The short, graying man at the grill turned around. He spotted Eric and put down the long wooden chopsticks he was using, his big grin displaying a gold-capped tooth. “My friend, where have you been? I haven’t seen you for three weeks, I think.”

  “Been busy working.”

  The man wiped his hands on his apron and gave Dallas a curious glance. “I see.”

  Unlike his daughter, who had no trace of an accent, the man’s English was heavily coated with his native dialect. The sly look he gave Eric, however, was universal.

  “This is my friend, Dallas. And this is Jimmy Chun, owner and chef of this wonderful establishment.”

  Jimmy chuckled. “He likes to use funny words,” he said and gave his palm another swipe across his stained apron before extending his hand to Dallas.

  “Uh, Jimmy, I think you can skip the formality,” Eric said, one eyebrow lifted at his friend’s slightly soiled hand.

  “Pleased to meet you.” Dallas readily accepted the man’s hand. If Eric only knew what her hands went through on a daily basis. Even wearing gloves all the time at work didn’t totally protect them.

  Jimmy grinned, a flicker of approval in his eyes. “You are most welcome here.”

  Eric waved to the woman still cooking. “Jimmy’s wife, Ruth.”

  She smiled and then said something to her husband in Chinese, her tone slightly brusque. Dallas could sure guess what was said, with all the people lined up for their orders. Two more guys came in after they did, and the phone had rung twice. The place was really hopping. The food had to be good.

  “Maybe we should come back,” she whispered to Eric.

  Jimmy heard. “No, no, you come with me.”

  He pushed aside the low swinging gate that separated the galleylike kitchen from the eating area and motioned for them to follow. Jimmy led them into a small kitchen where a young man wearing headphones and singing was dumping a huge pot of cooked rice into a wok heating on a stove.

  Jimmy touched him on the shoulder and the man stopped singing, turned toward them, a sheepish smile twisting his lips.

  The kitchen was crowded with a stainless-steel commercial refrigerator, a double sink and a small stove. Too small for a business, but that’s all that would fit. There was barely enough room for all four of them to be in there. Nevertheless she was impressed with how spot less the kitchen was kept.

  “You tell me what you want. Anything.” Jimmy jabbed a thumb into his chest. “You tell Jimmy and I cook for you. You like some orange chicken? Garlic shrimp?”

  Eric put a hand on the shorter man’s shoulder. “I’ll give you an order, but no rush. I’ll pick it up later. You need to go help Ruth. You have a lot of customers out there.”

  Jimmy waved a dismissive hand. “I have so many customers because of you. They can wait.” With his hands motioning wildly, he barked instructions in Chinese to the young man.

  “Jimmy, honestly we’re not ready to eat. We have someplace to go.” Eric briefly met her eyes and purpose fully looked at his watch. “We’d like to pick up dinner in about an hour and a half, if that’s okay.”

  “Anything for you, my friend.” Jimmy looked at Dallas. “Something special for the lady? Our shrimp is very, very fresh today. Or how about some—”

  “I love all kinds of food. Surprise us.” She winked at Eric. “I hate to be rude, but we’re going to be late.”

  “Right. I’ll be back to pick up dinner in an hour and a half.”

  “You want us deliver?” Jimmy asked. “We deliver to you. One hour and a half.”

  “I’ll call and let you know.”

  Grinning, Jimmy nodded. “Anything for my friend. You call.”

  “Thanks.” Eric shook his hand. “Okay if we go out the back way?”

  “Yes, yes. Please.” He gestured toward the door.

  Ruth called out something in Chinese, to which Jimmy responded in kind.

  “See you later, Jimmy.” Eric opened the door and motioned for Dalla
s to precede him.

  “See you, my friend.” Jimmy grinned with a raised hand and watched them go, seeming in no hurry to go back out and help his wife.

  They ended up in a short alley with a foul odor thanks to the Dumpster stationed not more than four feet from the door and hurried to the street.

  Eric made a face and muttered, “Sorry, who knew the place would be so jammed on a Monday.”

  “No problem.” She shrugged. “We can eat anywhere. At the park if you like.”

  He gave her an odd look. “You’re really something.”

  The appreciation warming in his eyes made her blush. “What?”

  He kept staring at her, paying no attention to where they were walking, and then he said half under his breath, “You’re going to be trouble, Dallas. Big trouble.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  SHE WAS TRULY REMARKABLE. ERIC thought about how Tom’s wife, Serena, would have reacted to the whole Chun’s experience. Or Ryan’s wife or Grant’s wife. All nice, attractive ladies, but they would have been totally freaked out to have been herded back into the kitchen and then led out to that putrid-smelling alley.

  Hell, he couldn’t even imagine Judy shaking Jimmy’s not-so-sanitary hand. It wasn’t that the women were snobs or anything, just more refined. Different tastes, different backgrounds. They weren’t the type to eat in dives, no matter how good the food.

  He glanced over at Dallas just as they approached his building. She put them all to shame. Not just the way she looked… God, as if that wasn’t enough. His chest and groin tightened just looking at her in those tight white pants that looked like a second skin molding that perfect butt. Nice and round and firm. Made his palms itch to cup her to him. Feel her pearled breasts against his chest.

  He forced himself to look away before his jeans got so damn tight his doorman would have to help him to the elevator. Anyway, it wasn’t just about the way she looked that turned him on or that set her apart from the other women he knew. It was the way she carried her self with confidence and grace. And more. Much more. Something indefinable that only years of stellar breeding could have produced.

  Maybe tonight she’d tell him about herself, about her family. His desire to know about her went beyond curiosity. She fascinated him, occupied his thoughts more than was healthy for him or his career.

  He stopped when they got to his apartment building and greeted the new doorman who’d started last week, after Hector had retired and moved to Miami. Eric gestured for her to enter the lobby.

  She blinked at him in surprise. “You live here?”

  Nodding, he led her to the elevator.

  “Nice.”

  He smiled. “Too bad the lobby’s bigger than my en tire apartment.”

  “So is mine, but at least you have a doorman and an elevator.”

  “You have a walk-up?”

  “It is now. The elevator broke and they won’t repair it.”

  “Wow!” He frowned at her. Surely she could afford something better.

  “Why are you surprised? It’s great exercise. And certainly more affordable.”

  The elevator door opened, they both stepped inside and he punched the button for the fifth floor. “But having a doorman is more secure.”

  “True, but fortunately we haven’t had any problems.”

  “We?”

  She looked hesitant and his heart plummeted. “I have a roommate.”

  “Ah.” He waited for her to drop the bomb.

  “Her name’s Wendy.”

  “Oh.” He didn’t even bother to hide his relief.

  “Did you think—” She squinted at him. “I wouldn’t be here with you if I were living with someone or—heaven forbid—married.”

  “Unfortunately not everyone shares your conviction. What do you have against marriage?”

  “Nothing.”

  They got to his apartment and he dug in his pocket for his keys. “That’s not what it sounded like.”

  “I know, but I only meant that getting married is the ultimate commitment. Not something I would take lightly.” She shrugged, glanced briefly at him. “Nor is it on my ‘to do’ list. Not soon, anyway.”

  “I understand.” That pretty much summed up his feelings, too. He opened the door. “Jeez, I hope it’s clean. I haven’t paid much attention lately,” he said with a perfectly straight face. “I have a woman who comes in once a week—unfortunately that isn’t until tomorrow.” That part was true.

  Dallas walked in and looked around. “You don’t need her. This place is cleaner than mine.” She gave him a smile that suggested she knew he’d spent an hour picking up his crap and scrubbing the bathroom just before meeting her.

  “I’m not here much. I work pretty long hours. Make yourself at home.”

  “This is really nice.” She trailed her hand along the back of the tan Italian-leather couch he’d spent way too much money for. “Did you decorate it yourself?”

  “No, not exactly. But I did pick out the furniture.” Ashley, a woman Judy had tried to fix him up with, had done most of the decorating. Not at his request. She’d insisted. He’d seen her occasionally for about three months. Great sex. Lousy conversation. Their split was mutual.

  “I really like this.” Dallas crouched to study the oval glass coffee table with a black iron base that was sup ported by four wrought-iron legs in the shape of elephant tusks. “Very unusual.”

  “Yeah, it grabbed me. Hey, about dinner—I’m sorry about the delay. But I have some mixed nuts, if you’re interested.” He stepped into the small kitchen where he kept several bottles of wine, a bottle of scotch, a can of nuts, a jar of peanut butter and little else.

  A brown-and-cream-colored granite-top counter separated the living room from the kitchen. Since there was no dining room area, he’d meant to get a couple of bar stools so the counter could be used as a table—as it had probably been intended—but he hadn’t gotten around to it. He never entertained and rarely ate at home, except for maybe cheese and crackers while he sat in front of the television and watched a ball game.

  “And wine. You like white, right?” He got out a bottle of chardonnay from the refrigerator. When he turned around, he found that she’d moved to the counter and, with her forearms resting on the granite, leaned toward him.

  His mouth went dry and he exhaled slowly. Her neckline gaped enough to give him an excellent view of the tops of her breasts. He knew she wore a bra, but it had to be really low cut, because another inch and he’d be able to see the rosy crowns.

  He realized he’d stared too long and he forced his gaze up to her face. She smiled. He cleared his throat and concentrated on opening the can of nuts.

  “How did you and Jimmy Chun get to be such good friends?” she asked.

  “We aren’t really. I’ve been getting takeout there for about two years. That’s all.”

  Her eyebrows went up. “He apparently has a different perspective.”

  “I did him a small favor and now he thinks—” Eric rubbed his jaw “—I don’t know what he thinks.”

  “He thinks you’re The Man.”

  “Knock it off or no wine for you.”

  She laughed. “There’s definitely some hero-worship going on there. What did he mean about having so many customers because of you?”

  “Nothing,” he mumbled and got down the wineglasses.

  “Come on. Tell me.”

  “Are you always this nosy?”

  She paused for a moment, as if giving the matter serious thought, her lips pursed in a sexy pout. “No, but I am determined.” She shifted, giving him a better look down her blouse. “And you will tell me.”

  He took a deep breath and looked away. “Uh, what were we talking about?”

  She laughed and straightened, taking the bottle he’d abandoned and pouring her own wine. “You were about to tell me what you did for Jimmy.”

  “Determined, you said. As in stubborn?”

  “You got it.” She gave him a smile that could seduce
every last secret out of him. “Are you having white, too?”

  “Sure.”

  She poured another glass of wine and handed it to him. Her fingers casually brushed his, and damn if his gut didn’t tighten. “I’m listening.”

  He sighed and came around the counter to join her. After they’d both settled on the couch he said, “The place never seemed crowded. Even at peak lunch or dinner hour. And I knew firsthand the food was terrific. Then one day I overheard him talking to his daughter—the one who was at the register. He told her he was thinking of closing, that business just wasn’t good enough to stay open. She got all upset, and—” he shrugged, uncomfortable talking about this “—I guess I stuck my nose in it.”

  Her head tilted slightly to the side, and listening intently, she sat facing him with one leg curled under her bottom. “And?”

  He took a sip of his wine. “I’m in advertising. I drew up a simple and low-cost game plan to let people know about the place, designed some flyers and a reward sys tem for referrals. The usual. It was nothing.”

  Her smile lit up her eyes. “You’re a very nice man, you know that?”

  “I’m telling you it was no big deal. To tell you the truth, if I’d known he was going to act like this, I wouldn’t have done it.” He focused on his watch. “I can’t forget to call him.”

  Uncomfortable with the conversation, he didn’t look up for a long time. She was making too big a thing out of this. What he’d done for Jimmy was remedial stuff he’d learned in college. It had been fun. Not like the work he did now, where the enormous pressure to please the client with his first pitch took all the pleasure out of his job.

  “All right, we can change the subject,” she said, running the toe of her shoe up his calf and taking a sip of her wine, her gaze fastened on him over the rim.

  He smiled, set his glass on the coffee table, and then took hers out of her hand. “Come here.”

  Her lips curved, and she lifted her chin in challenge. “What do you want with me?”

  “I’ll show you.” He wove a hand through her hair, cupping her scalp, and drew her toward him.

  Just as their lips met, the phone rang. Eric ignored it but Dallas leaned back.