The List

by Alice Ward

  I realized that I hadn’t responded to her apology. I’d been too lost in admiration of her body. “Don’t worry about it. You look amazing.”

  Shyly, she turned her head away, her eyes falling on the limo behind me. “Is that yours?”

  “It is.” I offered my arm. “Are you ready?”

  “Yeah,” she said, her eyes still on the limo.

  My driver saw us coming and hurried to open the back door. Riley murmured a “thank you” and climbed in ahead of me. I settled across from her and folded my hands on top of my knee.

  “I made us a reservation at Oishii. It’s Japanese, but if you’d prefer to go somewhere else, just say the name, and I’ll take you there.”

  Riley’s eyes grew wide. “Oishii? Are you kidding me? Yes, I absolutely want to go there.” She grinned like a little kid. “I just read about that place in The New Yorker. It’s supposed to be amazing.”

  “Good. It sounds like my gut feeling was right after all.”

  “Your gut is very wise.”

  She smiled wider, and I returned the gesture. The temperature in the limo climbed. Every inch of me itched to reach out and seize the woman across from me, but I couldn’t do that. It was too soon. I needed to wait, play the game, and savor the seduction process. The wait might be long, but it would also be worth it.

  Riley told me about her two jobs as we rode back to Manhattan. Talking seemed to help her relax. With each new sentence, her face became more expressive, her hand gestures sharper.

  “The one at the bar is the good one,” she said. “It’s the one I actually need to pay the bills. I like the people I work with, and the shifts aren’t too long. But it won’t take me anywhere, you know? I want to open my own bakery. I don’t want to be serving drinks forever.”

  “And what do you need in order to do that?” I asked, simply to get her to talk more. There was a vitality in her when she really got going on a subject, and it was both pleasing and calming to see.

  She let out a sigh so heavy her chest seemed to collapse. “Well, first of all, I need to learn how to bake. Yeah, I know how to do simple things. I bake all the time at home. But I need a real pastry chef to apprentice me. I need to learn how to make croissants the real way. After that, I’ll need money, but that’s a whole different story.”

  “And this job at the bakery will give you the experience you need?”

  Her lips twisted. “I hope so. Right now, I’m just working in the front, but sometimes cashiers get switched to the back.”

  “Have you asked to be transferred back there?”

  “Once, but there weren’t any positions open.”

  “Hmm. So ask again.”

  She squirmed in her seat. “I don’t want to be pushy. I haven’t been there very long, and they need me in the front right now. We’re kind of short-staffed.”

  I tapped my finger against the armrest and studied her. “Got it.”

  So Riley’s shyness wasn’t just a result of being around me. It extended to all areas of her life.

  “I remember when I worked three jobs.”

  She stared at me. “Three?”

  “Sixty hours a week. It was when I first came to the city. I was seventeen.”

  She leaned forward, curious. “You moved here with your parents?”

  “No. I came alone. I’d always known I wanted to live here, so when I graduated high school a semester early, I made that happen.”

  “Wow,” she breathed. “You came to New York City all by yourself?”

  “Yes.” I cleared my throat and looked away. I’d never made excessive talking about myself a habit, and I wasn’t going to begin now. “If you want something, you need to assert yourself. Everyone is looking out for themselves. No one will just give you anything in this world. Not unless you’re constantly on their case about it.”

  Riley’s mouth twitched. “That seems kind of cynical.”

  “Maybe. That doesn’t mean it’s not true.”

  She took a moment to consider it. “I guess I’m not in the position to shoot your theory down. That approach seems to have worked well for you.”

  “You’re right about that.”

  The limo glided up next to Oishii. The restaurant glowed with yellow light, and inside, waiters scurried around with trays balanced in their hands. It might have been Sunday, but the place was hopping.

  My driver opened the door, and I helped Riley out of the car. She stayed pressed against my side during the walk through the restaurant doors and to the table. I rested my hand on the small of her back, guiding her left or right with the slightest touch. With her head just coming up to my chin, she was the perfect size for me.

  My body responded to that thought in primal, unchecked ways. I couldn’t stop myself from imagining what it would be like to have Riley naked and under me. Taking a seat at our table was welcome. Having such an irresistible woman so close to me was making my dick noticeably hard. I scooted my chair in and waited for the headwaiter to bring over the bottle of wine I’d preordered when I made the reservation.

  The wine was presented with a flourish. Riley took her time letting it air and smelling it, and I could tell it wasn’t an act. She loved food and everything that came with it just as much as I suspected she did. Once the wine was tasted, she listened in rapt attention as the waiter described the specials and made suggestions. After he was done, she immediately asked him to order for her.

  “Can’t decide for yourself?” I asked.

  Riley’s cheeks took on the slightest pink tinge. “It all sounds so good.”

  “Agreed.” I handed the waiter my menu. “I’ll have that last special you mentioned.”

  The waiter nodded his acknowledgment and went off to the kitchen. Riley immediately placed her folded hands on the table and turned to me. “Where did you grow up? You said you came here at seventeen.”

  I was glad she was talking, but not thrilled that the topic was, again, myself. I dismissively waved my hand. “South Carolina. It’s a small town you never would have heard of. Where are you from?”

  She made a face. “Long Island.”

  Her goofy expression made me laugh. “Got a bad taste in your mouth?”

  “Long Island’s okay, it’s just that the town I’m from isn’t exactly exciting.”

  “What would make it more fun?”

  “I don’t know, maybe something to do on Saturday night other than go bowling or go to the movies.”

  “And so you came to the big city to find some thrills.”

  Her eyes floated toward the ceiling as she thought about that. “Yeah, I guess I did. My parents wanted me to go to school somewhere closer to them, but then I got into NYU. Though, honestly, it wouldn’t have mattered if I went to the best school in the world. What they really want is for me to be a veterinarian. They’re obsessed with this weird kind of legacy thing when it comes to that.”

  “They’re vets?”

  She took a delicate sip of wine. “Mm-hmm. They have a practice together. And I love animals and all. I went on a lot of house calls with them growing up. Which was a lot of fun, but I know being a vet wouldn’t be my thing.”

  “I understand completely.”

  She swirled the wine in her glass. “So I moved out here with my best friend. I went to school, but only because that’s what my parents wanted me to do.”

  “But you didn’t study what you wanted?”

  She flashed a smile that lit up the room. “No. I still can’t even admit that to my parents. Isn’t that sad?”

  “Don’t worry about it. It’s normal. Everyone reverts to a toddler when it comes to interacting with their parents.”

  Riley laughed. “That’s what I suspected. It still sucks though.” She squinted her eyes and stared at me.

  “What? Are you trying to read into the depths of my soul?”

  She blushed again and looked away. “Sorry. I was trying to guess how old you are.”

  “Forty-five,” I said as she took a drink o
f wine.

  Riley’s eyes went wide and her cheeks puffed up. She put the wine glass down as she sputtered and pressed the back of her hand to her mouth.

  “You all right there?” I laughed.

  “Sorry. You just look so...”

  “I was kidding. I’m thirty.”

  She grinned. “Whew, thank God.”

  “You have something against older men?”

  “No, it’s not that. I just…” She looked around at the surrounding tables as if afraid someone might be listening in. “I figure if you were forty-five you might think you were too old for me. Because here’s the thing… I actually didn’t go to college. Not yet, anyway. I’m only seventeen.”

  My mouth dropped open. It only took one second for Riley to burst into laughter. “I’m kidding! I’m kidding.”

  “Not fair,” I guffawed.

  “Did you really think I’m seventeen? Man, that would look really bad for your club, them letting in high school kids and all.”

  “It would look really bad for me,” I told her. I tried to pretend like I was angry, but I couldn’t get rid of the shit-eating grin stretching across my face.

  The conversation moved on, and Riley gave me the whole breakdown of the last five years of her life. She told me about moving to the city with Ann-Marie, finishing school, and admitting to herself that she wanted to open her own bakery before getting her job at Crumbs.

  When our meal arrived, the talk mostly evolved into a reverent monologue on food. Riley was “in love” with the sushi. She was “in love” with the octopus. She was “in love” with the thing she couldn’t even pronounce. It became clear she was a real foodie. Just seeing her in her element made me happy. It was also nice to be out with a woman who wasn’t pushing food around on her plate and complaining about how she needed to lose ten pounds.

  By the time we finished eating, there was still wine in the bottle, but I gestured for the check. “Ready to get out of here?”

  Riley looked slightly disappointed. “Is there any place better to be?”

  I held back my smile. “Actually, there is.”

  Our second destination wasn’t far. We beat the traffic by walking the three blocks. Riley skeptically looked all around as we entered the hotel’s lobby.

  “A hotel?” she asked, eyebrow raised.

  “Just wait and see.”

  I led her to the elevator and hit the rooftop button. We glided upward and exited onto the top of the building. During the winter, the place was covered in plastic and filled with outdoor heaters to keep it warm, but the sides were clear tonight, the view of West Manhattan splayed out for us to enjoy. To the left, the one bartender working waited behind the bar with folded hands.

  “This is gorgeous,” Riley said, going to the nearest banister. A gust of wind hit the building, and her hair flew around her shoulders.

  “A drink?”

  “Sure.”

  “What would you like?”

  She shrugged. “Anything.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t do that.”

  She turned to me, all wide-eyed innocence. “Don’t do what?”

  “Turn the decision over to me. You have your own valid preferences. Now, what would you like to drink?”

  My words might have been a little harsh, but Riley needed to hear them. She couldn’t even order her own dinner, despite the fact that she had an opinion on everything that came to our table. At first, I thought it was because she was excited, but I soon began to believe it was because she was timid and demure.

  “You’re a smart girl,” I went on. “With excellent tastes, judging from the ecstatic experience you just had at dinner. The things you want are right. Your opinions are valuable simply because you have them. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

  For maybe the fifth time that night, her cheeks colored, but this time she didn’t look away. As her brown eyes held my gaze, my body responded to her intense look, but not in the way that I was used to. It wasn’t desire coursing through my veins. It was something else entirely. Something I didn’t understand.

  “Do you want to dance?” I asked, the question bursting from me.

  “Gin and tonic.”

  “What?”

  Her eyes shown with amusement. “You asked me what I wanted to drink… and now you’re cutting me off and asking me to dance.”

  Laughter left me in the form of a grunt. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll get you a drink.”

  She smirked, something wicked behind the grin. “Actually, now that you mention it, I’d rather dance.”

  I extended my palm to her. “Then let’s dance.”

  “There’s no music.”

  I jerked my head in the general direction of the bar. “He’ll put some on. Of course, if you’d rather have drinks and just relax, we can do that instead.”

  I expected the hesitation I’d seen in Riley since the moment we met. But instead, she confidently put her hand in mine. “Let’s dance.”

  Pressing my other hand against the small of her back, I drew her out toward the bar’s open space. The bartender, as per a request I put in before the night even began, put some jazz on. Riley smiled and looked over my shoulder at the empty bar.

  “No one else is here,” she commented. “This place is amazing. I’d think it would be packed, even on Sunday.”

  “Not tonight.”

  “Why not…?” She looked back at me, her eyes narrowed. “Hold on. Did you rent this place out for the night?”

  “You don’t really have to rent places out when you own them.”

  Riley’s mouth fell open. “You didn’t have to do this.”

  I shrugged, acting nonchalant, but I was extremely satisfied over her pleasure and surprise. When I aimed to please, I went all the way. I rarely left a woman wanting more. Unless I was the one who happened to be bored and done.

  “I want to ask how many places you own in this city.”

  “I can tell you.”

  She bit her bottom lip. “I’m not sure I want to know.”

  “Are you looking to leave baked goods behind and get into realty?”

  She laughed. “Not in a million years.”

  “Good. I have more than enough competition as it is.”

  “This is nice,” she whispered. “Thank you.”

  “You’re the one who’s made the night worth it. Without you here, I’d be dancing around on my own. I’d look like a crazy person.”

  She bobbed her brows. “That would be unfortunate.”

  We never got our drinks. Instead, we danced and bantered until Riley complained of aching feet. Without asking her, I called my car and suggested it was time to go. She gratefully eased herself into the limo, sighed, and dropped her head back. “I had a great time. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” I answered, taking a seat next to her. The limo started. I’d already given my driver instructions to head straight back to my penthouse.

  I shuffled closer to Riley, but before I could make a move, she sat up straight and pressed her mouth against mine. It was as if my comments on the rooftop about taking responsibility for her preferences transformed her. Shy Riley vanished, and wild Riley appeared in her wake. Not that I was complaining.

  Riley’s lips moved with a steady rhythm, and I took full advantage of the situation. Wrapping my hand around the back of her neck, I pulled her closer to me. A sweet taste reminiscent of cotton candy covered my taste buds.

  I briefly stopped the kiss but didn’t move back. “That took me by surprise,” I whispered against her lips.

  She grinned. “You told me I need to be more assertive. Well, here I am, making decisions.”

  “I have to say, I think I like it very much.”

  We kissed all the way to the penthouse. When we pulled up to the front of my building, Riley leaned around me to look out the window. “Your place...?”

  “I can take you home.” I held my breath and waited for the answer.

  She locked her e
yes on mine. “No. I want to be here. That is, if—”

  I brought her words to a halt with another kiss. We held hands the whole way out of the car and through the lobby. The second the elevator doors closed, I spun her around and pushed her back against the wall. A little gasp escaped her mouth right before my lips crashed into hers. I ran my hands over her shoulders and down her back as we tongued. She was piping hot against my body, each inch of her exposed skin feeling like a bit of sunshine. I grasped her ass through her dress and lifted her up.

  With her back against the wall, she dug her hands into my shoulders and wrapped her legs around my waist. I shoved my tongue further into her mouth, exploring every inch of her sweetness.

  Behind me, the elevator opened with a ding. I set Riley on her feet and pulled her through the doorway. There were several apartments on the top floor, but the hallway to the right, which also happened to be the best space in the whole building, belonged exclusively to me. I squeezed Riley’s hand as I guided her to my front door. Heat pounded in my ears, making me dizzy and nearly delirious — all physical feelings I’d never experienced before with a woman. I could hardly remember the code to disarm the security system, but somehow, I got the digits right.

  With the door finally opened, I looped my arm around Riley’s waist and took her into the foyer. Most of the penthouse was dark, but a small amount of light spilled in from the living room. Riley looked around in interest.

  My arm still around her, I buried my face in her neck. “Care for a tour?” I murmured against her skin.

  She shivered beneath my touch. “Maybe later.”

  I nipped her earlobe, running my tongue over the soft shell. “That’s what I was hoping to hear.”

  Grasping her hand once more, I took her through the living room and down the short hallway. The master bedroom waited for us, city lights sparkling beyond the windows that covered an entire wall. I took Riley’s purse from her hand, set it on a chair, and gently eased her down onto the edge of the bed.

  Sinking to my knees, I slowly removed first one heel and then the other. Barely more than the outline of Riley’s face was visible, but I thought I could see a smile there.