‘I told him you’d shut the place down, the editor.’
‘And he was happy?’
‘Nope.’ She shoved her hands deeper into the pockets of her jeans and tried not to look like a naughty schoolgirl, which was what she felt like. Playing truant. ‘He rang up Pinchos to check, and got the message on your answerphone, then told me I had 24 hours to come up with something else to fill the slot.’
It might have taken a long time to decide what to do about her review, but that had been nothing compared to the time it took to get ready to meet him. Who’d have thought it could take a girl so long to opt for jeans and a sweater? Well, she’d gone through her whole wardrobe first. Suit? Too business-like, makes you look prissy. Dress? Too sexy, looks like you fancy him. Skirt? Way, but way too short, looks like you’re trying to finish what you started yesterday and get him into bed. Shirt? Too much cleavage, makes you look like you’re trying to remind him of the towel. Jeans? Looks like you don’t care. But you don’t. You do not care what you look like when you meet him. So why the make-up? It was too late to smear it off, which would only have left her looking like a panda in a snowstorm, and it was too late to straighten her hair so that she looked in control of the situation. So, it was the natural look. Which at least would be original, a novelty for him. The pretty as porcelain Danielle didn’t look like she did au naturel, nor did the Spanish mamá or whatever she was who had tipped a pitcher of ice cubes down the back of her neck. She shivered; that was one drenching she wasn’t about to forget in a hurry. Sometimes English reserve had its benefits, though sometimes Ellie wished she could just jump in feet first and forget the consequences.
‘You OK?’ He was studying her as though he cared, which he clearly didn’t. He couldn’t, because they’d only just met and he was off to Spain any second now, and she had an irate ex-boyfriend to think about, which was far more important than the tingle that seemed to have started up in her bra, making it suddenly feel far too tight.
‘Sure.’
‘You’re not regretting saying you’d meet me here? I mean, I know the whole boyfriend thing left a nasty taste about this place.’
‘And your tapas left a nastier one.’ She grinned to try and show him she didn’t mean it. ‘I wouldn’t have sent a text to say I was coming if I hadn’t meant it.’ The text had been an impulse after getting into bed and then tossing and turning like she needed a workout. Well, she had needed a workout, a between the sheets type, to get rid of all the frustrations that his careless fingers had built up under the bath towel.
‘Come in, let me show you the plans and see what you think.’
‘I can’t help with plans, I’m not a –’
‘I just want your opinion, that’s all.’
‘Look, it’s more complicated than you think.’ Fighting his fingers because she wasn’t sure she wanted a quick fling was only part of the story; hiding the rest of the reason wasn’t fair. Though she hadn’t done much fighting from what she could remember, which should make her blush but it didn’t. It just set up a pulsing in her pussy which she was doing her best to ignore.
‘We’ll work it out.’ He smiled, all confident and assured, and she knew she had to tell him. Not that she’d been hiding anything, exactly; she just hadn’t been able to spit the whole story out.
‘Hang on.’ She put a hand on his arm to stop him marching over to the table like he was obviously about to, taking her with him. ‘I want to, but I’m not sure I can just work with you. If Mark finds out he’ll –’
He shrugged. ‘I’m not afraid of this Mark, whoever he is. Come on.’
‘Will you just stop and bloody listen for a minute? You should be afraid. Look, when I came here with him, Mark went into anaphylactic shock.’
‘Ana –?’
‘Anaphylactic, it’s like an allergic reaction? Peanuts can set it off, and shellfish. He couldn’t breathe, was panicking, it was horrible.’ It had been. The man she loved had looked like he was going to die. Because she had still loved him then, or been pretty damn close. He’d been gasping for air and she’d been sure that any second now the breath he took was going to be his last. A little shudder ran through her. She’d been watching him die, except he hadn’t. ‘Someone called an ambulance and he was lucky; they recognised what it was immediately and gave him an adrenalin shot. He was rushed off to hospital, but pretty stable by the time they got there. Apparently it was a fairly mild reaction. They kept him in overnight for observation and sent me home. I was getting my stuff ready the next morning to go and collect him when I got the text.’
‘Text? He was –’
‘Mark had decided that we were over. His near-death experience had shown him he was wasting his life, he said.’ The shit. “Wasting his life”. With those words, he’d discounted every second they’d spent together as wasted. Consigned every touch, every kiss, every hug to the bin. Along with the shags, which, OK, hadn’t always been earth-shattering but they’d more than scratched the itch. What was it he’d said about her being crazy hot in bed but a bit too crazy hot in the head to make it work between them for ever? ‘He said he was starting again, seeing one of the nurses.’ Someone nice and practical who could soothe his stresses away instead of wind him up.
‘That’s not complicated.’ He stroked a lock of hair back from her face, tucked it behind her ear, and she didn’t know whether to pull away or ask for more. ‘He’s wasted your time, not his own. He’s not worth worrying about any more.’
‘I’m not worrying about him.’ She jerked her head away from the gentle fingers, which were more than slightly disturbing. She felt like she was sitting on some weird scales and he kept shifting the balance. ‘He said he’s going to sue you. If he finds I’m helping you, well, I don’t know, he’ll think you’re – you’re perverting the course of justice or something. You’re not, are you?’
He laughed then, and she was tempted to join in, though God knows why. ‘All our ingredients are listed on the menu. If he is allergic to one of them then it is sad, but how is that my problem? I’m not perverting anything.’ The grin widened. ‘Although I’d quite like to.’
Perverting was a word she shouldn’t have used. She swallowed hard and tried to ignore the new string of dirty thoughts, and what he’d just said. ‘He didn’t know he was allergic to anything.’
‘And that’s my fault? Let him think what he wants. If he sues, he sues. Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. Come on, help me.’
‘But –’
‘But nothing. He’s over, gone.’ He waved a hand in dismissal. ‘He might be stupid enough to let you escape, but I –’
She wasn’t sure what he was about to say next, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know. But he stopped short and met her gaze. Then shrugged and held his hand out. Inviting her to do who knew what. But it was OK, she had been daft. Lucas was right, whatever Mark was planning shouldn’t stand in the way of her helping, or doing anything else that was on offer.
Lucas tried not to stare at her lips, but it was hard given the way she was chattering away, and it was better than staring at her boobs, he supposed. She finally seemed to accept that being sued wasn’t a worry and had followed him across the now closed tapas bar to the plans he’d laid out on the bar.
He stood next to her, and resisted the urge to put his hand on her waist.
‘Hey, they’re good. I like having this wider counter, and these stools. It’s like a proper pincho bar.’
‘It is a proper pincho bar.’ He tried to sound offended but she just laughed so that the ringlets of hair jiggled on the top of her head and threatened to cascade down and hide her long, slim, kissable neck.
‘So, what about there?’ She spun round and waved one hand, so that it hit his chest. His automatic reaction was to grab hold. ‘No.’ She pulled free and waved a finger at him like some schoolmistress, the type he really wouldn’t mind telling him off.
‘No what?’
‘Don’t you come over all innocent with m
e. I know exactly what you’re up to.’
‘Do you?’
She blushed, a light tinge of pink along her high cheekbones, and she looked just like she had when her towel had dropped to the floor yesterday. So, yeah, maybe she did know. ‘OK, you talk. I’ll listen and try not to touch.’
‘Are you going to have stools along there, so people can sit along the back wall as well as at the counter?’
‘In Spain we stand.’
She smelled fresh: delicate, floral scent mingled with something he couldn’t pin down. Something light and good.
‘In England we like to sit, though. High stools would be good, and then another bar and stools along the front. A lot of people like to sit down and get served; it’s about the food, not the socialising, for them, and if you don’t cater for them you’ll lose a lot of potential customers. And you’ll still have lots of room for people to stand in between.’
‘I just need to –’ He’d promised himself he wouldn’t, but he couldn’t resist. He bent forward, covered the few inches that separated his mouth from that slim neck, let himself kiss her gently, tease downwards until he reached the dip at the base. The sigh that came from her shot straight down to his groin. She tilted her head away, let him taste her, smell her, tease her with his teeth. And her whimper sent a rush of blood down to his already hard cock. He reached out, put his hands on her bum and pulled her close so that she could feel the length of him.
‘Stop it, people can see, walking past.’
‘I don’t care.’ He sucked on her neck and she pushed her hips harder against him, even though her hands were on his chest, half pushing him away.
‘I do.’
‘Really?’ He slipped one hand between her buttocks, stroked a firm finger between her legs. ‘You’re so hot down there, hot and wet.’
She groaned, opened her thighs slightly, letting him press harder against her covered pussy, and rocked her pelvis against his throbbing cock.
He ran his mouth over her neck, then blew gently down so that she shivered.
‘Shit, don’t do that.’
‘You like it.’ The way she responded to his every touch was turning him on even more than he thought possible; any second now and he’d be coming if he wasn’t careful. He gritted his teeth, fought for control.
‘Too much.’ Her fingers wound into his hair, which didn’t help one bit.
‘You want me to stop?’ Getting harder by the second.
‘Not really.’
He picked her up in one easy motion and put her on the counter, straight on top of the plans that he’d been up all night working on. ‘That’s what I like to hear.’
‘Cocky bastard.’ Her fingers were still tangling in his hair, sending a fizz of need down his spine.
‘Keep doing that and I won’t be able to. Eloisa?’ Her fingers stilled, and she rested her forehead against his. Waiting. ‘You do know I have to go back to Barcelona when this is done. I have responsibilities, my parents need me, the bar …’
‘I know.’ Her tone was light, but he heard the tightness that lingered in the background. ‘This is just for now, right?’
‘Just now.’ But it shouldn’t be. He didn’t want to take her just once, twice, enjoy the moment. He knew that it would only leave him wanting more. ‘Shall we finish this then go back to mine?’ He shouldn’t say it, but he couldn’t not.
‘Sounds good.’ She planted the smallest of kisses on his lips.
‘Eloisa, I –’
‘Shh. Don’t you think you should get me down from here? I’m squashing your pretty pictures.’ Putting his hands back on her waist made the ache in his balls worse. He didn’t want to let go. She stood for a moment, her hands around his neck, then slipped them down until they rested on his chest and pushed him gently away.
Much as he’d like to, he couldn’t take her here on the counter.
The rap on the door made them both start. Danielle, hands on her hips and a smile on her face, was peering through the window.
‘Hi, Lukey.’ She grinned and was inside the second he unlocked the door, giving him a passing kiss on the cheek. ‘I’m Dani. I gather he told you about the car? Sorry about that.’
She didn’t look too sorry, she just looked pleased with herself, and he didn’t know whether to be cross about the interruption, to worry about how long she’d been standing there, or to cringe at the way she mangled his name in her own sweet way.
‘You two seem to be getting on well.’ So, she had been there for more than a second or two. ‘Wow, are these the plans? Look, I’m sorry to break things up if you’re busy, but I need you to come and see this guy who’s got some paintings that are just brill.’ The woman was a whirlwind, pregnant or not. ‘They’d look so good in here.’
‘You don’t know how it’s going to look.’
‘They’ll look good anyway.’
‘It can wait, Danielle.’ He put his hands in his pockets and shifted uncomfortably, wishing his rock-hard erection would melt away, which was unlikely when Ellie stood watching them with an amused, and definitely dirty, grin on her face.
‘Oh no, he’s got this exhibition and if we don’t get in quick … Come on, Lukey, lock this place up. You can come too if you like.’
Ellie shook her head and he wished he could too. He needed a cold shower or a good, hard, sweat-breaking shag. Not a frustrating hour of looking at pictures with an escort in attendance.
‘Take the plans, mark on what you think we need to change, and meet me for dinner?’
Chapter Six
‘Wow, it looks great.’ It did. The long, brightly lit bar showcased the plates of food and even from the doorway the smells reached out and grabbed her taste buds like they’d never let them go. ‘You’ve done OK.’ The place looked brilliant; it was buzzing, packed, and the tempting food was drawing people back to the counter to grab a mouthful time and time again. ‘For a Spaniard in a foreign country.’ Every bar stool was taken, and the long wall opposite was crammed with people jostling for elbow space and a spot to put their plate. The front section of the bar had been redecorated and somehow seemed to combine traditional Spain and modern eating, with plenty of tables for the people who wanted to sit and be served. He’d taken into account every untidy scribble she’d added to his plans and turned them into something even better.
He hadn’t needed her help, any idiot could tell that, but he’d insisted on taking her out for dinner and then they’d talked into the night about his plans for the place, about home, family. And she’d felt like she’d known him for ever as they’d shared food, wine, and jokes. And when he’d kissed her goodnight and told her he had to pop back to Barcelona for a few days she’d been half expecting it. He’d even asked her to go with him, but what was the point in getting any more involved, in drawing out the inevitable? It had always been about fun, not future. But now he was back for opening night.
‘Cheeky woman.’ He squeezed one cheek of her bum and brought her back to the present. ‘We’ve done OK.’ Yeah, they’d done OK – well, he had. His fingers lingered and her throat tightened. Why the hell had she rushed away the other day, let him go? Why had she said no to spending a few days in Spain with him, a few nights? Maybe it was a missed opportunity, one that would haunt her dirty dreams for a long time to come, because he’d be heading back to Barcelona for good any day now. That was what he’d said, wasn’t it? How could she have been so bloody stupid? There he had been, practically in her grasp – well, in her knickers – and she’d jumped ship. ‘What is going round in that head?’
‘You don’t want to know, believe me.’
‘Oh I think I do, believe me.’
‘Shouldn’t you be mingling?’
‘I want to mingle with you.’ His hip was hard against hers and Ellie was suddenly cross at him and even more annoyed at herself. He was going, and she had a choice – either find one last opportunity to jump him and get it out of her system. Or hide.
‘I’m going to go and check Kate�
��s OK.’
‘She looks fine to me.’ He grinned as Kate waved in their direction, and winked.
‘She’s very insecure at heart, it’s all front.’
He laughed; that rich, deep laugh that made her body stand to attention.
‘I’ll talk to you in a bit, then?’
‘You will, you can count on it.’ More than talk, all she had to work out was the best place to corner him, and what order to rip his clothes off in.
‘You’ve done good, girl.’ Kate cut into her dirty thoughts. Before they got any dirtier.
‘I didn’t do much, it was all Lucas and Dani.’
‘I didn’t mean the bar.’ She winked and nodded her head over to where Lucas stood chatting at the other side of the room. ‘Well, are you going to dish the dirt?’
‘What dirt?’
‘Oh don’t play the innocent with me, Ellie, I want all the gory details. Come on, don’t be mean.’
‘There aren’t any – well, not much.’
‘Oh.’ Kate looked a bit deflated, and frowned. ‘But I thought –’
‘Stop thinking, you’ll get brain ache. And anyway, he’s back off to Spain in the next day or so.’
‘Anyway –’ she brightened up, sat straighter on the bar stool as her gaze followed one of the waiters ‘– he’s left you a great leaving present. That –’ she paused for effect ‘– is his new manager.’ Kate was obviously quite taken by the man, whoever he might be. He looked OK, but nothing to rave over.
New manager, all change. If she’d ever had the slightest silly thought that Lucas might hang around she’d obviously got it wrong. All done and dusted, every loose end neatly tied up. Except for her.
‘Well, don’t you think he’s hot?’
‘Lukewarm.’ Not Lukey, though.
‘Stop being such a miserable cow. Well, I like him.’ Kate waved a hand in the manager’s direction and his mouth tipped into the type of charming smile that Ellie had seen a million times before. She glanced around and her eyes locked onto the lean figure of Lucas. On cue he turned, and he didn’t even need to smile. Just one look sent a strange need deep into her belly. Now, that was what she called hot. He raised a questioning eyebrow and she lifted her shoulders. One shag, one goodbye shag; was it really what she wanted? But if she didn’t, would she regret it for ever?
Spice It Up - an erotic novella Page 5
