Page 8 of Five Days to Be Mine

“Evan, I don’t need anything.”

“Allow me the pleasure of feeding you,” I insist gently.

She parts her lip a little and bites the pastry. Her eyes widened, and she brings her fingers to her mouth in the most delicate way.

“That’s amazing!”

“I know,” I pluck one off the tray and drop it into my mouth unceremoniously, and Mara grins.

“This place is my revenge of sorts,” I say with a shrug, but the truth is, I am damn proud of Sinful Bites.

“How so?” Mara's tone is all curious. She twirls a finger through her curly hair, and the gesture makes me want to run my hands through that hair.

“I married my ex at eighteen. It was a dumb thing to do even though I thought the reason was good. She made me feel like a freak when she found out I wanted to spank her and do kinky things to her. She said I’d never be successful if people found out what a kinky bastard I am. This place made me my first cool million.”

“Impressive,” Mara says. “Not the money, but the fact that you used her rejection as spite. Well, and the money, too," she laughs shyly, ducking her head.

“Spite is a beneficial emotion if you’re focused enough,” I comment.

“Did you just up and decide one day to open a restaurant where people could be naked and kinky?” Mara tilts her head. Her clear, blue sky eyes glow with interest.

“Hugo Hotel was in the market for a new restaurant to give their guests a memorable experience because they had cut ties with the old restaurant here. They needed something to fill the space. A lucky encounter led to meeting the Hotel’s CEO, and my big mouth made did the rest of it. My brothers helped me get it off the ground and rolling,” I dance my fingers along her palm.

She gives me that sly grin, revealing a dimple in her cheek and grips my fingers lightly as as she copies my move. “How many brothers do you have?”

“Three. Noel, Theo, and Hunter. I’m the second eldest.”

“I always wondered what it was like to have siblings. I’m an only. I have a stepbrother but he’s older than me, we didn’t grow up together.”

“Mostly, it’s a headache,” I smile at her, taking another canape off the appetizer tray.

This time, she doesn’t hesitate and opens her mouth for me right away. “Good girl.”

She blushes, her round cheeks tinged pink. I’m half-hard for this woman.

“Thank you,” she says softly.

It’s been a long time since I have felt an instant attraction to a woman, and never in this way.

Looking at Mara only makes me want to study her more.

Her eyes are a deep blue, her curly hair frames her face in a way that speaks of something fashionable and contemporary, and the way her eyes roam over the place and take everything in tells me she’s observant.

The fact that she could put up with the Wilsons for this long tells me she’s a saint.

“Did you discover something different tonight?” I raise my eyebrow, leaning forward.

“Hmm, I discovered that burly men like fruity drinks," she smiles. "There is a lot of licking things that I wouldn’t think of licking off of chests, and it’s possible to be lonelier than I thought during the holidays.” Her voice rises on that last word.

She glances at me quickly, then away.

“Are you lonely right this minute?”

She flashes me that smile. “No, at this moment, I’m feeling special by the company I’m in.”

“Good,” I grin like an idiot, gently stroking the webbing of her right hand. “Give me a second; I have to send my interior designer a message.”

“Why?” Mara’s brows furrow slightly.

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