Page 201 of Tormented Billionaire Romance Series

“Hands,” I repeated.

She put her hands in mine, albeit reluctantly.

I held her hands, stroking her with my fingers. “Just relax. You aren’t dreaming. Jim and his father always take some time out of their day to go up front and see their customers. And the chef’s special is what happens whenever Jim or his dad goes out and catches fish themselves.”

She didn’t say anything in response, still presumably in shock.

“Jim’s grandfather opened up this restaurant to sell what he made from the sea. This place used to be a shack. Naturally, it’s grown since then.”

“This is insane,” she said.

“It is. But isn’t it beautiful?”

Megyn swiveled in her chair to look at the aquarium tower. “It is. No doubt about that.”

Our server arrived just then and got us set up with drinks and an appetizer. Only then did Megyn really start to relax, no doubt glad to have something to occupy her time.

I speared up a buttered scallop and transferred it from the sample platter to my appetizer plate. “You know,” I said, “you are the only person I met at the party that I could even think about.”

“I had a great time, too,” she said, blushing.

She was so cute when she blushed. An urge came upon me suddenly, to kiss her until she forgot all about her embarrassment.

“I want to get to know you more,” I said.

“Do you think I’m going to be your wife?”

I sputtered, almost choking on my scallop. I washed the lump of succulent meat down with a gulp of wine. Megyn watched the whole time, and I felt like she was judging me even though no judgment showed on her face.

I managed to get ahold of myself. “I am serious about finding a woman to be my wife. I want more out of this life, someone to love and cherish and care for, someone who will show me light in the darkness. Do I expect you to be my wife? I think it’s all a little too early for that. I don’t know if that’s even something you would want.”

Megyn toyed with a piece of shrimp, tearing the breading off in chunks using the tip of her knife. She was unconvinced, uncertain of my intentions.

“I have no plans to break out a ring to propose to you tonight,” I said.

She giggled. “Well, that’s good.”

I smiled at her warmly. “Right now, all I know is you’re someone I’m very interested in and I wanted to have dinner with you. I don’t want to make anything else out of this.”

“Maggie always tells me I need to make a life for myself,” Megyn murmured, almost to herself. “Go all in.”

“Maggie is right about that.” I tilted my head. “Everyone deserves happiness, don’t you think?”

“What even is happiness?”

I held up my hands. “I wish I could give you an answer, but I am most definitely not a philosopher.”

“No,” she agreed. “You’re something way more special than that.”

“How about we only ask questions that have easy answers, tonight?” I suggested.

Megyn smiled. “Okay.”

“Tell me about your family.”

CHAPTER16

MEGYN

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