Page 51 of High Seduction
She’d leaned back in her seat, the thick braid she’d woven her hair into leaving her face shining and bright. No adornment, no makeup. Both the borrowed blouse and skirt he’d convinced her to pull on were far more puritanical than the naked he’d prefer to see her in, but in spite of all that, Tim stopped cold and stared.
She frowned. “What?”
“So damn beautiful.”
Her pleasure at the compliment was clear as she fidgeted slightly. A smile lingered on her lips as she gestured to the bottle in his hand. “What are you going to ply me with?”
“Grey Goose. Or if you’d prefer, I’ll open a bottle of red wine.”
“Hmm.” Erin templed her fingers together as she leaned her elbows on the table. “Decisions, decisions. Maybe I should have a taste of each.”
She jerked back, teasing expression vanishing as Jason reappeared, a trolley of food before him. “May I suggest the Merlot? The chef is grilling steaks for your main course.”
“Of course he is.”
Erin choked down a laugh at Tim’s comment.
Jason had no qualms about sharing his amusement. His deep rumble of laughter rolled over them as he uncovered plates and placed them on the table. “We’ve made an assortment of things for you to try, since we had no idea of your preferences.”
Amazing smells rose from the platters. “It looks delicious,” Tim commented. “Open a bottle of the Merlot, and I’d like my steak medium rare.”
“The same for me.” Erin scooped up a shrimp with her fingers, dipping it in the rich sauce before pausing. “Jason—I don’t know how this works. Would you like to eat with us?”
He lowered his chin briefly. “Thank you for the invitation, but I ate earlier with the rest of the staff.”
Jason moved smoothly to the sideboard to open the wine, and Tim took advantage of the distraction to ease a couple more tidbits onto Erin’s plate.
Five minutes later they were alone, music playing in the background, candles lighting the length of the table.
Tim raised his glass.
“Another toast?” Erin asked.
He shook his head. “Taste.”
He held it to her lips, tilting the glass slowly as the dark liquid moved toward her mouth. Her gaze fixed on his eyes as she parted her lips slightly, a small sip of liquid all he allowed before stopping the flow.
She licked her lips, her tongue darting out to gather the lingering drops. “Lovely.”
Hmm. Her voice had gone sultry and low, a tantalizing brush more potent than the wine. “Here. Try a pastry.”
He chose one of the tiny tarts from her plate and lifted it as well, waiting until she leaned forward and took a bite, her teeth nipping through the flaky crust. Small crumbs scattered and he brushed them from her carefully, letting his touch linger on the curve of her breast under the silky blouse.
“Tim,” she whispered.
He popped a stuffed mushroom cap into his mouth and enjoyed the burst of flavors for a moment before lifting the glass for her again. “We’re alone. And I want to take care of you.”
He watched her consider his words as she took another sip. She hesitated, then relaxed. She snuck one hand over and rested it on his thigh as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
Cheering wasn’t appropriate, but reassuring was. He pressed his free hand over her fingers and squeezed encouragingly. “Thank you for your trust, kitten. I promise to help you enjoy yourself.”
“Just don’t go—” She pulled herself to a full stop, dark eyes glittering as she jerked upright so she could stare at him. She shook her head. “No, I won’t do that. I won’t make rules to try to influence what we’re doing.”
She said it plainly but in a hushed tone, as if she didn’t want her confession to intrude into the world they had stepped into.
“You’re braver than I am,” Tim admitted. “I like influencing what’s about to happen.”
A spark of mischief danced in. “Then we’re both in a good place, aren’t we?”
