Page 109 of Rare Blend
“Just so you know,” I tell her. “The suite I booked us has two bedrooms. I don’t want you to think this was all a ploy to get in your pants. I want you to feel comfortable.”
She peers at me over the menu. “Good thing I’m not wearing any pants.”
Fuck me.
Her smile is all innocence, but her foot running up and down my leg under the table is just the opposite. She puts the menu down and sets her elbows on the table, resting her chin in her palms, and regards me with a question in her eyes.
The waitress drops off our drinks and says she’ll return shortly to take our orders. Marisa takes a sip of hers, releasing a little moan that hits me right in the dick. I take a sip of my own drink to calm down.
“So, you’re like rich, rich?”
I nearly choke on my whiskey. “What?”
“It’s just that I didn’t realize…” she starts and then falters. “Which is silly, obviously you’re well off, you’re the CEO of a successful winery…”
Her face is etched with worry, brows furrowed, eyes downcast. We’ve never discussed money, so I’m only now noticing her discomfort with it.
“I wouldn’t say I’m rich. There are plenty of people better off than me and my family. We have good years and bad years like any other business.” Outwardly, I’m trying to remain calm, but internally, I’m scrambling. I’m not sure what the right thing to say is.
She looks away, breathing deeply, before her eyes look back at me. “I don’t want to be that person that brings up an ex ona first date. But my ex…Brandon”—her face twists saying the asshole’s name—“he’s wealthy. Very wealthy. And I got kind of lost in it all, and in the end … Well, let’s just say it pretty much screwed me.”
My stomach sours at the thought of her with some other guy. One who clearly didn’t treat her right. I’m reminded of that night at The Jackalope when she mentioned how she ended up in Red Mountain. Everything she’s told me about him only makes me despise him more. He didn’t realize what he had, but I sure as hell do. “This is the same guy who evicted you, right?”
She nods, avoiding my eyes. “Sure is.”
“He sounds like an asshole.”
A sharp laugh escapes her. “Yeah, and the worst part of it is we lived in a luxury waterfront condo. The mortgage payment was insane, and he made me pay half, and in return, he covered most of my expenses. So, here I am, making pennies compared to him and it’s his name on the mortgage, but I’m paying half. By the time he kicked me out, I was broke. I couldn’t build a savings, because I was paying so much of my income toward his place.”
My fists ball at my sides, and my jaw tenses. I can’t believe what I’m hearing right now. Who the fuck is this guy? Because I’d love to find him. Maybe get him alone for five minutes in a windowless room.
“What’s his last name?” I grit.
Her brows shoot up. “I’m not telling you. Looking at you, I can tell you want to kick his ass. And as much as I would enjoy that, he’s not worth it.”
I shrug nonchalantly and take a gulp of whiskey. “Maybe I only want to Google him.”
She shakes her head with a small smile. “Liar. But it’s very sweet of you.”
My head tilts. “Just what every guy wants to be…sweet.”
Her smile broadens. “You’re actually very sweet. You act like you’re a big ol’ grump, but you’re really a softy.”
I can’t help but beam at her. “Only for you.” And it’s the truth. She makes me want to be better, to be the kind of man deserving of a woman like her.
The waitress returns and takes our food orders. Marisa orders the mussels, and I order a steak. I’m not entirely sure steak was on the menu. I was too distracted by the incredible woman across from me to read the words on the page.
After dinner, we take a walk along the boardwalk. It’s cooler by the shoreline, so I pull Marisa in close to me with an arm around her. I can only imagine how cold she is in that thin peacoat.
We walk in silence as our breaths fog in front of us. I love having her curled around me, encased in my arms. I’ve never been the touchy feely type, and in the past I’ve had girlfriends complain they felt I didn’t like them because I’m not overly affectionate. Maybe they were right, because if Marisa is around, I want to be touching her. Ineedto be touching her. And she fits against me like she was always meant to be there. I think I’m way past the like stage. I’m falling in love with her. Maybe I have been since she stepped out of her car on that very first day. Maybe that’s why I tried to create distance.
She sighs deeply, hugging me close, as if she wants to dissolve into me. “I’m sorry for ruining dinner,” she says quietly.
I let my hand play with the ends of her hair and look down at her. “What? You didn’t ruin dinner. What are you talking about?”
Her head flops a little to the side, and she groans. “I brought up my ex. That’s like the number one rule of dates. And now you’re being all quiet. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
I stop walking and put both arms around her, fully caging her in. Her chin rests on my chest, and she peers up at me.
