Page 20 of Wanting the Winger

“No, it’s all set.”

“Thank you for a wonderful dinner.” I stand and push my chair in. My eyes land on the pizza box and I snicker.

“What are you laughing at over there?”

“You got a pizza to go. Is that your midnight snack?”

“Actually, I got this for you to have.”

“You did?” I’m stunned by his thoughtfulness. “When did you order this?”

“When you went to the ladies’ room.” He looks proud of himself.

“Aren’t you sneaky? Well, Tillie is a big fan of pizza, so I know what she’s going to have for lunch tomorrow.”

“Good.” His lips curve in a closed-mouth smile. Carrying the large box, he comes around to my side of the table. With a hand on my back, he directs me toward the exit but still manages to open the door for me before I can.

“Thank you.” Once we’re outside, I ask, “Did your mom teach you your good manners?”

“Both of my parents did. My dad is very solicitous toward my mom. She’s the love of his life and he makes sure she knows it.”

“That’s so sweet. It sounds like you had a great example of how a healthy relationship works.”

“I did. But when you have parents like that it can also make you wonder if you’ll ever be able to be that happy with someone. They’re a hard act to follow.”

“I can understand that. Relationships are hard work.”

“Hey, what do you think of taking a detour to the fountain? I know we sat by the window because of the view, but I forgot about it. I was too busy looking at my beautiful dinner companion.”

I don’t know how to gracefully accept a compliment, so, of course, I make a joke. “I think you were too busy looking at the pizza.”

He catches hold of my hand, surprising me. “You can pretend that’s the reason, but we both know it's not true.”

Side by side we walk, our hands clasped and our arms brushing. Darius doesn’t seem to mind carrying the pizza box. Entering the park, we follow the path until we’re standing in front of the brightly lit, pineapple-shaped fountain.

He releases my hand and wanders a few steps over to place the box down on a bench. Returning, he stops next to me, taking hold of my hand once more. I lean my head on his arm as we watch the fountain. It’s stunning, especially against the backdrop of the fading sunset. While the peak time has passed, it’s still a sight to see with the vivid streak of orange above the horizon fading to a light pink before deepening into the darkening blue of the evening sky.

The breeze off the water sends a chill rippling through me, and I shiver. Darius spins me toward him, wrapping me in his strong arms. His hands stroke up and down my back while urging me closer. With my cheek pressed to his chest, I breathe in his masculine scent. I don’t know much about men’s cologne but whatever he wears smells delicious. Anyone who doesn’t think scents can play a role in arousal has never smelled anything as good as Darius.

“Are you warm enough?” His voice sounds hoarse. I hope he’s as affected by me as I am by him.

“Mhmm.” I nod, my cheek rubbing against his shirt. Underneath the soft material, his muscles are solid as a rock.

He bends over, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. It’s such a sweet and unexpected gesture. I raise my face, and our eyes briefly connect before his mouth lowers toward mine.

He’s going to kiss me.

And I want his kiss more than I can ever remember wanting one before.

My stomach whirls with anticipation like a mini cyclone has been let loose inside.

The first touch of Darius’s lips on mine is brief and whisper soft, as if he’s testing the waters. His face hovering close to mine, I push up onto my toes and connect my eager mouth to his. My hands hook around the nape of his neck and I sink my fingers into his thick, black hair.

His tongue teases the inside edge of my lower lip before fully sweeping in and tangling with mine. One of his large hands cups the side of my face. His fingers wrap around the back of my neck, gently holding me captive as his talented mouth makes every nerve ending in my body come alive.

His arm that’s still wrapped around me, tugs me closer and my breasts flatten against his chest. An ache of longing settles between my thighs. If we weren’t in the middle of the park, I’d be begging him to ease my pain. It’s been far too long since I came by anyone’s hand besides my own.

Darius brushes his lips against mine one final time before raising his head. “Wow.” He smiles.

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