Page 32 of Room for Improvement

This dress was her greatest weapon, but it was also her weakness. Where the silk touched her breasts, there could be no hiding the fact that her nipples were peaked and hard. Achingly so. The thin fabric of her strapless bra did nothing to keep her obvious state of arousal from view. When Bryce led Vivian to an out of the way table, she was relieved.

More than one other male guest checked her out as they walked across the small restaurant space. Bryce glared at one man who made a not too subtle attempt to ogle her. She might well be a twenty first century independent woman, but she secretly relished his sign of possessiveness. He sat next to her in the curved booth. The touch of his leg against her bare knee sent a jolt of lust rushing through her body.

How fast can we eat, and then get out of here?

As if reading her thoughts, a waiter appeared and handed them both menus. Vivian ran her gaze quickly over the dinner offerings. It was the usual Californian fare. Fancy burgers, tacos, and prime New York steak. Every single one of them were the natural enemy of her slinky, silk dress.

The last time she had paid to get this particular little number professionally dry cleaned, it had cost her sixty five bucks. At the moment, with her credit card balance in its current precarious state, she would do anything not to have to spend that sort of cash. She’d learned that if she kept the dress free from any stains, and then washed the under arms in cold water, she could hang it up to dry. Gravity tended to deal with smoothing out the wrinkles.

Grace of course would be mortified to discover that this was how Vivian dealt with an expensive designer dress, but then again, her friend had never had to worry about money or where it came from. Not that she resented Grace’s good fortune in the least; Vivian had been on the receiving end of her friend’s generosity from the very first day they’d met while backpacking in Europe.

“Thoughts?” asked Bryce.

“The pan roasted king salmon looks good,” replied Vivian, her gaze fixed firmly on the menu. Going straight to the mains was a bold move, but she really didn’t want to waste time on entrees. And in this outfit, only a fool would brave soup and salad.

The curved high back of the dining booth was generously padded. The sensation of the cool fabric against her skin had little goosebumps forming on her arms and legs. When Bryce shifted even closer, and the leg of his linen pants brushed against her thigh, Vivian bit down on her bottom lip.

Another wild porny fantasy dropped into her mind. This one involved Bryce slipping his hand up her skirt and toying with the lace edge of her panties. She hadn’t realized how sex starved she was until tonight. Grace’s words ordering Vivian to ride the horse until she reached orgasm rose ever higher in volume.

Bryce leaned in. “An excellent choice. I think I might go with the good old sea bass. Of course if either of us gets hungry later on, they do have an in-room dining service that goes until 6am.”

Vivian’s teeth crushed into her bottom lip. If she didn’t get her lust under control and soon, there was every chance both the salmon and the sea bass would go to waste.

Those two little words,later on, dripped with sensual promise.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR

They barely made it through dinner. The constant sideway glances coupled with the occasional brush of fingers saw Bryce asking for the check as soon as their plates had been cleared away.

Vivian slipped her hand into his as they walked from the restaurant. While this move eliminated the need for Bryce to growl at any other male guest, hungry gazes still tracked her progress.

Once they were outside, Bryce slowed his steps. Vivian sensed a moment of hesitation on his part. A question perhaps.

Maybe he is worried we’re rushing this, or that it’s not what I want. I hoped the dress spoke volumes, but who knows? He might just be having second thoughts.

How did she tell him that she desired him, without appearing too desperate? That the careful way she had dressed and put on her makeup tonight had been to send a clear message? She might well view tonight as a holiday fling, but she had chosen her look especially for him. Vivian had chosen Bryce.

“Would you like to take a walk on the beach or…” he asked.

Vivian swallowed deep, then summoned her courage. “Do you have a view of the ocean from your suite?”

His grip on her hand tightened just enough to let her know what he thought of her question. Of how it affected him.

“I have a balcony from which you can see the entire resort’s private cove. I would be more than happy to show it to you.”

It was a short walk to his suite, and the whole time Vivian’s heart was thumping hard in her chest. Anticipation, lust, and a heady dose of adrenaline coursed through her veins. There was no doubt in her mind that she wanted Bryce, craved what this man might offer her. A night of pleasure. One without any expectations of tomorrow. Or disappointment.

Men had let her down enough in the past for her to have developed a certain degree of wariness when it came to the male sex. Her once-too-many-times broken heart had learned to deeply mistrust.

At the door of his room, Bryce let go of Vivian’s hand. He took a step back, leaving a foot or two distance between them.

“Today has been an unexpected delight with you Vivian. And dinner was especially lovely.”

Her brows furrowed. He sounded like an English gentleman. One of those characters you saw in a movie who was rich, posh, and inevitably turned out to be the villain.

You are not a villain Bryce. I can feel it in my bones. You are one of the good ones.

He cleared his throat. “What I am trying to say, without sounding crass, is that I really like you. Where things go from this point is entirely up to you, Vivian. If you would like to join me in a glass of champagne while viewing the Pacific Ocean from the balcony of my suite, that would be a pleasant way to end the evening. Or you could stay and see the sunrise from my bed. In my arms.”

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