hand pressed to my back again, and I was amazed at how reassuring that simple touch was. The patio was filled to near capacity. It was a beautiful fall day and this was clearly a popular attraction. Claude led us past the majority of people down a small path to a section that contained three tables for two.
“I have this area set aside for you two. Eric, I took the liberty of chilling that white you like, but I wasn’t sure if Glenna had a different preference.”
“White’s perfect.” Okay, so we had wine preferences in common. This was going well.
“If you need anything, just flag Connie down. I asked her to keep an eye on you, but she won’t interrupt unless you want her to.”
With a grin to us both, Claude strode away. And yes, he did have a lovely ass.
“I didn’t even know if you drank, but I figured I couldn’t do too badly bringing you here.” He pulled a chair out for me and this time I didn’t hesitate to sit. “If you do want something else—”
“Honestly, no. I do drink and while I’m not a wine connoisseur, I normally love whites. So this is awesome.”
Eric took the chair that was opposite me and moved it so we were sitting closer. He filled my glass and I waited until he’d poured his own drink before lifting it to my lips. Our gazes locked, and I couldn’t help but match his movements, drinking as he did. The wine was sweet, but not overpowering. I took another, deeper sip and hoped that I wouldn’t lose my head before we got to the interesting part of our conversation.
He put his glass down, fingering the base for a moment before he sucked in a breath. “You’re attracted to me.”
“Yes.” There was no sense in lying to him, in denying what we both knew to be true. I leaned forward, putting my weight on my elbow and bracing my chin on my hand. “Are you attracted to me?”
When he looked up, there wasn’t a spark, but a blaze dancing in his gaze. “Yes.”
I shifted my hand to the side of my throat. His gaze shifted, watching where I touched myself. “I didn’t think you even knew who I was.”
“You’ve walked by my office every day for the past year. I’ve begun to recognize the sound of your gait. I know it’s you and not someone else. Your laughter will sometimes reach my office and I can’t help but wonder what had made you smile.” He looked awkward with his admission.
I must have looked like some sort of deranged owl given the number of times I’d blinked. “You like my laugh?”
Eric reached down, pulled the cards from his pocket, and set them on the table between us. He’d taken a clip and attached them to the middle of the stack, ensuring that none of them would get lost. It partially obstructed the words printed beneath. There were thirty in total, a month’s worth of pleasure waiting for us to reach out and take it.
There was something that had been bugging me all day, something that I wanted to get out there before things got serious. “I’m not good at relationships. It’s not that I don’t want one, or want to settle down, I’m just shitty at them. It’s not that I’m selfish, but Jasmine says that I’m a bit oblivious to things around me sometimes that aren’t related to my research. So you need to know that about me.”
He nodded.
“And I’m pretty open about stuff, but I’m a stickler for condoms. I’m on the pill, so that will help keep the babies at bay.”
He nodded again.
I took another large sip of wine. “Damn. That’s really good.”
“Is there anything else?” Again he somehow turned a question that I might find abrasive from anyone else into one of genuine concern.
“Not really. I don’t think so.”
Eric picked the cards up, leaned back, and tapped them on the table. “I’m not looking for a relationship either. I haven’t seriously dated anyone in years and I wanted to be honest about that. I see these cards as an opportunity to relax and have a bit of fun. Does that make sense?”
Not back rubs?
“I have this area set aside for you two. Eric, I took the liberty of chilling that white you like, but I wasn’t sure if Glenna had a different preference.”
“White’s perfect.” Okay, so we had wine preferences in common. This was going well.
“If you need anything, just flag Connie down. I asked her to keep an eye on you, but she won’t interrupt unless you want her to.”
With a grin to us both, Claude strode away. And yes, he did have a lovely ass.
“I didn’t even know if you drank, but I figured I couldn’t do too badly bringing you here.” He pulled a chair out for me and this time I didn’t hesitate to sit. “If you do want something else—”
“Honestly, no. I do drink and while I’m not a wine connoisseur, I normally love whites. So this is awesome.”
Eric took the chair that was opposite me and moved it so we were sitting closer. He filled my glass and I waited until he’d poured his own drink before lifting it to my lips. Our gazes locked, and I couldn’t help but match his movements, drinking as he did. The wine was sweet, but not overpowering. I took another, deeper sip and hoped that I wouldn’t lose my head before we got to the interesting part of our conversation.
He put his glass down, fingering the base for a moment before he sucked in a breath. “You’re attracted to me.”
“Yes.” There was no sense in lying to him, in denying what we both knew to be true. I leaned forward, putting my weight on my elbow and bracing my chin on my hand. “Are you attracted to me?”
When he looked up, there wasn’t a spark, but a blaze dancing in his gaze. “Yes.”
I shifted my hand to the side of my throat. His gaze shifted, watching where I touched myself. “I didn’t think you even knew who I was.”
“You’ve walked by my office every day for the past year. I’ve begun to recognize the sound of your gait. I know it’s you and not someone else. Your laughter will sometimes reach my office and I can’t help but wonder what had made you smile.” He looked awkward with his admission.
I must have looked like some sort of deranged owl given the number of times I’d blinked. “You like my laugh?”
Eric reached down, pulled the cards from his pocket, and set them on the table between us. He’d taken a clip and attached them to the middle of the stack, ensuring that none of them would get lost. It partially obstructed the words printed beneath. There were thirty in total, a month’s worth of pleasure waiting for us to reach out and take it.
There was something that had been bugging me all day, something that I wanted to get out there before things got serious. “I’m not good at relationships. It’s not that I don’t want one, or want to settle down, I’m just shitty at them. It’s not that I’m selfish, but Jasmine says that I’m a bit oblivious to things around me sometimes that aren’t related to my research. So you need to know that about me.”
He nodded.
“And I’m pretty open about stuff, but I’m a stickler for condoms. I’m on the pill, so that will help keep the babies at bay.”
He nodded again.
I took another large sip of wine. “Damn. That’s really good.”
“Is there anything else?” Again he somehow turned a question that I might find abrasive from anyone else into one of genuine concern.
“Not really. I don’t think so.”
Eric picked the cards up, leaned back, and tapped them on the table. “I’m not looking for a relationship either. I haven’t seriously dated anyone in years and I wanted to be honest about that. I see these cards as an opportunity to relax and have a bit of fun. Does that make sense?”
Not back rubs?
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